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TikTok is testing ‘Nearby’ feed for trending local content

TikTok is testing ‘Nearby’ feed for trending local content
Image Credits: TikTok

TikTok is testing a new ‘Nearby’ feed with select users in South Africa, a feature that will allow users to view relevant local content in a new feed tab displayed alongside the “Following” and “For You” feeds on the app’s homepage.

The new feed is being tested with a feature that will give creators the ability to add location tags to their videos.

TikTok’s ‘Nearby’ feed is in line with the efforts of other social media platforms to incorporate location into its recommendations algorithm. Snapchat’s Snap Map and Instagram’s Searchable Map are also designed to help users discover popular nearby locations.

The new feed will also be integrated with users’ personalized recommendations, enhancing the e-commerce application of the app by matching them with their interests in a tangible way and opening up new advertising opportunities for local businesses. For example, if the For You page often displays restaurant recommendations, the Nearby feed will show users videos of local restaurants near them.

TikTok says that, similarly to any other test feature, it is possible that the ‘Nearby’ feed may change before an official launch or perhaps be scraped altogether.

TikTok is also testing a dedicated ‘Shop’ Feed in Indonesia that lets users browse and purchase products from a number of different categories, such as clothing and electronics, pairing with the TikTok Shop, a shopping feature that enables merchants and creators to showcase and sell products directly on TikTok.

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