Why is TikTok So Popular?
This article will discuss what TikTok is and what it offers. We will also learn how it has helped brands in their promotional activities and what made it the most popular app globally.
During the COVID pandemic, many users went their way on different social media platforms to pass the time. Undoubtedly, one of the ones that took the most advantage of this growth was the platform of Chinese origin, TikTok.
In 2020, it witnessed exponential growth. It was created to attract young people through music and short videos. However, the application’s success was so great that its use was not limited to age and became a platform that anyone could consume.
Currently, it is one of the most downloaded and used social platforms. In terms of downloads and profits, it is only behind large companies such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Netflix, and Amazon.
Content
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a video-sharing app where you can create short videos and share 15-second to 10-minute videos. It was developed by the Chinese company ByteDance and launched in 2016. As of March 2022, the most popular categories are –
- Entertainment – 535 billion views
- Dance – 181 billion
- Pranks – 79 billion
- Fitness/sports – 57 billion
- Home reno/D.I.Y. – 39 billion
- Beauty/skincare – 33 billion
- Fashion – 27 billion
- Recipes/cooking – 18 billion
- Life hacks/advice – 13 billion
- Pets – 10 billion
- Outdoors – 2 billion
The main idea of the app is to share videos of singing or lip-syncing and moving to the rhythm of songs. Some content becomes so popular that other users try to replicate it, and the best thing is that the videos can be shared on other social networks.
Currently, a large number of celebrities and influencers have joined the TikTok fever. It grants a remarkable opportunity for celebrities to reach a wider audience and develop their brand. Celebrities like Will Smith, Gordon Ramsay, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, etc., are active there.
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TikTok Statistics
According to Statista, TikTok reported 1 billion monthly active users globally in September 2021, a 45% growth compared to 689 million monthly active users (MAU) in July 2020. Some other interesting data is as below –
- TikTok had 1.2 billion monthly active users in Q4 2021
- The number of TikTok users is speculated to touch 1.8 billion by the end of 2022
- More than 600 million users use TikTok in China
- With over 1.5 billion downloads, it has positioned itself at the top of world downloads.
Why TikTok Got So Popular?
Users look out for micro-entertainment, and distraction for a few minutes throughout the day never hurts anyone. TikTok caters to all. The videos are fun and short; they’re all the rage.
Here are some reasons that made it so famous recently.
More Companies Turned to TikTok
The increase in popularity of TikTok is not only based on a large number of active users in the application. If you are a brand, whether emerging or established, and your TG is audience ages 12 – 60, you should be on TikTok.
Over the years, more companies began to create marketing campaigns within the network using content creators and or taking advantage of the platform’s tools to share the message.
NBA was among the first brands to join it. NBA has over 13 Million followers, and it shares highlights of games and celebrity player cameos.
Image -TikTok
In addition, media and entertainment companies like The Washington Post and NBC also use it to share their content previews and some interesting behind-the-scenes videos, leading to impeccable audience engagement.
Another good example was Marvel, which used TikTok to promote a series of shorts related to the most successful premiere at the box office: Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Image -TikTok
A Perfect Brand Marketing Platform
TikTok has proved to be an effective platform for promoting brands and sharing individual stories. If you own a small or medium-sized enterprise, you can consider using TikTok for business. This showcases the brand and has helped many new enterprises mark their presence in the market.
A survey by TikTok suggests that more than 50% of creators have participated in at least one hashtag challenge. If you are an influencer or are looking to carve a niche in the market, you are advised to take up at least one hashtag challenge. Interestingly, the average engagement on a branded hashtag challenge for a TikTok influencer is 8.5%.
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Moreover, companies like Dunkin gained more than 1.4 billion views on the hashtag #dunkin, that too organically. It collaborated with a TikTok influencer with more than 88 million followers.
@dunkin
So official, we put it in writing @charlidamelio. Order ‘The Charli’ on the Dunkin’ app!? #CharliRunsOnDunkin #TheCharli #Dunkin
♬ original sound – Dunkin’
Image – Insider
Even Microsoft stepped into the world of TikTok and used it to promote the brand and engage with the audience.
Another good way to market your business is collaborating with an influencer, as Dunkin did. Content is the king everywhere, and TikTok is no different.
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Easy Video Creation
Another aspect to consider is how easy it is to create content on TikTok. The youngest, born in an era dominated by YouTube, see it as a handy tool to take their first steps in video format since they only need a mobile phone and some free time.
And nowadays, short and funny videos dominate the web, which consequently caused the tremendous success of the application and opened the possibility for other media to use the network.
It is unnecessary to have any specific knowledge because, from the app, users can easily add music and effects to their clips. As we say, it is an exciting option for those curious about creating video content but have never dared.
Adoption by the Young Generations
The rise of TikTok has been remarkable. 60% of TikTok users belong to Gen Z (Born between 1997 – 2012), followed by Millennials (Born between 1981 – 1996).
Image – App Ape
A survey by Forrester suggests that 63% of Gen Z youth use TikTok daily, while 57% of users use Instagram, and 54% use Snapchat.
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Viral Challenges and Choreographies
With more content creators coming to the platform, videos made by the community began to trend not only on TikTok, but users themselves began taking content to other platforms to be shared with family and friends.
Dance choreographies, challenges, jokes, product reviews, tutorials, and endless content created by users began to transcend the platform.
Image – Time
A Simple And Addictive Design
Another peculiarity of TikTok lies in its design. To see a new video, just slide up from the main screen, while if you want to return to an old one, you will have to slide down. It is simple to use and has a very comfortable and user-friendly design.
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Worldwide Success of TikTok
It is important to note that many social networking applications are not equally prevalent in all countries. Still, TikTok currently has 75 languages, making it one of the most accessible applications.
As per Statista, below is the largest TikTok audience (in millions) as of April 2022.
Source – Statista
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, the platform’s growth in recent years is among the most surprising if we talk about social networks. It is also interesting to note how TikTok helped companies reach out to their audiences in no time.
With the era of micro-entertainment at its best, it is not difficult to ensure that it can continue to grow in terms of the number of users until a new unicorn emerges and engages the new generation.
Rashmi is a postgraduate in Biotechnology with a flair for research-oriented work and has an experience of over 13 years in content creation and social media handling. She has a diversified writing portfolio and aim... Read Full Bio
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