TikTok and Eventbrite have officially inked an integration deal under which tickets can be sold in-app. Photo Credit: Jeromey Balderrama
Ahead of a quick-approaching divestment deadline in the U.S., TikTok is continuing to expand its live events presence, this time with an Eventbrite partnership.
The ByteDance-owned platform unveiled the tie-up via a brief release, and under the straightforward pact, TikTokers “can add Eventbrite links directly to” videos, thereby enabling fans to buy passes in-app.
Of course, that could set the stage for material commercial results fueled by casual fanbases, and the involved parties touted the potential advantages of plugging events to the massive audiences at hand.
Regarding availability, the integration option is already live “in all countries where both TikTok and Eventbrite services” operate, per the companies. However, one can only promote public in-person happenings that have paid tickets and are scheduled to take place within 90 days (180 days for music events).
“We’re giving creators a simple way to jump into trending conversations and bring online communities together in real life through events they’re passionate about,” Eventbrite chief product officer Ted Dworkin elaborated in a statement. “With this partnership, millions of people can now easily discover and attend the best events in their cities, right from where the conversation is happening—on TikTok.”
Looking to the bigger picture, the union means TikTok has, in just the past seven or so months, staged its own concert event and scored deals with Eventbrite, Ticketmaster, AXS, and CTS Eventim alike.
Importantly, TikTok’s music-driven expansion initiatives aren’t confined to an apparent ticketing and live entertainment buildout.
Far from functioning like a business that could be forced to shut down in the world’s largest economy in six months, TikTok has during 2024 quietly eyed music-content investments, brought its Commercial Music Library to Adobe Express, and debuted an artist-focused series, to name some.
In short, especially now that the Universal Music licensing showdown is in the rearview, TikTok’s industry relevance is arguably greater than ever. Time will tell how exactly (and whether) the point factors into the service’s ongoing legal challenges against the forced-sale law.
But specifically on the music side, TikTok’s stateside shutdown, as explored by DMN Pro at length, would have an unprecedented impact on all manner of artists and companies. Against this backdrop and amid a steady stream of music features and initiatives from YouTube Shorts, a recent study suggested that fans themselves may be embracing TikTok alternatives.
According to Luminate’s mid-year report, a number of U.S.-based “music listeners” started using Shorts during 2024’s second quarter – so much so that its reach in the category topped 30 percent and approached that of TikTok. Nevertheless, TikTok’s own share remained flat year over year, suggesting that short-form enthusiasts could be getting their video fix from multiple platforms.
