Where brand discovery thrives
Over one billion people trust TikTok to surface content that entertains, surprises and informs them during every visit.
The way people discover (and rediscover) brands is evolving. They're increasingly seeking human connection, not just information.
So it's no wonder that 55% of people prefer researching products on video and social platforms versus traditional search platforms.¹ Crowdsourcing information and recommendations from short-form videos is the new norm, with people building confidence in these suggestions by reading comments and exploring related content.
It’s this shift in behavior that helps explain why TikTok has become such a powerful destination for discovery. People return to TikTok to find real community and diverse perspectives.
TikTok is where brands break through
Ranked #1 by Kantar for capturing attention,² TikTok provides brands with powerful opportunities to to be discovered and resurfaced by an engaged community.
According to a study conducted in partnership with Material, 61% of TikTok users discover new brands and products on the platform, 1.5x more than other platform users.³
On TikTok, brands are turning all this curiosity and receptiveness into real demand and impact by harnessing all the passive and active discovery behaviors taking place on the platform.
More ways to discover and get discovered, all in one place
While the For You Feed is our most familiar stage for discovery, additional emerging user behaviors are combining with our platform's features to expand how discovery takes place on TikTok.
People don't just watch content on TikTok; they also actively choose to continue viewing more content related to what was just served to them. They are also turning TikTok into their go-to search destination.
Three types of discovery therefore coexist on TikTok for brands to harness: Swipe to Discover, Tap to Discover, and Search to Discover
1. Swipe to Discover
Every swipe within the For You feed and on someone else's page comes with the possibility of discovering something new.
2. Tap to Discover
Many TikTok features give users the ability to explore more of what they see on the platform—including like, follow, highlighted comments, the video detail search bar, and more.
3. Search to Discover
People can also search for specific content on TikTok either after watching a video, or to continue the journey started elsewhere.
Being home to more ways to discover and get discovered, all in one place, makes TikTok a uniquely valuable platform to brands.
A reimagined search experience is emerging on TikTok
In addition to in-feed discovery, TikTok offers an enhanced search experience that delivers entertaining, authentic, and concise results that people are looking for today.
41% of people believe TikTok search is entertaining (vs. 32% social media platforms and 16% traditional search platforms).¹
28% of people believe TikTok search is authentic (vs. 25% social media and video platforms; 21% traditional search platforms).¹
25% of people believe TikTok search is concise (vs. 19% social media and video platforms; 15% traditional search platforms).¹
TikTok is being used for many types of search—seeking inspiration, conducting research, and general learning—thanks to how our visual content acts as a rich reflection of the world around us. There's no limit to the types of perspectives people can find on the platform.
Driving audiences further down the funnel
Bottom line, TikTok both creates and captures demand for brands. TikTok plays a pivotal role in every step of the customer journey—driving awareness, research, purchase, and everything in between, all on one powerful platform for advertisers.
Awareness: 61% of TikTok users discover new brands and products on the platform, 1.5x more than other platform users.³
Research: 1 in 2 TikTok users say they went to TikTok to research or learn more about new products or brands.⁴
Action: Of those who were inspired to do something because of search on TikTok, 91% followed through and performed the action.¹
Conversion: TikTok users are 1.5x more likely to discover something on the platform and immediately go out to buy it. ³
Learn more about consumer behaviors with TikTok Insights.
Sources
TikTok Marketing Science Global, The Science of Search on TikTok, 2023, conducted by Material
Kantar Media Reactions 2023
TikTok Marketing Science Global Retail Path to Purchase conducted by Material, August 2021
TikTok Marketing Science US Path to Purchase Part 2 Research conducted by Material, April 2022 (n=2,000)