Exploring TikTok as a Content Format, Not Just a Platform
Although TikTok has been around since September 2016 in China and globally since September 2017, its true surge in popularity came at the start of 2020. This was the moment when we found ourselves confined to our homes, compelled to abandon the social lives we once knew.
It might be too stark to say that the global COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc, although it certainly has had its impact. However, it's important to note what blossomed during that time: our newfound fascination with a plethora of apps and the online world brimming with infinite possibilities—each side awaiting exploration.
The perfect preface to TikTok's story goes something like this: "Initially, I thought TikTok was just a joke, but now, I'm not so sure." (Feel free to insert anything you initially dismissed as a joke but ended up enjoying.)
TikTok began as an app where Generation Z showcased their dance moves and lip-synced to the latest music trends. You know the drill—the fun, light-hearted content that you somehow found yourself following during quarantine, even though you're not quite sure why. Perhaps you even tried your hand at a challenge, whether or not that video ever saw daylight.
Today, TikTok has evolved far beyond mere challenges. Inexplicably, it has transcended its origins, morphing into a phenomenon whispered about with intrigue, caution, and admiration. Everyone desires to be part of its community, each with their unique perception of how to thrive within it. This is why TikTok's content now spans a wide spectrum, offering tips, tricks, information, fun facts, jokes, statistics, and much more. Essentially, whatever you can imagine, you'll likely find it under its corresponding hashtag.
Nikola Jagodić, a digital marketing specialist at Smartpoint Adria agency, observes, "The rate and volume of information consumption continue to rise annually. To cope with this influx, people need to change how they consume information. TikTok arrived at the perfect time to address this challenge. While there were similar attempts before TikTok, the timing wasn't quite right until then."
If we were to focus solely on TikTok's positive aspects, setting aside the urge to scrutinize what's currently popular, the first noteworthy aspect is its algorithm's specificity. Upon entering the platform for the first time, you're bombarded with an endless stream of content that can make you feel like you're navigating the murky waters between adolescence and adulthood. However, even before you engage with content or follow a profile, TikTok assesses and creates a profile of your interests, suggesting relevant and highly personalized content - the kind you won't easily find on other social networks. It seems TikTok knows you better than anyone else.
TikTok has excelled in cultivating online personas and granting users the freedom to express themselves authentically; people worldwide have connected within a genuinely supportive community, inspiring one another. Even those seeking attention with minimal effort, aiming to become a new breed of influencers, found more than just fleeting fame.
By fostering creativity through short, dynamic videos conveying clear messages that captivate viewers as if under a spell, TikTok has created a marketing paradise. However, it's crucial to understand that TikTok exerts influence over users, not the other way around.
As time passes, it becomes increasingly evident that TikTok is more than just a platform; it has evolved into a format that will significantly shape the future development of content and the social media landscape. The emergence of formats like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts serves as strong evidence of this trend.
"Similar formats are anticipated on Facebook soon, and Netflix has introduced its own 'TikTok' feature within its mobile application. This trend underscores the growing importance of this format in information dissemination," notes Jagodić.
In conclusion, TikTok's allure lies in its ability to come to you; it offers what all social networks strive for - loyal engagement and enduring popularity.
For brands to thrive in an environment that fosters creativity and rejects imposed rules, it's crucial to create content that feels "TikTok native." Video takes center stage, accompanied by trending music, sounds, and hashtags. The narrative should flow naturally, spontaneously, entertainingly, and authentically. TikTok dislikes artificiality. This is why the platform allows even branded content to captivate a wider audience, making it more likely to achieve the brand's marketing objectives effectively.
Nikola Jagodić, a digital marketing specialist at Smartpoint Adria agency, emphasizes two key aspects of TikTok as a content format: "Firstly, the ability to simultaneously be present across all platforms, enabling us to reach diverse target demographics. Secondly, the challenge, rather than a drawback, lies in the complete transformation of marketing agencies and company marketing departments. They now must prioritize video content. This doesn't mean static content is obsolete, but rather, we must deliver essential information in a format that resonates naturally with the audience, which is primarily video."
The adage "Three days is enough for any miracle" doesn't apply to TikTok. Despite predictions of its downfall, similar to what happened with Vine and even the aesthetically popular Tumblr, TikTok's fate won't be sealed until it fulfills its apparent destiny - reshaping the digital future.
For Marketing mreža website text written by: Ivana Tomić, Smartpoint Adria Brand Specialist
Photo: Unsplash