If I were to give Tik Tok a new slogan it would be “More than just an app”. Their main mission is to impel creativity & catalyze entertainment, this video creation app vaunts a staggering 1.5 Billion users & was downloaded 850 million times, last year alone.
This baronial megahit evidently displays that the creators of this platform are privy to a tactical formula & a marketing strategy that has managed to set them apart from the already existing social media apps, attracting miscellaneous people while immensely modifying & shifting popular culture, in the following ways:
Entertainment:
Although this community is largely dominated by Generation Z, millenials are gradually hopping onto the bandwagon. I for one was curious about the large interest that surrounds it & I was compelled to create an account & I did not look back ever since. When you open it, you are instantly bombarded with a whirlwind of videos; the exhilaration that comes with that stimulates you to stick around & watch endless videos. With this fast-paced way of consuming content, one is at liberty to handpick the kind of content that appeals to them & keep up with it through a customized “For you” page, fashioned by the algorithm in a manner that will most likely interest them, based on their engagement & activity. In a nutshell, it serves as an amusement arena at the comfort of your own home, where you are a regulator.
Extends Exposure
Almost every young adult has a story about how they used to lock themselves up in their room & perform in front of the mirror, during their teenage years; the grand idea of being on stage enticed most of us. Tik Tok has been successful in materializing this fantasy & has been steering Popular Culture towards mobility & accessibility, giving the very ordinary of people an audible voice. The blend of music, lip sync videos, and simple video editing options allow different creators to explore & find their niche; most of them have garnered thousands & millions of followers. The community is comprised of diverse singers, actors, comedians, etc. Their inclusive design & usability gives everyone a fair chance at chasing their dreams & to continually share & discover new content.
Improves Music Sales
Background sounds being one of the primary functionalities, it has majorly impacted the sales of music on various digital platforms. Novice musicians usually write songs in relation to the trending hashtags, so to gain traction. The few seconds one hears on the videos seem like a glimpse & instils that urge to download an extended or full version of the song. Over 60% of Tik-Tok users are more likely to purchase or stream a song they first heard & liked on the app. This is a huge win for musicians, record labels, the music market & the like. Early this year a covenant between Universal Music Publishing Group & Tik Tok came about. This collaboration asserts to deliver remuneration to recording artists signed to UMG labels & is set to introduce additional features for Tik Tok musicians.
Brand Marketing & influence
Tik Tok for Business is a division that is also thriving & has proven that it is an integral part of storytelling. Most brands & celebrities have been captivated by this beneficial propensity & utilize this platform to promote their respective products or services using the app’s various tools (i.e.: Hashtag Challenges). What better way to influence the masses into buying things like “fashion” while they’re having fun on their favourite app? This smart strategy causes one to be instantly influenced & act on impulse; this is in turn skyrockets the growth of brands.
Events & Partnerships
It has transformed showbiz from this rigid, square-like structure into a circle that allows one to move around spontaneously, giving everyone a seat at the big tables. Big brands have partnered with trustworthy influencers as a boost & in turn have these creators monetize on this. Mutually advantageous relationships have been digitally formed, superseding the conventional way of networking. Established Tik Tok users have consequently been afforded the imperial opportunity of being invited by companies to prestigious events, concerts & special gatherings.
In line with their primary purpose to uplift and empower creatives from all walks of life, this trailblazing app is steady in its mandate to continually aggrandize its platform with additional tools & functionalities that will constantly place the media sector at the top of the hierarchy.
Published by HOLR Magazine.