This report mainly explores the transformative role of TikTok in the business sector, analyzing how it reshapes the shopping experience, the impact it brings to brands and consumers, and proposing corresponding business strategies.
- Research Background and Methods: Against the backdrop of an ever-evolving business landscape, the collapse of the purchase funnel, and diversified shopping channels, TikTok partnered with Ipsos to conduct research. The quantitative study surveyed 3,876 U.S. individuals aged 18-65 (including 825 TikTok shopping users) through a 20-minute device-agnostic online survey conducted in August-September 2024; the qualitative study interviewed 8 marketing professionals from different industries for 45 minutes each.
- TikTok's Business Advantages
- Uniqueness of the Discovery Engine: By integrating user-generated content with proactive search, its "For You" feed and search functions enable users to spontaneously or actively discover new brands and products. Interest-based mapping connects users and brands, bringing new audiences to brands. User search behavior is evolving, with a preference for researching products via video and social media platforms, and TikTok shoppers often return to the platform after making purchases.
- Influence of Authenticity Factors: Community-oriented content builds trust, and creator-driven authenticity bridges the trust gap between users and brands. 74% of users believe creator content is authentic, and 55% trust brands more after learning brand information. It can turn everyday products into part of the culture, motivating user interaction and driving product sales.
- New Strategies in the Business Era
- Seamless Shopping Experience: Investing in building a seamless shopping process from discovery to purchase, including TikTok advertising solutions, e-commerce innovations (such as TikTok Shopping), and strategic partnerships. Users find TikTok Shop easy to use and the shopping experience seamless.
- Specific Strategy Applications: In-app commerce can leverage TikTok Shop features and collaborate with creators to boost sales; always-on strategies drive e-commerce conversion through omnichannel experiences and ad optimization; hybrid media and business strategies enable seamless online-offline transitions, integrating advertising and shop features to enhance performance.
