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TikTok is rolling out features in 2021 to make online shopping easier. The social platform’s new updates will give users the ability to add affiliate links and will even give brands the ability to showcase their suite of products from within TikTok itself.
The move is another sign that big social platforms are shifting towards offering more tools to help their influencers and creators earn a living.
Of course, the likely rewards will be somewhat tied to the size of your TikTok following. But these new tools offer a point of entry to affiliate marketing for a whole new range of people, and for existing brands to diversify their channel earnings. We explain all you need to know, below.
See our guide to the Best Social Media Management Tools
TikTok’s new features
Here’s the full list of new tools on the way from TikTok, according to a new Financial Times report.
- Product links in videos to earn the poster an affiliate commission, a feature available to popular users
- Showcases to give users a look at each of the products a brand has to offer, a feature available to brands
- “livestreamed shopping” – TikTok’s take on a TV shopping channel, allowing users to buy products with a tap after seeing TikTok celebrities discuss and endorse them
The plan is to debut these tools at some point in 2021, though no specific date has been announced.
Is the creator middle class built on ecommerce?
We’re a little over a month into 2021, and it’s already shaping up to be the year that the world realizes the financial power of online creators and communities. The flashiest examples are the amateur trading crusaders behind the Gamestop short squeeze, but plenty of meme-loving public figures have been able to move the stock markets with a tweet for a while now.
Yet not all creators are equal. Sure, the biggest ones can earn millions per year, but there’s a long tail of creators who are earning pennies. Massive social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, or YouTube would benefit in the long term by making it easier to earn money within their ecosystem.
Instagram has been experimenting with ecommerce for a while, and TikTok teamed up with Shopify to explore the space back in October 2020.
Granted, they could be doing a lot more to help their users. But, TikTok’s new shopping tools are yet another sign that new paths towards financial security are opening up for mid-tier influencers and creatives – at least, for those popular enough to qualify for access.
Ecommerce alternatives
You shouldn’t entirely tie your ecommerce hopes to a third-party platform. Diversification is key, and nothing can replace the security of owning an ecommerce channel that will never be suspended, banned, or suffer from an algorithm change. For that, a good old fashioned website is still the gold standard.
To keep the internet healthy, creators need to be able to earn a living. Here’s hoping TikTok’s new ecommerce tools are just the latest step towards a meaningful change. But while you’re waiting to gain a giant following, take a look at all the top website builders for ecommerce.
| Test Score Our score is based on independent assessments of ease of use, features, ecommerce functionality and value for money | Starting Price | Pros | Cons | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEST OVERALL  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Wix | Shopify | Squarespace | Hostinger | GoDaddy | BigCommerce | Square Online |
| 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.6 |
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