Why Did TikTok Do So Well?
TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to make and share short-form videos in genres such as dance, comedy & education and currently has over 1 billion active users. Most of the videos typically feature lip-syncing of popular songs meaning it can be seen as an online karaoke experience.
But why did it become so popular?
1. Instant Gratification
Millennials have such short attention spans these days that they need to be entertained NOW. The moment they open up an app, they should be given unlimited options of ‘fun’ and should have the power to cast aside anything they deem even minutely dull. That’s what TikTok provides. In the ‘For You’ feed, you are shown an unlimited stream of random videos where you can keep scrolling to your heart’s content. This is the main reason why TikTok is seen as so addictive and could have detrimental effects on the younger population.
2. Variety
Not only do you get an unlimited stream of short videos but these videos are quite varied meaning you don’t get bored easily and are likely to constantly find entertainment that suits you interests and needs. You have the ability to post about any topic including dance, photography, music, comedy, travel, fitness and hobbies.
3. Exposure
As creators, TikTok can provide a fantastic boost to your stats and expose you to an international audience due to the random ‘For You’ stream. The more often you upload quality content, the more likely that a random person around the world will come across your video and discover your profile. As the viewer’s investment into a video is a lot less when compared to YouTube, it is much more likely that you will be found.
4. Sign Up Not Required
You don’t actually need an account to try out TikTok meaning the ‘entry-barrier’ to acquire a user is almost non-existent. TikTok then passes the responsibility of signing up to the user if they want better recommendations on their ‘For You’ page.
5. Proven Model
A few years ago, Vine was a hugely popular app and utilised a similar short-form video format (it’s actually the app that propelled Shawn Mendes’ career). As it was a proven business concept which had a strong user base, it was a clever move from TikTok to revamp that idea.
