Short video juggernaut TikTok will be partnering with the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) to better target film and tv-related content. The social media platform will license data from IMDb to power a new feature that makes it easier to search media-related content and see more information about it. This includes things like cast and release date, all on a dedicated, in-app page. So no more switching between apps to get the full story on new releases.
This feature will roll out in the U.S. and U.K. markets first. It will allow TikTok creators the ability to add a link to a film/TV show referenced in their video. A handy feature considering ‘link in bio’ is the unofficial slogan for the platform. Tagged titles will appear above the caption after the video is posted. From there viewers will be able to click the link and be directed to a page with IMDb-powered information on it. It will also show a variety of other TikTok videos that have also been tagged with that particular title. Creators will also be given the ability to link to their favorite shows/movies on their profiles.
The goal of this new feature is to let TikTok lean into users’ already existing interests. Beefing up their scarily accurate algorithm even more. All while keeping users on the app for longer since they will no longer need to switch to IMDb.
Grace Li, Director of strategic partnerships at TikTok, claims that the platform has seen more than 25 billion combined views for videos tagged with #FilmTok, #MovieTok, and #TVTok. Which is no small pool when it comes to interests. Speaking from experience, I hear constant complaints about how hard it is to get into certain areas of FilmTok. Hopefully, this will help simplify that process.
“We’re excited to welcome TikTok as the latest major company to rely on IMDb data to power new experiences for their customers,” Nikki Santoro, IMDb’s chief operating officer, said in a statement. “This innovative collaboration enables TikTok creators to showcase and share the movies and shows they love, further extending the IMDb mission to help customers discover and decide what to watch and listen to, wherever they are.”
“As we continue to find new ways to enrich the TikTok experience, this new feature, developed in collaboration with IMDb, gives our community more opportunities to discover, create, and share the content they love,” Li added.
