TikTok, a short-form video sharing app owned by Chinese tech giant Bytedance, has launched ‘TikTok For Business’, a hub for its marketing and advertising solutions, including a newly announced augmented reality (AR) ad format. But as the viral video platform integrates brands more deeply into the user experience, the company is asking advertisers to adapt to the culture and style of TikTok, rather than running standard creatives which they might use elsewhere.
Two newly announced offerings will sit within TikTok For Business. ‘Branded Scan’ will enable brands to upload AR versions of their products, which TikTok users can then place in their videos. And ‘Creator Marketplace’ is a platform currently being tested which connects brands with relevant TikTok influencers, designed to help them create branded content at greater scale.
And TikTok’s existing advertising and marketing solutions will be rehoused in TikTok For Business. These include in-feed video ads which can be up to 60 seconds long, full screen ‘brand takeover’ ads which can be up to five seconds long, and branded hashtag challenges, where brands can invite users to create videos based around a specific theme or idea.
But as TikTok expands its toolset for advertisers, the company is asking that advertisers don’t break the experience on TikTok by creating ads and content which jar with the rest of the user experience.
TikTok has only introduced ad formats within the last few years, meaning many users have become used to a relatively ad-free experience on the app. And the company hopes that if brands create content specifically fitted to the culture and style of TikTok, users won’t be put off by brands becoming prevalent within the app. TikTok sums up its pitch to advertisers with “Don’t make ads, make TikToks.”
“We’ve seen more and more brands embrace the unique and creative ways the TikTok community expresses themselves through video,” said Stuart Flint, head of Europe, global business solutions at TikTok “The experience is real, light-hearted and fun, and as we’ve seen over the course of these dynamic times, users and brands have the ability to make a meaningful and positive impact on their communities. We’re excited to officially introduce TikTok For Business and continue building products, services and resources for marketers to engage their communities in a new and innovative way, and show them how TikTok is a creative and valuable marketing platform.”
