TikTok Is Teaming Up With Shopify To Support Black Businesses With The Hashtag Challenge

With the holiday season approaching, more companies are doing their part to promote diversity and inclusion from small businesses to consumers. This week, social media network TikTok announced that it will be teaming up with Shopify to create a new partnership to help promote Black-owned businesses.

#ShopBlack is a part of the social media network’s Hashtag Challenge to help amplify Black-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs to the users. Brands will be able to also share their own stories on their TikTok page and participate in the challenge starting Nov. 10 until Nov. 15.

“We are delighted to partner with Shopify and provide a channel for their merchants to reach new audiences and drive sales on TikTok,” said Blake Chandlee, vice president, Global Business Solutions at TikTok, on the company’s blog. “As social commerce proliferates, retailers are recognizing that TikTok’s creative and highly engaged community sets it apart from other platforms. We’re constantly exploring new and innovative ways to connect brands with our users, and Shopify is the perfect partner to help us grow and expand our commerce capabilities globally.”

Some of the brands highlighted include Bread Beauty Supply, Riot Swim, Red Bay Coffee, and soleRebels as part of a new deal for users to integrate TikTok into their shopping platforms.

“#ShopBlack is an incredible opportunity for us to reach new audiences and tell our story on TikTok,” said Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, founder and CEO of the sustainable footwear brand, soleRebels, in a statement on the company blog.

“As a mission-driven company that employs dozens of artisans in Ethiopia, we’re excited to share our unique journey as a Black-owned business with the TikTok community. We’re thrilled that our business and products will be featured through #ShopBlack, and we love the support that TikTok and Shopify are showing Black entrepreneurs through this campaign.”