True to the slogan “Make every second count,” one social network in particular has made it to the top last year: TikTok. The app recently ranked first among the most-installed apps, giving other social networks a run for their money. The exchange of short videos with the community currently makes the platform indispensable, especially for young people.

In this article, I would like to explain what makes TikTok so special and why the app will not lose its popularity in the coming months.

1. Entertainment is top priority

Comedy and entertainment are highly demanded on TikTok, and so is the creative self-expression of its users. It is the spontaneous gags, imitations and challenges that make TikTok an entertainment platform. Social media users don’t just want to consume, they also want to actively shape things themselves and get involved in the network – and ideally do so in as varied and individual a way as possible. TikTok offers them just that with its tools: their own short videos can be accompanied by their favorite songs, filters provide an individual look, and slow motion can be used to capture curious moments. 

The importance of active creation is therefore increasing and will make the 15-60-second short videos viral hits in the future as well. 

2. Influencer Marketing 

The enormous potential of influencer marketing is probably known to most companies by now. There are also numerous young influencers on TikTok, and many companies can benefit from their enormous reach – provided that the target group is predominantly 15 to 24-year-olds. A cooperation with influencers can be excellently combined with creative challenges to reach millions of people.

3. High reach

With over 800 million monthly active users and an average usage time of 47 minutes, it is clear how strongly the app has now established itself in the everyday lives of many young people. Even without a high number of followers, the video clips achieve considerable organic reach and thus hold enormous potential for many companies. In addition, the content can also be shared on Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter and spread like wildfire.

4. Wide age range of users

It is primarily Generation Z that dominates TikTok and actively uses the platform. But older people and influencers (25-34 years old) are also catching up and getting on board with this trending channel. 

It remains exciting for companies because the age structure is changing: the target group is slowly growing along with it and opens up new opportunities for companies to expand their target group approach in the long term. It is important to follow this trend in the coming months and to respond with suitable campaigns.

5. Unique content formats

Back then, everything started with clips accompanied by music and LipSync videos. In the meantime, there are not only more content formats, but also those that only exist in this form on TikTok. For companies, for example, the branded hashtag challenges are interesting formats. TikTok users are asked to upload their own videos for certain hashtags – it is not uncommon for such a hashtag challenges to go viral. Challenges can be placed by both users and brands. The enormous reach and comparatively low wastage make it particularly attractive for companies to use TikTok for their own marketing strategies. 

In addition to the hashtag challenges, duets are also very popular. The user continues the video of another user by adding his own video. The fact that a user reacts in real time to another user’s contribution often results in funny and spontaneous videos that are seen by millions of users.

6. Advertising opportunities are being expanded

In contrast to Facebook and Instagram, there are still comparatively few options for advertising on TikTok. Nevertheless, there are already a number of formats that a company can use for marketing purposes. In addition to influencer marketing and the “Branded Hashtag Challenge”, TikTok has launched other advertising formats. 

Probably the most effective way to reach a large number of users is the so-called “Brand Takeover”. That means, a 3-second display image or a GIF in full-screen mode appears when the app is opened, which leads to the respective landing page when clicked. With the In-Feed Native Video Ad, a native video format is displayed in the “For You” feed. The advantage of this ad format is that the ad “blends in” and is initially indistinguishable from other posts. Also, with “Branded Lenses”, companies can create their own filters, animated objects and effects in collaboration with TikTok and make them available to users for their video posts.  

7. Private communities 

Private communication channels are gaining in popularity. The reason for this is that social media users are increasingly longing for a more private social media experience – and that is what TikTok offers them in addition to private Facebook groups or Instagram Direct. The platform has managed to continue the community idea and firmly anchor it in its concept, which also has contributed to the platform’s success.

This poses new challenges for companies: Public feeds have to be played on, while they enter into personal contact with their target group on more private channels.

The possibility on TikTok of addressing individual communities and groups of people, and the direct access to potential customers that this provides, makes the platform a valuable point of contact for marketing activities. 

8. Social listening

It is not uncommon for TikTok users to tag other companies and brands to ask questions or draw attention to something – or they comment on company videos and leave feedback, express criticism or simply share their opinion. Companies can use these comments and mentions to adapt future campaigns accordingly. This is also a way to keep an eye on the company’s overall reputation. 

In addition, companies have the option to track trending topics and hashtags in order to measure the reach on TikTok. This is also a way to find out which people are most responsible for spreading your content. This way, influencers can be identified and targeted for campaigns. 

9. TikTok’s creativity funds

In the past few months, TikTok has dedicated itself to an interesting concept, which should now bind some users even more to the platform. We’re talking about the so-called creativity fund, a support program launched by TikTok to promote the creativity and commitment of its community. The opportunity to earn money with viral short videos now also makes the platform financially rewarding and thus particularly attractive for many creators. The fund is currently limited to around 60 million euros in Europe and is to be expanded to 255 million within the next three years. 

The payout amounts are based, among other things, on the number of video views and the interaction rate. The region from which the video is accessed also plays a role. Participation in the program is possible from the age of 18 and is linked to a number of requirements: the creators must have at least 10,000 followers and at least 10,000 video views in the past 30 days. 

Those who meet these criteria will have a new earning opportunity available to them, regardless of their content topics. In the coming months, we will see how well the support program will be received by the community and what payouts can actually be expected.