TikTok Creator Marketplace API: First-Party Data Access

TikTok Enhances Influencer Marketing with New Creator Marketplace API

TikTok is streamlining collaborations between brands, agencies, and influencers through the introduction of a new TikTok Creator Marketplace API. This development enables marketing firms to integrate more seamlessly with TikTok’s native influencer marketing platform.

Discovering and Managing Influencer Campaigns

Launched in late 2019, the TikTok Creator Marketplace already allowed marketers to identify prominent TikTok personalities for brand campaigns. The platform facilitated campaign creation, management, and performance tracking.

Access to First-Party Data

The newly released API grants partnered marketing companies access to TikTok’s exclusive first-party data. This includes insights into audience demographics, growth patterns, top-performing content, and real-time campaign reports covering views, likes, shares, comments, and overall engagement.

This data can then be integrated into the marketing companies’ existing platforms, enriching the insights they provide to their clients.

Early Access and Testing

While TikTok plans a formal announcement later in September, select alpha partners are currently evaluating the API’s capabilities.

Captiv8 Sees Positive Results

One such partner, Captiv8, conducted a test campaign with a retailer featured in the NRF top 50. The objective was to identify a diverse group of TikTok creators and launch a dedicated TikTok channel. The branded content generated approximately 10 million views, and the campaign demonstrated a “significant increase” in key metrics.

Specifically, the campaign exceeded Nielsen averages in familiarity (+4%), affinity (+6%), purchase intent (+7%), and recommendation intent (+9%).

Captiv8 is now utilizing the API to gather audience demographics, streamline influencer outreach and campaign activations, and enhance branded content performance monitoring. This access positions Captiv8 among a limited number of companies with access to TikTok’s first-party data.

Influential Leverages API for Fortune 1000 Brands

Influential, another alpha partner, is employing the API to access insights on audience demographics, growth trends, and successful videos. This supports their work with Fortune 1000 brands in identifying suitable creators for both organic and paid advertising initiatives.

DoorDash and McDonald’s Partnerships

Influential has already collaborated with DoorDash on multiple TikTok campaigns and is preparing to work with McDonald’s USA on upcoming campaigns. These will focus on the Crispy Chicken Sandwich and the return of Spicy McNuggets.

WPP and INCA Also Involved

Additional early partners include Whalar and INCA. INCA’s involvement is linked to the broader TikTok global partnership with WPP, announced in February. This agreement granted WPP agencies early access to new advertising products, API integrations, and augmented reality features.

The Rise of Creator Marketplaces

Creator marketplaces are becoming increasingly prevalent across social media platforms with substantial influencer communities. This trend reflects a standard approach to advertising to online consumers, particularly younger demographics.

Facebook offers Brands Collabs Manager, YouTube has BrandConnect, and Snapchat recently launched a marketplace for Lens creators. These in-house platforms simplify collaboration for marketers by providing reliable data on key metrics, reducing reliance on self-reported influencer data or manual collection.

Marketers can also compare creator performance to optimize future collaborations.

API Currently in Pilot Testing

TikTok has indicated that the API is currently in pilot testing and a formal announcement will follow.

TikTok’s Statement

“Creators are the lifeblood of our platform, and we’re constantly thinking of new ways to make it easy for them to connect and collaborate with brands,” stated Melissa Yang, TikTok’s head of Ecosystem Partnerships. “We’re thrilled to be integrating with an elite group of trusted partners to help brands discover and work with diverse creators who can share their message in an authentic way.”

Update, 8/31/21, 3:22 PM ET: INCA is currently using the API in the U.S. and U.K. An earlier version incorrectly stated U.K. only, based on initial information from TikTok. This has been corrected.