Image credit : Search Engine Journal
TikTok has decided to block links to app stores in creators’ bios, as well as third-party link-in-bio solutions like Linktree. The company confirmed the change, which was first spotted by Sendit’s co-founder David Tesler. This change will have a significant impact on CPI (cost per install) campaign deals between creators and brands.
When users click on a link that used to direct them to the App Store, it now displays a message reading “action cannot be completed.” However, TikTok has not provided an official statement on this change yet. Creators will still be able to link out to websites as before, but personal creator accounts will no longer have the ability to link to app store pages.
Only TikTok business accounts will be able to link to app store pages in the future, with no fee for this functionality. Additionally, TikTok is rolling out a new “Download app” button for business accounts, which is not an ad product. The company believes this change will make feature sets between businesses and personal accounts more distinct, while also shifting more ad dollars to TikTok instead of creators.
TikTok has been increasing its influence on the App Store’s Top Charts, which sometimes artificially inflates the popularity of certain apps. The change to block links to app stores could cause TikTok-driven installs to decline, as creators wouldn’t be able to run the same kind of campaigns as before.
Overall, this change will affect CPI campaign deals between creators and brands, as well as the discovery of new apps on the App Store’s Top Charts. TikTok’s decision to block links to app stores in creators’ bios could potentially shift more ad dollars to the platform, but it remains to be seen how creators and brands will adapt to this change.
