After dominating the social media landscape, TikTok is now taking on Google's search dominance by quietly rolling out image search capabilities in TikTok Shop. The company has confirmed that users can now take or upload a photo to find similar products in TikTok Shop.
The feature, first discovered by user Jonah Manzano, is currently being tested in the United States and Southeast Asia. Users with access to the new feature will see a camera icon in the search bar in TikTok Shop.
Users can now use image search to find products and get recommendations based on images they upload. This feature allows for a more visual shopping experience, similar to what Google Lens and Amazon offer with their image search capabilities.
TikTok has been making significant strides in challenging Google's dominance in search, with executives acknowledging the impact of platforms like TikTok and Instagram on Google Search. With the introduction of image search in TikTok Shop, the company aims to drive more users to its platform for shopping and encourage purchases through TikTok Shop.
Aside from competing with Google and Amazon, TikTok is also vying with other companies offering similar image search tools for shopping, such as Klarna and Cherry. TikTok Shop now boasts over 15 million sellers worldwide, with more than 500,000 in the U.S., showing the platform's growth in e-commerce.
TikTok's focus on e-commerce serves as a key revenue source and strategy to retain users on its platform. Despite facing potential challenges, such as a U.S. ban if ByteDance does not sell TikTok within a year, TikTok remains committed to expanding its e-commerce efforts to drive user engagement and revenue.
