The Innovation of TikTok

Social Media is an aspect of life that I feel like will never decline, as new innovations are created every day. Anyone and everyone is always trying to make their mark on social media, whether it be a company, organization, celebrity, etc. Marketing on social media is a huge part of society today, and we have seen it a myriad of times. For instance, Kim Kardashian started her own interactive game for users to play; the plot being the user being a D-list celebrity trying to work their way up to the A-list. It was a huge hit, and several of my friends played the game and became addicted to it. This example shows that new additions to the social media realm are always being created, with some becoming an instant hit.

TikTok fully debuted in September of 2016, under the original name of “Musical.ly.” At first, Musical.ly was a social media platform with the primary intent of users uploading short second videos of themselves lip synching to any song of their choosing. In 2017, the platform was purchased by a different company and resulted in the name change from “Musical.ly” to “TikTok.” TikTok really started to become popular in late 2018, and is now (in 2020) viewed as the most popular platform of social media. It has expanded from previously only having lip synching videos to users now uploading anything from funny sketches to day in the life vlogs. Essentially, it is like Youtube--but the catch is that the platform only allows the videos to be 15 to 60 seconds in length. The time limit is credited with the app being so popular, as it forces users to really hone into their creativity and show it off in only a matter of seconds. 

Another reason why TikTok shot up the social media charts is due to the creation of trends. Dancing videos are incredibly popular on the app, with people creating a dance to a relevant song and inspiring others to see if they can do the same dance. These videos spread like wildfire, making others who may not have a TikTok account wanting to see what the hype is about. This then leads into people creating their own account, participating in the dance challenges, and the cycle restarts again. The people who create such trends often become very popular on the social media platform, birthing the new era of “influencers.”

Influencers are defined as having “the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his or her audience” (Influencer Marketing Hub). Some major influencers that have risen from making videos on TikTok include Charli D’amelio (has now been on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon twice in the past couple months), Loren Gray (just recently appeared in a Taylor Swift music video), and more. 

Those on TikTok are also allowed to send videos they like to their friends or family, leading to that group of people to then engage in the app. This ability to not only unleash one’s own creativity, but also engage with friends and followers, makes the platform so unique in comparison to its competitors (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter). With coronavirus now keeping everyone at home, TikTok’s targeted demographic (teens/young adults) has nothing else to do but scroll on their phone all day. This is leading to TikTok rising even more in their popularity, as the teens and adults cannot resist the urge to watch a short second video that makes them laugh or smile. At the moment, the app is keeping people’s minds off the worldwide pandemic that is occuring outside their homes--which is most definitely working in TikTok’s favor. 
With all this being said, there are some downsides to the platform. All social media leads to the action of cyberbullying, as it is much easier for someone to hide behind their screen and throw insults then it is to do in person. Negative comments have been a hot topic regarding TikTok, as anyone can comment on a video once it is posted on a user's account. This can really impact someone's self esteem, especially if they uploaded a video they were confident in--only to be torn down in the comments by a cyberbully. Since so many pre-teens use the app, the cyberbullying aspect should truly be analyzed by executives at TikTok. I would recommend they look into having a team determine if someone's comment is okay or not, based off an outlined set of guidelines. If the comment does not reflect TikTok's recommended guidelines, then the team should immediately remove that comment from the post. At the end of the day all social media results in cyberbullying, and it is up to the user to determine whether they wish to engage or not.

Ultimately, TikTok is a powerful platform in 2020. With doctors on the front lines posting videos of themselves doing the dance challenges and trends (see video above), celebrities posting their own skits, teens uploading videos of their friends, and more, the app truly emphasizes creativity and wants every user to flourish.

https://influencermarketinghub.com/what-is-an-influencer/

https://www.oberlo.com/blog/tiktok-statistics