TikTok introduced this week that it’s including an in-app restaurant guide, marking one other step within the platform’s growth past social media. The corporate has additionally lately been spotted creating a characteristic that might enable customers to ship cash over direct messages.
The social media app has steadily expanded its choices in recent times, including TikTok Store, a map for native discovery, extra strong search options, video games, and extra. It seems that TikTok is taking steps to evolve right into a “tremendous app,” a single platform the place customers can do way more than simply watch and share movies and that may truly deal with a variety of wants in a single vacation spot.
The tremendous app mannequin is huge in China with apps like WeChat, which is form of like Fb, WhatsApp, Apple Pay, and an app retailer all rolled right into a single platform. In fact, there’s the query of whether or not an excellent app mannequin would work exterior of China, however that doesn’t imply TikTok gained’t strive.
As a substitute of switching between apps, TikTok is working to turn out to be the app that individuals use for many of their digital actions. After taking its largest leap with TikTok Store, the corporate — which, notably, transitioned to new, primarily U.S. ownership again in January — has utilized the identical playbook to current developments.
Restaurant Guides
TikTok has turn out to be a preferred vacation spot for restaurant suggestions, with viral movies typically driving clients to native eateries. Now, the platform is seeking to make that discovery course of even simpler with a brand new characteristic known as “Must Eat.” The community-driven information highlights eating places getting consideration on the platform.
“Should Eat” attracts on greater than 40 million posts and feedback to compile restaurant suggestions and curated lists in a single place. Customers can browse eating places by metropolis and slim their search by delicacies, worth, score, and placement.
The transfer places TikTok in additional direct competitors with platforms like Yelp and Google Maps. It additionally displays how the app is increasing its position in customers’ on a regular basis choices, from what they purchase to the place they select to exit to eat.
Funds
Bloomberg reported in August that TikTok is developing a feature that might enable customers to ship one another cash by way of direct messages. If rolled out, the characteristic would use the social media service’s TikTok Pay providing, which is already obtainable in Southeast Asia for TikTok Store purchases.
Moreover, Reuters reported in March that TikTok had utilized to Brazil’s central financial institution for approval to function as a monetary expertise firm providing lending and fee companies.
TikTok’s potential growth into funds marks a major method that the corporate is branching out past a social media platform and right into a digital ecosystem. By aiming to deliver monetary companies into its app, TikTok is seeking to enhance consumer engagement, open new income streams, and place itself to compete with fintech startups and e-commerce platforms.
Sports activities
Over time, TikTok has steadily been seeking to turn out to be a spot the place customers can come for sports activities highlights and content material. In early June, the corporate launched a dedicated hub for the FIFA World Cup the place customers can see scores, match schedules, standings, trending movies, highlights, movies from gamers, and extra.
If persons are already watching movies on TikTok however need to sustain with the rating, they’ll accomplish that with out leaving the app or opening a devoted sports activities information app or Google.
The World Cup hub was made doable by TikTok’s Sports activities-focused product known as “TikTok GamePlan,” which is designed to permit sports activities groups, leagues, and broadcasters to drive discovery and engagement on the platform. The social media big additionally has partnerships with Major League Soccer (MLS) and Major League Baseball (MLB) for behind-the-scenes and unique content material.
Resort and attraction reserving
In Might, TikTok launched TikTok GO, a method for customers to find and guide accommodations, sights, and experiences instantly inside its app in the US. TikTok GO surfaces lodging and issues to do by movies, search, and placement pages. When customers discover one thing they’re concerned about, they’ll view particulars, verify availability, and full a reserving.
As a substitute of directing customers to third-party web sites after they discover a vacation spot or suggestion in a video, TikTok has began positioning itself as a one-stop platform the place viral journey content material can drive bookings and income.
Whereas folks have already been utilizing TikTok as a search engine and substitute for Google, this newest step places TikTok in additional direct competitors with Google’s core companies, Search and Google Maps, as a result of it’s working to not solely be the app the place you uncover locations, but in addition the platform the place you buy that journey.
TikTok Store
It’s broadly recognized that certainly one of TikTok’s largest leaps past social media was the launch of TikTok Store. TikTok started testing TikTok Store in 2021 and launched it within the U.S. in 2023. Since then, the corporate has been capable of efficiently compete with Amazon, Shein, and different on-line marketplaces.
Based on eMarketer, TikTok Store grew its U.S. gross sales by 407% in 2024 and one other 108% in 2025 to achieve $15.82 billion. As of final yr, the corporate accounted for 18.2% of whole social commerce within the U.S., with that quantity anticipated to achieve 24.1% by 2027.
Moreover, TikTok started difficult digital marketplaces even additional with the launch of TikTok Shop gift cards late final yr. TikTok Store has additionally lately expanded into luxury retail, after initially primarily being recognized for reasonable items.
Music
TikTok’s reputation has influenced the music trade and the way folks uncover new music, and the corporate tried to capitalize on this by launching a streaming service known as TikTok Music in 2023 to tackle platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, however ended up shutting it down a yr later.
The corporate mentioned it could give attention to driving music listening and proceed partnering with music streaming companies moderately than competing with them. TikTok hasn’t utterly deserted its music ambitions, nevertheless, as the corporate lately launched a characteristic that lets Apple Music subscribers play full songs within the app after discovering them on their “For You” feed.
Search and Maps
TikTok has launched a sturdy search expertise that surfaces maps, native hashtags, and even reviews to assist customers uncover trending eating places, journey areas, retailers, and native experiences. It has additionally added extra detailed details about locations and eating places on devoted pages, permitting customers to shortly see issues like opening hours, star rankings, worth ranges, and extra.
TikTok was already consuming into Google’s Search enterprise when it first launched, because it shortly surfaced movies that includes commentary and visuals of restaurant meals and locations. Nevertheless, customers should have wanted to show to Google Search to discover a place’s actual location or to learn opinions. Over the previous few years, nevertheless, TikTok has more and more eradicated that want by integrating detailed details about locations proper inside its app.
Microdramas
Whereas TikTok is thought for user-generated leisure, the corporate has additionally begun embracing microdramas by launching an in-app Minis part and a devoted stand-alone app for bite-sized TV exhibits that may be watched in a sequence of one-minute episodes. Whereas TikTok already competes with streaming giants like Netflix for customers’ consideration, its transfer into scripted exhibits places it in much more direct competitors with them.
It’s value noting that TikTok first took strides into leisure with the launch of livestreaming and assist for longer movies, a major transfer away from its preliminary give attention to 15-second movies.
Video games
TikTok has additionally launched a series of casual games in its app to get customers to spend much more time on its platform and interact with others in DMs. The addition of video games marked TikTok’s ongoing effort to go from a social media platform to an all-in-one leisure platform the place you can’t solely scroll by movies, but in addition problem pals to easy-to-play video games.
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