How TikTok is influencing our shopping

That TikTok is increasingly influencing our lives is a fact further explored in the third edition of the What's Next Report. The annual observatory, which photographs future trends with the aim of implementing marketing strategies for business people, will indeed provide insight into the evolving wants and needs of consumers in 2023. After reading the report, there are three trends in particular that can be expected in the coming year: the increasing personalization of entertainment as an incentive for interaction, the search for joy and light-heartedness as a source of well-being, and the importance of community as a place of exchange and stimulation that can bring about changes in people's lives.

Content on TikTok is typically selected based on what users find entertaining or able to capture their attention and trust. While on average 67 percent of global users say they interact with the short-form social video platform to unwind, and 92 percent say they have felt a positive feeling after interacting with content, the next step is to take an action outside the platform. «For brands, the most effective messages on the platform are inspiring, entertaining, personalized, and able to entertain the community», commented Adriano Accardo, Managing Director, of Global Business Solutions, Southern Europe TikTok. In Italy, according to the 2023 report, 57 percent of users consider the ads posted on TikTok so interesting that they take them into account when evaluating a product. Indeed, it is the authenticity that shapes perception: people are always on the lookout for new information that can dispel myths and stereotypes, which increases creator credibility and engagement with their community. In Italy, 58 percent of users say they are more likely to trust brands after hearing about them from TikTok content creators, and 65 percent say they always rely on online reviews and advice from creators when deciding what to buy online.
Another finding from the report relates to the search for ease and quality time. People are increasingly looking for advice on how to take care of themselves and create more space for happiness and enjoyment. Globally, 50 percent of people highlight how TikTok can improve mood and bring positivity in general. Passion, relaxation, and humor are the keywords the Chinese social network uses to enable people to focus on themselves and their needs - in Italy, 41% of users say that "lifting the mood" is the basic requirement to motivate them to make a purchase. the "For You" pages have become real encyclopedic tools for people, whether they are looking up recipes or making a purchase. But in 2023, the report says, the platform will have an even deeper impact: the constant reflection and search for a value that can be followed will lead people to connect even more with creators and be inspired by choices and behaviors they can even emulate - the content on the platform is so recognizable and accessible that people are often motivated to repeat it.