Have you ever noticed on Instagram reels, Youtube Shorts, and TikTok’s there’s videos you don’t even notice are ads?
Picture this- You’re scrolling on your for you page, or your homepage, you see someone talking about the new bag they purchased, and asking for help on what to wear with it. You like the bag, and wonder where they got it, and then upon further inspection you see a link to buy it right in the description! Turns out, this is a commission based advertisement.
As we have mentioned before, TikTok has turned into the new search engine for purchase decisions. Instead of looking at written reviews directly on the site, now you can look up products! You can have everyday consumers tell you about their experience, the pros and cons, and even show the product in use. I’m not surprised this is the new go to, as I can speak from personal experience, I pick TikTok instead of online reviews most of the time.
But, there can be some downsides. Like Google, when you search for a product, a lot of us skip the promoted results, as we don’t trust their authenticity. In the same vein, I’ll check if the video I’m watching has a “Sponsored” tag above the description, those will be skipped. Still, having this direct access to product demos, reviews, and a place to purchase in one app has changed consumer behavior. Social media advertising has now become a direct purchase. Instead of trying to get consumers to your website to purchase, now they can within Instagram, TikTok, etc.
Both social media platforms have an e-commerce function. It allows countless vendors to offer their products, even ones that are handmade! If the product you are interested in is not sold directly off the site, brands are benefiting from using commission based advertising. What’s interesting is that they aren’t just using popular influencers, it’s everyday users as well. This also plays into the tailored experience you get on your FYP (for you page). Getting shown reviews before even knowing about the product is a good way to introduce a new market.
Next time you login to TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook, check to see if your videos have sponsored, commission earning, or “paid ad” in the description.
