E-commerce is the focus of new introductions from Instagram and TikTok with both platforms adding new
features that make it easier for their user to discover brands and shop from their platforms.

TikTok has expanded its partnership with Shopify, first announced last October, to launch TikTok Shopping with a pilot for select Shopify merchants in Canada, U.S. and U.K.

Shopify merchants with a TikTok For Business account will be able to add a new Shopping tab to their TikTok profiles and sync their product catalogs to create mini storefronts on their profile. In addition, Shopify merchants can use product links to tag products in their TikTok videos. The tags allow TikTok users to click the tagged product to take them to the merchant’s storefront for checkout.

Meanwhile, Instagram is letting brands get closer to consumers with the launch of advertising in the Instagram Shop tab, a shopping interface the platform introduced last year.

The ads appear as single image or carousel format tiles on the Shop tab home page. Clicking on an ad takes users to the Product Details Page to learn more about the item and browse additional products from the brand. Products can be saved to wishlists or shared.

All advertisers are able to run ads in Instagram Shop, regardless of whether they have an Instagram Shop or not.