WTF is TikTok and Why Should I Care?
Andy Warhol once said, “everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.” Thanks to TikTok, that’s now 15 seconds. The app was launched in 2016 by the Chinese technology company ByteDance.
Chances are you’ve at least heard the name TikTok, even if you haven’t personally experienced it. Mainstream news outlets as big as ABC and The New York Times have covered it, and by all accounts its popularity is only going to keep growing.
But what exactly is TikTok? And perhaps more importantly, why should you care?
Much like Vine, which was immensely popular until it was shut down in 2017, TikTok is a content creation app that could be summed up as “social media for amateur music videos.” It originally started life as Musical.ly in 2014, and after some mergers and acquisitions we won’t bore you with, it’s now the giant known as TikTok.
What is TikTok? | ABC News
All about TikTok: Videos on TikTok max out at 15 seconds long, and the app itself boasts a wide variety of creator tools and interactive TikTok features. In a sense, you’re getting some of the best elements of SnapChat and Instagram, but with the added bonus of the lip-syncing feature that makes the platform so addictive to its primary audience – teens, tweens, and younger millennials. Plus, unlike almost every other social platform, TikTok has banned political advertising. To the woke generation this is another huge draw; the toxic political climate, tribalism and fake advertising that is so pervasive on Facebook, as Elizabeth Warren recently pointed out, is nowhere to be found on TikTok.
And then there are the TikTok stars.
These are the self-made celebs who have a massive following, just like on other social media platforms. And we’re talking millions here. How many millions? Well, the most popular person on TikTok is Loren Gray with over 32 million followers. And get this…she’s only 17. And just behind her is 18-year-old Baby Ariel with almost 30 million followers.
So… What does TikTok mean for you?
Quite simply, TikTok has given everyday people the chance to become international stars. And all they need is a smartphone, some talent, and the drive to post often. The advances in smartphone technology, 5G speeds, and “always with you” video cameras have unleashed an entire new generation of content creators around the world. Today, video content really is king, and TikTok has deftly tapped into that popularity to become a top social platform in record time. It’s viral. It’s easily shareable. And it leaves TikTok primed to be top of the social video apps for years to come. For brands willing to experiment in this arena, the advantages are huge.
“Vine showed the world that short amateur video content has a huge international audience,” explained Travis Page, Head of Product at Cinebody. “Couple that with easy access to high-quality video cameras on smartphones and you have the perfect storm for content creation. With TikTok crossing language barriers and a wide variety of cultures worldwide, the possibilities for brands to co-opt this phenomenon, and elevate their own fans to be brand ambassadors, has enormous potential.”
A recent, and highly-successful, example of a brand utilizing TikTok comes from Crocs. The shoe company was already being utilized by TikTok users, such as the Shaving Cream Challenge. "We knew there was something happening there," said Crocs SVP and CMO Terence Reilly. Crocs launched its TikTok channel on October 2nd, enlisting eight influencers to help spread the word. Within just a week, over 100,000 people began following Crocs.
The lesson here: TikTok is only going to get bigger and reach more people. As the technology advances, so too will amateur video content. And brands that get in on the act now will reap the rewards.
