Many adults and kids have benefited from TikTok. Entertaining people in various ways via video has allowed people to showcase their talents and build a following. You can make short tutorials, funny videos, dance videos, etc. Due to the talent discovered through TikTok, it has become one of the most popular applications today.
It became more popular after merging with Musical.ly, an application targeted at musicians. The application’s UI and UX are straightforward, allowing users to scroll endlessly. A similar application is Vine, which was popular in 2013.
The Origins
TikTok’s original incarnation is Musical.ly. It has become popular among those who enjoy digital applications, including enthusiasts of SEO services and Digital Marketing in the Philippines. It was considered a novelty and easy to use, especially for those who enjoyed uploading videos. It was initially launched in 2014 and had several app downloads. By the following year, it had exploded as the number one app in the iTunes app charts.
Bytedance, a Chinese tech company, made its counterpart to Musical.ly, which was known as Douyin. It was launched in 2017 as TikTok. The same company also understood the platform’s potential, so it incorporated Musical.ly, and thus, it became the TikTok we knew together. Since then, TikTok has grown and been integrated into many marketing and public relations campaigns.
User-generated content is the foundation of this application. It appeals to its users’ creativity, with many short videos the users have produced. Some people have tortured it cringe, but its nature is what sells it so well to the public – and has since driven the application to success. The content you create can be a few minutes long or even seconds long, with stringing videos and incorporating music with filters and editing effects.
TikTok As A Tool For Marketing
The application targets younger audiences, and Generation Z is visible on it. Businesses also notice that TikTok can be instrumental to their success; music is often viral on TikTok, and many artists get their followings. Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso was so visible on the platform—and so were the campaigns for Bridgerton Season 3 and Hozier’s song, Too Sweet.
TikTok goes beyond sharing cringe dance moves or discourse. Some people do makeup reviews on the application. Tips, tricks, tutorials, and helpful life hacks are also there. Various markets and consumers have also used it to make content for people like them. For example, mid-sized girls have their tag on the application and show off content of themselves styling outfits that flatter them, especially as it can be hard to find clothes for mid-sized people.
More than that, businesses see it as a powerful marketing tool. Public relations teams have KOLs to whom they can send products and have them make content for them. Moreover, businesses can integrate it into their marketing by making digestible and short video clips and reels explaining their brand while following the customer’s journey cycle. Viral trends and funny clips are also part of this. They can also work for the business model.
The Fit For Your Business
Although younger audiences are taking advantage of TikTok, not everyone can thrive on the application, business-wise. An older audience may prefer more traditional ways of marketing their application. If you want a younger audience, then TikTok is for you.
Wrapping Up
As a tool and a source of entertainment, TikTok has grown to meet Bytedance’s expectations. It’s more than an application—it has become a lifestyle and a business. However, it is also a tool that must be considered, especially if you want to target a specific audience segment.
