TikTok is a huge social media phenomenon right now, despite only being around for the last couple of years.
It is the baby of the social media world and yet it has overtaken nearly every other platform in popularity and number of users.
The “TikTok Creator Fund” has also allowed many creators on the platform to turn this into their full-time job and livelihood. We are seeing more teenagers and young adults than ever make social media their career. We can see them on the platform quitting college, buying expensive cars, and signing agency contracts all from starting off making videos with their phone in their own homes.
Popular videos from the top creators and even just from those who “go viral” once or twice can gain tens of millions of likes on the platform. Some creators are gaining this number of likes a couple of times a week on there. And if they are being paid per view, you can see how much money this would add up to.
There are also people from TikTok moving on to film careers, music careers, modelling and presenting careers too, such as Bella Poarch, Addison Rae, and Noah Beck.
TikTok is much more than a social media platform, it is a thriving talent industry.
So, why do we love it so much?
How has it gained this traction in a matter of years?
This is an absolutely huge question of social reflection and no one could cover any potential answer(s) in one short blog post, but here are some of my thoughts on the matter.
It’s quick, and it’s easy.
Without oversimplifying the workings of TikTok too much, everything on there from the content and how we view it is very quick and very easy. Videos range from 15 seconds up to (only recently instated) a couple of minutes.
When you first start using TikTok you don’t need to find and follow users and creators that you like to begin seeing content. Your “For You Page” is already filled with recommendations of videos in an endless loop of new content. You don’t need to go looking for content at all and, in fact, the more time you spend on the app watching content, the more that the content you are shown will be expertly tailored to you and your interests. This will get you hooked pretty quickly.
It is a very easy to use platform too. You sign up, start watching content, and everything takes place on two or three tabs on a home screen. You scroll, like and comment all in one place and the content keeps coming at the swipe of a finger.
I reckon that we love TikTok so much because it is such a quick and accessible break to take from our lives. From working, learning, being social, being alone, whatever it is. Whenever we want a break and want to leave our own reality or “connect” with others, we can be on TikTok and watching new content in roughly 2 seconds.
It’s a quick hit.
It has a niche for everyone
TikTok really does have content for every type of person. There are a lot of famous creators out there on the platform right now but there is a lot of range and diversity between those creators.
If you are someone looking to find a home online, there will be one waiting for you on TikTok.
As we’ve mentioned as well, the notion of the For You Page means that your time on TikTok feels very personalised to you very early on. Everyone has their own experience on TikTok and this really appeals to people. People like to feel understood and welcomed into a space that is just for them, and TikTok emulates this really well.
It’s endless
You can’t get to the end of TikTok, it’s physically impossible.
You can scroll and scroll and scroll and you will still be provided with more content.
In a digital age where more is more, this structure is performing dangerously well.
If we do take a break from work and decide to pop onto TikTok, we can be there for hours if we aren’t careful.
It can be an endless source of comfort, entertainment, and pseudo-connection, and this is very much so what appeals to such a wide and diverse audience.
Overall, TikTok is an attractive and addictive platform. We can see how easily how it gets into our brains and finds a way into our lives. The content we watch on there has become so valuable to so many of us that we make the creators rich and famous just from our views and our clicks.
Is this a good thing?
Does popularity mean value?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, get involved in the conversation and drop us a comment in the section below.