Why TikTok Is Relevant and Here to Stay
Within the past year or so, we’ve seen brands grow through different social media platforms and express themselves in different manners. There have been many new platforms that have blown up themselves, leaving brands to adapt and become familiar with them. It is obvious that some have grown more noticeable than others, one of course being TikTok. TikTok has taken the world by storm and become a place for people to share their individual stories, small businesses, dances, art, etc.
An Intro to TikTok
According to What is TikTok? Why is it so popular?, the platform was founded in 2014, and was originally named Musical.ly. The purpose behind Musical.ly was user-generated videos that focused on people lip-syncing and dancing to popular songs. By 2017, the app had over 200 million users.
However, in late 2017, Musical.ly was acquired by a company named ByteDance for a fee of $800 Million and was later merged with an app named Douyin (a Musical.ly competitor). At the time, Douyin had 100 million users and later changed its name to TikTok for an international appeal. The combination of both apps was then merged under the name “TikTok”. After the apps were combined, TikTok became increasingly popular with over 500 million total installs on the Google Play Store.
But what exactly makes TikTok so great, and why is it popular? Let’s find out.
Why TikTok is Big
As explained in Why is TikTok So Popular? Why the Social Network Is Unique, there are a variety of reasons for why the platform has become massive.
- The “For You” Page and the Algorithm
The article states one of the biggest reasons that teenagers are on TikTok, is because of the “For You” page. The “For You” page is described as a timeline on the app that gives users access to new content. The app is powered by an algorithm that uses machine learning to populate the most original content for a user.
In other words, the algorithm caters the content specifically to the user, meaning that if their interests are art, sports and fishing, then their feed will most likely contain content including those categories.
The app also does a great job of tracking which videos the user likes, therefore giving them more of that type of content. TikTok feeds can look completely different for everyone, giving them something exciting to look forward to as they open the app. The app also includes people that you may not know, which is unlike any other social media platform. With this being said, it gives people the opportunity to go viral in an easier manner, which can encourage them to produce content on it.
2. TikTok Trends
Another main reason that TikTok is so popular is because of its famous trends. The article states that the algorithm prioritizes content that fit any ongoing trends in that particular moment. Because these trends seem to reach more engagement, users are oftentimes encouraged to participate in them.
There have been a variety of trends on TikTok that have become popular, ranging from artistic ones to viral dances.
3. Communities on TikTok
The third main reason that the article describes is the communities that it has built. TikTok communities are often categorized by the content that is created, which includes similar videos, audios and common hashtags.
These communities make users feel welcome and appreciated, as their content relates to others that enjoy the same categories. They include but are not limited to: dancing, animating company logos, painting, DIY projects, home makeovers, etc.
Now that we have discussed why TikTok has become so popular, let’s talk about why it will most likely stick around.
Why TikTok Will Stay
For the reasons discussed, it can be predicted that TikTok will most likely stick around for quite a bit. It makes users feel comfortable, gives them content they are interested in and allows them to make content that others will enjoy as well. However, according to 3 Reasons TikTok Is Here To Stay, there are even more reasons that the platform is expected to make its mark.
- TikTok’s content editor is native
The app gives users the opportunity to create unique content and edit it in different manners. With these editing tools, users are able to create content that not only caters to others, but is easy to make directly on the app.
2. TikTok’s feed is wired for viral videos.
As mentioned briefly before, the platform does indeed make it easier for certain videos to go viral. The app provides an endless number of prompts and challenges for viewers to participate in. Even if they do not have anything necessarily exciting to share, they are still able to create content by participating in these challenges.
Not only does the app give people the chance to go viral, but it also pays them for any viral videos they may create. People are oftentimes encouraged to create content because of the app’s ability to make content go viral, so that they can either promote their own personal brands or create exposure for their small businesses. TikTok has boosted business for a lot of brands, and given them the exposure they need to get a headstart. It has also introduced people to new products they might be interested in.
3. TikTok assets are easy to cross-post
What does this mean exactly? It means that oftentimes, you’ll even find others posting TikToks on other social media platforms. TikTok gives people the opportunity to share posts on more than just TikTok. People are able to easily share their TikTok video creations on Shapchat stories, Instagram stories and even Twitter.
The app gets more exposure on a daily basis because it provides content that is easy to share. This is most likely why you will see it continuously become popular as time goes on.
For these reasons, it is most likely that TikTok will be around for a long time. As stated earlier, brands that have become successful through TikTok have increased sales successfully. But should they wait for other platforms to go viral before they begin posting? Or get a headstart before they go viral?
Why Brands Should Wait
According to 10 TikTok Marketing Tips From the Pros, brands have taken advantage of viral trends and have become extremely popular from it. The article explains that they have been on top of their game and truly adapted to the platform.
Which is why, perhaps brands should wait until the platform is developed. Without the platform being truly developed before the brand joins, it can be more difficult for the brand to create popular content. It won’t receive as much exposure, therefore becoming not as successful.
If the platform is viral before the brand posts, then perhaps brands can also draw inspiration from what similar brands have been doing successfully while being on the platform. This will give them a better idea of what works, and what doesn’t.
Another reason that they should wait is because they can build their strategy and create content that is worth the wait. If they wait until the platform is viral, then they can create strategies that are catered around the platform and do not seem rushed.
Now that we have discussed the success of TikTok and why it is important for brands, hopefully you have a better idea of why it is going to be relevant for a long time!
