The Bottom Line. TikTok is an astronomically popular web app, with more than 3.5 billion downloads worldwide. TikTok allows users to make short videos, roughly 15–30 seconds in length, and distribute them within the app's following. Most of the videos are based on entertainment, hijinks, and comedy.
The social media platform allows its users to both create and watch short video content, that is primarily 15 seconds in length. People crave micro-entertainment and short bursts of video distraction, this is one of the main reasons for the app's popularity. Content is short, fun and on-trend.
CLEVELAND — TikTok has grown to become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, influencing millions along the way with challenges and trends.
Another reason every business should use TikTok is because it is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms out there. Since its launch, TikTok has over 1 billion active users across the globe. This huge number of people on the platform means that businesses have a lot of potential customers at their fingertips.
TikTok is the most engaging social media app with an average session length of almost 11 minutes. Users feel at home on TikTok because of its perceived authenticity. Globally, an average of 64% of users say they can “be their true selves” on TikTok.
The power of TikTok can't be underestimated— it can make or break someone else's career. It can influence people's perceptions on others. It can also lead to the spread of various trends… Whether it be food blogs, dance trends or transition videos, TikTok offers some form of entertainment for people universally.
Social media platform TikTok has both positive and negative impacts on users' mental health, new research has shown. A study by the University of Minnesota says the platform provided a sense of community and self-discovery but also "repeatedly" exposed users to harmful content.
It's launched niche interests into the mainstream
TikTok's algorithm and fast-paced scrolling experience means users don't have to go looking for content – it can be handed to them for their own discovery. This has forged communities around extremely specific interests and encouraged their growth.
But the wildly popular platform, developed with homegrown Chinese technology, isn't accessible in China.
Long-Term Repercussions of TikTok. Using TikTok regularly, either as a consumer or content creator, increases your digital footprint. On its own, this poses great risks such as being more prone to phishing attacks and stalking. This is an important reason why you should care about your digital footprint.
The country said that the app presented an “unacceptable” risk to privacy and security. India: The country was one of the first ones to prohibit TikTok and other Chinese apps in 2020 soon after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a confrontation with Chinese troops along their disputed Himalayan border.
Have any countries banned TikTok? India banned the platform in mid-2020, costing ByteDance one of its biggest markets, as the government cracked down on 59 Chinese-owned apps, claiming that they were secretly transmitting users' data to servers outside India.
In an article shared on UX Collective in July 2022, PhD researcher and founder of Implement Privacy, Luiza Jarovsky, wrote about her 30-day experience on TikTok, calling the platform "manipulative, addictive and harmful to privacy". Luiza claimed TikTok's User Experience (UX) designs keep people glued to it.
The platform has been criticized for its role in promoting toxic masculinity and gender stereotypes, as well as for the spread of hate speech and misinformation. TikTok has also been used to organize political protests and rallies, some of which have led to violence and unrest.
TikTok makes money from advertising, shop commissions, fees from subscriptions, and music royalties. The business model of TikTok is centered around becoming a super app on which users can not only consume videos, but shop for items, play games, and so much more.
TikTok is a platform of targeted content and loose ties — a post-social social network that doesn't rely on your friends to keep you engaged and entertained but rather on “recommendation,” which is the flip side of surveillance.
Instagram is better for polished content, while TikTok is better for raw, authentic content. If you want to reach a younger audience, consider TikTok. If you're looking to partner with influencers, both platforms can be effective but Instagram may give you more polished options.
The Algorithm
The mysterious and hyper-effective 'algorithm' is often cited as the most important factor when asking why TikTok is so popular. When polled, 60% of users said their primary reason for using TikTok was to find funny or entertaining videos, while 45% said it was to fill their spare time.
TikTok is available in over 150 countries, has over 1 billion users, and has been downloaded over 210 million times in the United States alone. If your brand's target audience includes anyone between the age 13 and 60, you should be on TikTok right now. Need inspiration on launching your TikTok strategy?
The most active TikTok users in the United States: 116.5 million. Also in the top three countries with the largest number of TikTok users are Indonesia (113 million) and Brazil (84.1 million).
According to the latest data on TikTok's advertising reach, the United States is home to the majority of TikTok users worldwide, with 113.3 million TikTokers residing there.