Influencers on TikTok are now being scored and ranked, with factors that range from enthusiasm to their willingness to promote products.
FRANCE-MEDIA-INTERNET-MOBILES This picture taken on May 29, 2020 shows French internet influencers Marie-Victoire Tiangue @mv.tiangue (L), Louise Ragot @louisergt (C) and Théo Bignonneau @theobignonneau creating content on the video platform Tik Tok at the @thefrenchhouseparis, a collab house (also known as content house) in Paris. (Photo by Philippe LOPEZ / AFP) (Photo by PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
According to Gizmodo, TikTok launched this on the down-low. Internal documents show that these credit scores may be given to the platform's business partners, but they will be under strict secrecy.
What Are the Metrics For?
TikTok has been leaning toward becoming a shopping platform as well. Scoring the influencers could provide insights about who will be best suited for product promotions, which can help with their marketing strategies. The plan has been shared with retailers and brands. With this, they'll be able to identify who they should partner with.
Influencers with huge follower numbers can be good for business since obviously, they are able to reach more audiences. Businesses usually partner with content creators directly, but now, TikTok is looking into making it a part of the platform. There's a lot of money going around with these kinds of promotions, so TikTok has launched tools to help with arranging sponsored content.
With the help of said tools, companies will be able to determine which influencers can best represent their brand. It's a smart move since TikTok will now be able to get a share in the profits, just by becoming the middleman between content creators and businesses.
Of course, there will be more revenue if the promotions lead to sales within the app, instead of sales off-platform. TikTok already had initial attempts to initiate a shopping feature for the app. However, they didn't exactly get the warm applause they wanted, as they received negative reactions from both influencers and users.
This did not deter TikTok from the expansion. Shopping in TikTok has already been welcomed in other countries. Reports say that the platform is planning to add the shopping feature in the US.
Read Also: TikTok Introduces Three New Shopping Ad Features
The Scoring System
For TikTok to have a clear scoring system, they follow certain metrics to have specific results. The new ranking system is comprised of data like the number of sales that the influencer generates, and a host of proprietary measures, according to MarketWatch.
Content creators will now be scored using a "cooperation index," which determines how good influencers are at working with brands. There is also a "diligence index," where content creators are scored based on how much they are willing to fill their feeds with promotions.
This could add pressure to the already hectic lives of content creators. There are already several claims from the influencers themselves, that what they do takes a toll on them. Having a huge following can lead to constantly thinking about new content to post, as well as whether it's good for their image.
When the news of a ranking system reaches them, it will just add to the already handful of factors they have to consider, when creating and posting content. Not to mention, it might intensify the amount of "canceling," since they may now be tied to certain brands with their own principles.
Related: TikTok Shop Live Shopping Feature Will Reportedly Roll Out in North America
