TikTok is uniting with Shopify in a new advertising partnership that the social media company says will help a million merchants market to its audience of young video enthusiasts.
On Tuesday, TikTok and Shopify, which is a booming sales platform that has its hooks in sites ranging from Instagram to YouTube, announced the integration. “Through this partnership we're making it easier for Shopify merchants to tap into the creativity of the TikTok community, be discovered, and optimize their marketing campaigns,” TikTok said in its announcement.
E-commerce and social media have become more entwined in the past year, as platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat try to turn their platforms into shopping destinations. Meanwhile, traditional online retail hubs like Amazon and Walmart are weaving their way into the social media space.
TikTok is a prime example of the trend. The Chinese-owned social media site, with about 100 million active users in the U.S., has been the subject of sales talks, with Walmart emerging as a main bidder. In August, TikTok was targeted by President Donald Trump, who sought to force the company into a deal with a U.S. company, which set off an international incident between Washington and Beijing. TikTok has so far staved off any deal to sell off parts of its business, but in the meantime it has continued to strike new deals like the one with Shopify.