• by Colin Kirkland , January 6, 2023

TikTok has announced that it is licensing data from film and TV database IMDb for a new feature that will allow users to easily tag TV shows and movies in their uploads, linking viewers directly to an in-app IMDb page for further information.

The feature will be rolled out to users in the U.S. and the U.K., allowing creators to add a link to the film or show referenced in their videos, which will then appear above the caption after the video is posted. 

Viewers will then have the option to click the link and discover cast notes and release dates in another IMDb-powered page, as well as a spread of other TikTok videos that have tagged the same movie or show. 

Creators can link to their favorite shows and movies on their TikTok profiles as well, giving interested followers the option to click to dedicated IMDb pages. 

The decision to partner with IMDb comes after TikTok saw over 25 billion combined viewed for videos tagged with #FilmTok, #MovieTok, and #TVTok -- a sign that the growing social community has a shared interest in trending film and TV. 

By 2024, TikTok is expected to almost double their ad revenue in the U.S. to over $8 billion. A feature devoted to film and TV could make for more effective and streamlined marketing campaigns around upcoming releases.