In a bold move to bridge the widening gap between brands and creators, TikTok has launched a new feature called ‘Open Applications’ in its Creator Marketplace.

Similar to a job posting or casting call for creator collaborations, this new campaign type allows brands to post campaign briefs that influencers can proactively apply to, consequently enhancing the overall influencer-brand partnership experience.

So how does it work?

Open Applications allow advertisers to post the details of upcoming campaigns to the TikTok Creator Marketplace for creators to proactively apply. Each application consists of a short pitch or concept, examples of relevant TikTok videos, contact details, and a proposed fee. Brands can then sift through applications using filters such as audience demographics, follower count, location, brand affinity, relevant experience and their social media portfolio.

This innovation will transform the traditional process of influencer partnerships by enabling creators to proactively seek collaborations with brands they believe in, forging authenticity in their advertising.

How Open Applications helps social media managers

Open Applications offer social media managers an efficient, streamlined process to discover and recruit influencers that align with their brand’s image, values, and campaign objectives.

By allowing creators to put forth their unique stories and connections to the brand, Open Applications can uncover influencers who might have been overlooked in a simple creator search, hence capitalizing on untapped advertising potential.

How to create an Open Applications campaign

1. Campaign setup: Log into your Creator Marketplace account and create a new campaign. Set your campaign objective and choose “Open Applications” as the collaboration type.

2. Fill out brand and campaign details: Complete the form with brand information and campaign specifics that you’re using for the Open Applications campaign.

3. Set preferred creator qualifications: Choose from filters like audience age, audience location, creator location, video categories, keywords, engagement rate, and follower count to zero in on the ideal creators.

4. Add screening questions: Select up to five screening questions to further narrow down the right creators for your campaign. These could revolve around brand partnership history, product experience, and more.

5. Specify deliverables: Outline the number of videos each creator, if accepted, will be required to produce for your campaign. You can also choose whether you’ll need to approve their video concept in advance.

6. Set payment method: Choose whether to use the TikTok Creator Marketplace to pay creators or make off-platform arrangements. For multi-region campaigns, a combination of both methods can be chosen.

7. Publish and wait for applications: Once the campaign is published, wait for creators to apply. To invite specific creators to apply, add them to a shortlist and then select “Invite creators” from the Open Application campaign dashboard.

Check out TikTok’s help center article for more detailed instructions.

Looking ahead

Open Applications, now globally accessible via the TikTok Creator Marketplace, is a game-changing feature in digital advertising. By fostering a more authentic and beneficial synergy between brands, creators, and their communities, this initiative has the potential to reshape successful advertising strategies in the era of influencer marketing.

In a nutshell, Open Applications could revolutionize brand-creator collaborations, making TikTok’s dynamic platform an exciting frontier for everyone engaged in digital marketing and advertising.