How is TikTok reshaping the world of social media?

2022 saw TikTok breaking records in popularity among Internet users. It quickly made a name for itself: An ultimate place for entertainment. For many people and brands, it’s considered to be a simple entertainment platform - but there’s so much more to it!?

In fact, it changed the way we communicate nowadays.

The world of social media is ruthless - several giants share the market (like Meta with Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, and Google with YouTube). And yet Binance (the company behind TikTok) has carved out a place for itself among the biggest brands in business. Unknown to the public just two years ago, it managed to rise to the top thanks to a sensible external growth strategy.?

Today, according to BusinessofApps.com, TikTok was the most downloaded app in 2021:

From our experience we know that some brands resist their presence due to certain prejudices and stereotypes concerning TikTok and their target audience. Initially, the users of this platform were mainly young people, but now their parents and grandparents have also joined the platform.

While some thought TikTok is just a “fad”, it has proven more successful than many experts thought. And today, it is a platform that brands really want to be present on to reach their potential customers.

Why is it so popular??

TikTok is an application that focuses on one thing - providing maximum entertainment. There is much to see and discover - and you can see a lot because the videos are usually less than a minute long! On TikTok, you'll find everything from videos of adorable animals to clips of activists advocating their causes.

From my point of view, what makes TikTok unique is the wide range of viewers who watch engaging posts. Short videos and dopamine shots allow users to spend up to several hours every day. Many users consider TikTok more than a means of online communication or entertainment.?

In fact, many musicians, comedians, and artists started or gained popularity thanks to this platform (think Charli D'Amelio, a teenager from Connecticut whose TikTok success led to a spot in Hype House, a cameo appearance in a Super Bowl commercial, and a contract with a talent agency.

Another critical point is TikTok's very efficient algorithm, which provides tailored content that wants to be seen. It studies how a person uses the platform and provides relevant recommendations. So, the more often you use TikTok, the better the algorithm knows which videos to show you.

These are only some aspects that have made TikTok reshape the world of social media. Now, let's take a closer look at the essential elements, thanks to which it continues to break records of popularity.

1. Excitement

Every video you see on the platform triggers a partial dopamine release, so it's no wonder that after viewing one post, you feel like you see another that interests you.?

This way, watching one video after another, users can spend up to several hours daily on TikTok. After all, nothing grabs your attention like video content.

Furthermore, their short format means you can have another burst of dopamine every minute or two, or even every few seconds, and spend a long time on the platform without feeling tired.

2. Music

TikTok has something that no other platform offers. It’s the ability to use copyrighted music as long as it comes from their website. TikTok has a copyright licensing agreement with many record labels and artists. The artists also get many benefits from this cooperation. Especially in terms of marketing and promoting the songs. Many artists have gained popularity because of this. Moreover, every time someone uses an artist's music on the app, he/she receives royalties from TikTok.?

Artists and record labels are eager to make their material available on the platform. Subsequent creators can use many popular songs in their posts, making the video more enjoyable for the ultimate content viewers.

3. Algorithm

TikTok's recommendations are so spectacular that it is worth taking a thorough look at them. It searches a stream of videos based on interests to help users find the type of content and content creators they want to see.

The app determines your interests by looking at the accounts you follow, the profiles you've hidden, what and where you comment, what you like, what you choose to send to others, your favorite videos, videos you're not interested in, and videos submitted to the app. In addition, the algorithm considers how long you've been watching videos and what kind of content you publish on your account.

After that it categorizes posts by looking at video captions, sounds, hashtags, popular topics, and filters applied. Based on this, it prompts you with recommended videos, and as it turns out, it does so extremely effectively.

4. Promotion

TikTok wants as many marketing resources as possible. That's why it has many tools to help creators promote their accounts, build engagement and interact with their audience. TikTok has turned into a platform where you can watch content related to art, family, health, fashion, crafts, culture, technology, or animals.

By setting up a TikTok Pro account you can get access to statistics that will help you on your way to success. But first, pay attention to the quality of the video and audio. The higher the quality of your video, the more likely TikTok will promote it. And when it does, you can access a HUGE audience (130M+ in the US alone):

5. Trends

TikTok is currently best known for trends that generate a lot of user engagement. It started with dance videos, but now they can involve creating videos using audio clips from popular movies, TV shows, and even other TikTok posts.

TikTok videos can also be about making pranks on your loved ones and recording their reactions. These videos are not limited to humans; some involve showing off your best furry (or not :)) or feathered friend.?

If a particular theme catches users' interest, TikTok prompts them for more of this type of material, creating a trend. Other creators also publish materials with a specific piece to attract their audience or thus reach a new group of users. Trending videos on TikTok are highly engaging. The key to the success of videos gaining popularity is to make them unique enough to stand out from all other videos of the same genre.

6. Network

TikTok wants to be more than just an entertainment platform. It wants to be where people can find others like them and share common passions. You can find communities dedicated to different lifestyles. Some of the largest significant niches on TikTok include:

• Fashion community
• Pet community
• Tips-and-tricks community
• Travel community.?

Of course, they can be divided into even smaller groups. That allows you, both as a content creator and a content viewer, to find a relevant group for your activity.?

Pet owners and lovers can find companies showcasing pet behavior and material on pet training, grooming, and adoption. Those interested in housekeeping and cleaning can also draw on the tips and advice published there, whether cleaning the carpet or ergonomically arranging things in the closet.

7. Money

Accounts that have a broad audience base can use popularity to monetize the platform directly. TikTok allows them to do just that. When you host a live broadcast on TikTok, other TikTok creators and your viewers can send you virtual gifts, paid for with coins. You will then have to convert these coins into diamonds to be converted into money on PayPal. That is extremely easy to do.?

Of course, the main reason brands and creators keep an account on TikTok in the first place is the possibility of effective promotion among the large community that has gathered on the app. However, some profiles are still created to earn money directly, thanks to the application.

So, in a nutshell

When the app was launched back in 2016 only some people predicted the success of this mobile app. Fast forward to today - TikTok has not only survived but is now as influential as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.?

There is no doubt that the primary purpose of the app is to provide entertainment. TikTok is also a network that is more visual than any other platform. Users come to see posts that primarily offer them quick entertainment in a way that lends itself to immediate consumption. However, TikTok is beginning to appeal to more and more people.

Based on our experience and the number of brands and creators actively creating on TikTok and developing this platform, I’m sure this application will be a part of our lives for a long time.

Whether you want to promote your personal brand or your company's services or products, some of your target audience is undoubtedly present on TikTok. Get creative, add captions and audio to attract the attention of your niche, and successfully build your reach. But that’s a story for another time :)