Developed in China in 2016, TikTok is one of the most successful video applications and rapidly growing brands that the world has ever witnessed.
By late 2020, TikTok had over 2 billion mobile downloads globally, making it the third most popular application after Peacock and Zoom.
Primarily, TikTok was developed for entertainment, where users can create short videos and edit them according to their taste with some music in the background.
Today, TikTok has become a vital marketing tool and platform for various businesses and also a source of employment.
Read on to learn how TikTok is different, surpassing other social media channels such as Facebook, and how businesses can use it today.
TikTok versus other Social Media Channels
TikTok is the most popular social media application among Gen-Z and Millennials. As of 2023, TikTok boasts over 1 billion users worldwide, translating to more than 750 million downloads annually. Instagram follows closely by over 550 million annually.
Also, the average time users spend on TikTok is 52 minutes, which is way higher than the time people spend on other social media channels. For example, people spend an average of 28 minutes on Instagram. I
n the UK and the United States, the average user spends approximately 128 minutes on TikTok.
Notably, as in other social media platforms or channels, TikTok is dominated by women, accounting for about 60 percent of the daily users. Ideally, TikTok is the most appealing social media channel for millennials or youngsters between the ages of 12 to 25 in the world today.
TikTok is Unique
The difference between TikTok and other social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp lies in their algorithms. TikTok has a unique algorithm whereby it is entirely videos that are short structured and appeal to a specific audience or interests. Besides, TikTok uses artificial intelligence (AI), relieving users of the burden of doing much work.
The app also makes it easy for users to create and share visual content with their followers in different locations across the world.
Also, Tik-Tok has a feature called ‘For You Page’ (FYP), which increases its ease of engagement with the users. Such a feature has significantly led to the explosive growth of TikTok that the world is witnessing.
TikTok and Business
TikTok is an entertainment platform and a marketing tool with great potential for businesses and brands to reach new audiences. Today, millions of brands are on TikTok, leveraging its uniqueness and broader reach to advertise their new products and broaden their customer base.
TikTok boosts a business’s online presence and helps generate revenue through short videos. Businesses can leverage the platform by creating videos that are non-salesy.
For example, behind-the-scenes, tutorials, unboxing experiences, and reviews are just some great video ideas for small business owners.
Unlike other social media channels, TikTok is an excellent tool for businesses and brand influencers to advertise and promote their products in unique and tailor-made ways that appeal to the target audience.
Wrapping up
TikTok is undoubtedly the fastest-growing social media channel and brand in the world.
Currently, it boasts over 2 billion users worldwide and is more prevalent among the gen-z and millennials than other social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Facetime, and WhatsApp.
TikTok thrives on FYP and short-form videos that appeal to a greater audience, revolutionizing the scrolling experience.
Ideally, TikTok is the best social media platform for businesses and brands to make their online presence and, most importantly, reach new clients within the shortest time possible.