TikTok has introduced a new AI-powered tool designed to help businesses automate customer interactions and enhance lead generation. The feature, named TikTok Lead Genie, operates within the platform’s direct messaging system to provide instant, automated responses to customer inquiries around the clock.
The new chatbot aims to turn conversations into conversions more efficiently by ensuring businesses never miss an opportunity to engage with a potential customer. By leveraging AI trained on a company’s specific brand content, Lead Genie can handle inquiries, collect lead information, and maintain a natural, conversational tone.
Turning Conversations into Conversions
A key driver behind the launch is the impact of response time on sales. According to TikTok’s internal data, businesses that reply to a customer message within three minutes can see a 2.2 times increase in conversions. The AI chatbot is designed to maintain this level of responsiveness at scale, even outside of standard business hours.
The tool integrates directly into the TikTok Business Suite, where companies can activate it and upload their information to build a custom knowledge base. The richer the content provided, the more accurate and effective the chatbot’s responses become. This system is designed to work in tandem with TikTok’s Direct Messaging Ads and Lead Optimization Goal, creating a feedback loop where each interaction helps refine ad targeting and improve campaign outcomes.
Early Success and Measurable Impact
While the tool is new, early adopters across retail, beauty, and service industries are already reporting positive results. TikTok highlighted the case of DrHoat, a Vietnamese aesthetics group, which used Lead Genie to capture high-value leads 24/7.
The company reported an 80% reduction in its cost per lead (CPL), saved approximately 300 man-hours daily, and generated over $23,000 in daily revenue after implementing the chatbot.
“With the AI Chatbot, businesses can attract higher-quality leads faster and optimize ad spend by reaching the audiences that matter most,” said Tao Baecklund, Global Head of Content and Service Ads Product at TikTok. “Every conversation fuels smarter targeting and more effective campaigns — turning every interaction into an opportunity for growth.”
What This Means for MENA Businesses
For the MENA region’s vibrant startup and e-commerce ecosystem, the introduction of Lead Genie presents a significant opportunity. With TikTok’s massive user base and high engagement rates in countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, social commerce is a critical sales channel.
Local businesses can leverage this tool to manage the high volume of customer inquiries common during peak shopping seasons and marketing campaigns without scaling their support teams. This allows startups to offer enterprise-level customer service, improve lead quality, and directly attribute revenue to their social media efforts on the platform, making it a potentially powerful tool for growth in the regional market.
About TikTok
TikTok is a leading destination for short-form mobile video. Its mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Source: TikTok Newsroom
