iWorld
Tik-Tok begins testing ‘link in bio’ feature to monetise its billion plus user-base
MUMBAI: Popular social networking app Tik-Tok has begun limited test of a feature that will allow users to add links to products and e-commerce sites on their bio and posts. The Chinese short-video making platform, with a billion plus users, has been exploring ways to monetise its ever-increasing user-base and the new feature will put it in direct competition with established players like Facebook and Instagram, both of which let its users monetise their content.
The new feature allows content creators on Tik-Tok to insert product links, offering users the ability to send their viewers to shopping websites effortlessly to monetise its platform. The ‘link in bio’ feature was first rolled out by Instagram and was subsequently adopted by Facebook as well.
The new feature was first noticed by marketer Fabian Bern, a marketer and according to the video shared by him on Twitter, the users can now swipe on a post to directly visit an e-commerce platform to buy a product.
BREAKING: TikTok launches 'link in bio' & 'social commerce URLS' in videos @MattNavarra @TaylorLorenz @sarahintampa @TechCrunch @thenextweb @techinasia #tiktok pic.twitter.com/HczzHOHCNf
— Fabian Bern 法比安 (@iamfabianbern) November 14, 2019
Launched in 2017, the app developed by ByteDance, currently has over 1.5 billion users worldwide. The app is immensely popular in India. According to app research firm Sensor Tower: “India has been the biggest driver of TikTok's popularity, giving it 466.8 million downloads. China generated the second-most downloads, with 173.2 million or 11.5 percent. The US came in third, with 123.8 million downloads, or 8.2 percent. And that's not even including third party Android installs. Specifically, India drove up 277.6 million downloads so far this year, roughly 45 percent of all global installs for the app this year.”
e-commerce
Samsung Galaxy S26 series now available for instant delivery on Instamart
AI powered flagship phones start at Rs 87,999 with launch offers up to Rs 9,000.
MUMBAI: In the age of quick commerce, even flagship smartphones are learning to arrive at your doorstep at lightning speed. Instamart has partnered with Samsung to make the newly launched Galaxy S26 series available for instant purchase on the quick commerce platform, expanding the category beyond groceries and daily essentials into premium consumer electronics.
The Galaxy S26 lineup, which includes the S26 Ultra, S26+ and S26, is now available across several major Indian cities including Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Pune, among others.
The flagship series introduces several new features, led by what Samsung describes as the world’s first built in Privacy Display on a smartphone, available exclusively on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The display is designed to enhance privacy while unlocking a new class of screen experiences.
The devices also integrate agentic artificial intelligence designed to quietly manage routine tasks in the background, allowing users to focus on more meaningful interactions with their device.
Positioned as a major step forward in AI powered smartphones, the Galaxy S26 Ultra also introduces enhancements in areas such as nightography photography and Photo Assist tools, aimed at improving low light imaging and AI driven creative editing.
Through the partnership, Instamart is extending its quick commerce proposition to high value electronics, allowing customers to order the Galaxy S26 series and receive it almost instantly once sales go live.
The Galaxy S26 series will be available starting at Rs 87,999. As part of the launch offers on Instamart, customers can avail an instant discount of up to Rs 9,000 using an HDFC Bank credit card. Buyers can also opt for No Cost EMI options for up to 9 months.
The move reflects the growing overlap between quick commerce and consumer electronics, as platforms race to deliver not just groceries but also premium technology products with the same promise of speed and convenience.
