TikTok launches new suite of ad tools, including shopping videos, catalog listings, and live shopping

TikTok announced today the launch of video shopping ads, catalog listing ads, and live shopping ads—a trio of moves that show the platform is doubling down on its personalized, algorithm-driven commerce offerings.

The ad-driven experience expands on TikTok’s debut last year of a suite of commerce tools and solutions to help brands and creators deploy shoppable content and experiences in their feeds. Now, TikTok will also feature:

Video shopping ads: Deploying globally, this tool gives brands the power to place shoppable videos on TikTok users’ For You Pages.
Catalog listing ads: A new ad content type available to both U.S. users and advertisers targeting U.S. consumers, these catalog (product) placements aren’t required to be in video format.
Live shopping ads: Debuting first in the U.K., Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and with select partners and accounts in the United States, these shoppable livestreams surface in users’ For You Pages.

TikTok’s announcement cites the versatility of these new ad formats, which create an easier click-to-buy customer journey, and optimize discovery through the hyper-personalized TikTok algorithm. The social media platform’s own marketing data show that 70% of users surveyed say it seems easy to make purchases through its shopping-related ads, 56% of respondents say TikTok ads have helped them discover new products and brands, and 48% of users expressed interest in making a purchase via TikTok in the next quarter.

TikTok has partnered with Smartly.io as its first-to-market ads-and-campaigns partner for campaign management, bulk optimizations, reporting, and creative automation.