TikTok’s looking to make it easier for creators to post affiliate links, and earn commission for doing so, with an updated process for adding links from selected partners.
TikTok is adding links at a post level
Could this be the thing that reverses Instagram’s decision not to have links in captions?
Multiple LTK creators are directly sharing LTK links in their posts ????
The “related producted” link appears at the top of the comments section pic.twitter.com/ymo8O951me
— Lia Haberman (@liahaberman) November 13, 2024
As you can see in this example, posted by Lia Haberman, some TikTok creators are now able to add affiliate links to their uploads, which then appear at the top of the comment stream. When tapped, they then take viewers direct to those product pages, driving direct traffic for these brands.
The new initiative is part of an expanded TikTok affiliates program:
As you can see in this overview, TikTok’s looking to encourage creators to add direct shopping links, which are added within the upload flow.
Only links from selected partners can be included, but it provides another way to both solidify TikTok’s connection to these brands, while also providing another monetization avenue for creators.
And it also encourages more shopping activity in-stream. TikTok is very keen to make in-stream shopping a thing, and it’s working on various initiatives to support such. Direct product links in video comments is another element that will encourage shopping behavior, and could make TikTok and even more appealing destination for brands.
It’s a significant expansion of TikTok’s existing affiliate initiatives, with the capacity to add active links within comments likely to help drive more interest.
TikTok already has a range of affiliate marketing options, including its Creator Marketplace which enables brands to find relevant creators for their campaigns.
But simplified, streamlined connection to major partners could be a big step, which will essentially facilitate brand promotions without the brands themselves having to do anything to discover these creators.
Of course, that also comes with a level of brand risk, in that these promotions would seemingly not be vetted through the brands themselves. The brands will be able to remove their links in retrospect, but it’s unclear whether they have any insight into these promotions beforehand, and thus, the capacity to opt out of having their links displayed if they choose.
Still, it’s another step for TikTok’s shopping ambitions, and it could provide more promotional options for big brands.
