The 2022 holiday shopping season is about to become more convenient and fun! TikTok is working on launching a Live Shopping feature for its users.  

Social commerce is nothing new, but Live Shopping offers an updated and more personalized social commerce experience.  

Here’s most likely what Live Shopping on TikTok will look like:

• TikTok users will be able to join an influencer’s or brand’s livestream where they’re reviewing, trying on and promoting different products.
• When a product is presented, a pin will pop up on the user’s screen.
• When the user clicks to the pin, they’ll have the option to buy the product within the TikTok app.
• A full, buyable list of products will be available after the livestream for users to browse and purchase, all without leaving the TikTok app.

TikTok launched Live Shopping in the UK over the summer, but they didn’t see the adoption they were hoping for. Despite that data, TikTok is optimistic that the US holiday shopping season launch will be more successful. Asian countries have already adopted the new tech and social commerce sales are continually scaling in the East. TikTok hopes that the West will catch on and make TikTok the leader in the Live Social Commerce space.

Live Shopping offers value to both influencers and brands as well as individual consumers.

For influencers and brands, it offers the chance for a much more connected and personalized experience for their customers. It also increases buying potential since users don’t have to leave their app and can immediately make a purchase when they see a product they like. These Live Shopping experiences can create a sense of community and personality surrounding the brand for customers to remember and return to. There is seemingly endless potential for influencers and brands to create hype around new products with this feature, offer limited supply “Live Shopping Parties” and collaborate with other brands to build new audiences.  

For individual consumers, the real time product demos and reviews are invaluable. Livestream Shopping experiences can offer users real time information and reviews about products, which traditional online reviews have paved the way for. Users also get more value from following brands and influencers who promote products they are interested in. They can engage in “Live Shopping Sprees” right in the middle of their scrolling without having to leave their home or even the TikTok app.

These are just some of the perks that TikTok Live Shopping will offer the social commerce world this holiday season!

If your business isn’t set up on TikTok, now is the time to get started! Taking advantage of the Live Shopping feature can mean big growth for your business, but you’ll need to make sure your business is ready.

One thing to keep in mind is that TikTok requires accounts to have at least 1,000 followers before they can use the Go Live feature. To build followership, adhering to the platform’s Posting and Community Guidelines and having a solid social media marketing strategy are all important. Even if your business has a strong presence on other social media platforms, breaking into the TikTok space amidst this new launch is a great move.

Final thoughts…

Every size business can benefit from TikTok’s Live Shopping feature. Particularly for small businesses, this new tech could be the next best investment for your company’s growth.

Having a compelling social media marketing strategy is more important than ever and RevLocal can help! To learn more about what it’s like to have RevLocal handle your business’s social media and digital marketing, view our resources or contact us for a free consultation.