Social media platform TikTok has added new donation stickers which enable charities to fundraise directly from the app.
Stickers will initially only be available to a limited number of charities that have partnered with the platform globally. TikTok will be matching donations made to them up to $10m (around £8m) until 27 May.
In the UK, the first charities to receive the stickers were the British Red Cross and Help Musicians. The latter is supporting musicians who have lost their source of income as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.
Stickers can be embedded directly into TikTok videos, and link to a dedicated window where people aged 18 and over can complete their donation. Donations and the processing fee are managed by fundraising platform Tiltify, and charities can track donations directly from the app.
There is no timeline for when the feature will be available to all charities yet.
A spokesperson for TikTok said the company has chosen “organisations who support vulnerable groups who align with some of TikTok's communities and who have been deeply impacted by the health and economic damage caused by the pandemic”. It is hoping to extend the feature to more charities “in the near future.”
‘Charities play an even greater role’
Rich Waterworth, TikTok general manager UK, said: “In times of crisis, charities play an even greater role in protecting our most vulnerable communities.
“Our community on TikTok surprises us every day with their creative, uplifting spirit through this crisis, and we hope they’ll join us in helping those in need. We chose the British Red Cross and Help Musicians as our initial launch beneficiaries – as charities on the frontline of the coronavirus response – where we know this funding will deliver meaningful support for communities that have been hugely impacted by this crisis.”
Paul Amadi, chief supporter officer at the British Red Cross, said: “We are excited to be one of the first charities to include the new TikTok Donation Sticker. This opportunity will help the British Red Cross raise vital funds to continue our work, supporting the most vulnerable people during this crisis.
“From handwashing dance moves to showcasing our people working on the frontline, the British Red Cross has been using the TikTok platform to lift the nation’s spirits and share vital information about the virus.”
James Ainscough, CEO at Help Musicians, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to be supported by TikTok through this brilliant new feature. The coronavirus pandemic has had a monumental effect on musicians’ ability to earn a living.
“The vast majority of musicians are self-employed and in our recent survey we found that 25% said they would not be eligible for self-employed support.
“As we evolve our support package, it is through fundraising such as this that we can offer vital long-term support in order to make a meaningful difference to musicians when they need us most.”
