TikTok, the globally renowned short video platform owned by ByteDance, is poised to make a significant foray into Southeast Asia’s local services sector. Initially targeting Indonesia and Thailand, TikTok plans to introduce a feature that allows users to access vouchers for various local establishments directly through their feeds.
According to a report by Chinese media outlet 36Kr, TikTok’s new initiative, tentatively named “TikTok Local Services,” aims to integrate seamlessly into users’ browsing experiences. The platform intends to collaborate closely with restaurant owners and merchants in both countries, encouraging them to participate in this new venture.
Sources familiar with the matter, speaking anonymously due to the project’s confidential nature, disclosed that TikTok is also planning to expand its offerings into leisure categories. Users will soon have access to coupons for flights and hotels, facilitated through partnerships with third-party service providers. This strategic move marks TikTok’s ambition to diversify beyond its core entertainment offerings into essential local services.
TikTok’s official recruitment website has already listed nearly 30 job openings related to its local services operations in key Southeast Asian cities such as Singapore, Jakarta, and Bangkok. This hiring spree underscores the platform’s commitment to establishing a robust presence in the region’s burgeoning digital economy.
In response to inquiries, TikTok confirmed that its local services operations in Thailand and Indonesia are currently in a testing phase. The platform clarified that only select users in these markets can currently view local services offerings from merchants, based on TikTok’s sophisticated recommendation algorithm.
With dual headquarters in Singapore and Los Angeles, TikTok emphasized its strategic positioning to drive innovation and cater to regional market dynamics. The platform further announced plans to collaborate with established carriers in Southeast Asia to introduce on-demand local services, including food delivery, further enhancing its utility to users in the region.
TikTok’s expansion into the local services sector represents a step towards integrating commerce with its popular entertainment platform by leveraging its vast user base and powerful algorithmic capabilities. TikTok also aims to redefine how users in Southeast Asia engage with both content and essential services because they know what their target audience is and what they want.
