Social media platforms have been emerging as the “town squares” of virtual communities surrounding the globe over the last decade, and shrewd businesses have done everything that they can to profit from the trends that encircle these networks. App makers are continually releasing new apps in the pursuit of creating the next big social buzz, hoping to get a share of the multi-billion dollar economy that these social media platforms possess.  TikTok, an app that has caught the hearts of a generation, is the most current to rule the industry.

Debut

In recent history, TikTok has been one of the most rapidly developing apps in terms of audience and recognition. It’s one of the very few apps that’s become successful both in China and internationally. The app was installed over 663 million times in 2018 solely after its debut in 2017. As a result, it has become the fourth most popular non-game app. This information was what first introduced the app to the knowledge of the general public.

TikTok enables people to generate and upload musical material for their own and others’ entertainment via short musical videos. The application is more than just a fun diversion; it also encourages creativity and allows users to express themselves through music. TikTok was first introduced to the Chinese market in 2016 under the name Douyin and now has a monthly active user base of 500 million. When comparing Q1 2018 to Q1 2018, the user base has increased by 70%. These are staggering numbers that indicate worldwide dominance.

What makes Tiktok so special?

Users could only portray themselves via singing, dancing, humour, and lip-syncing at first. TikTok users may now shoot videos whatsoever in 15 seconds or fewer and publish them in front of the global audience, while still enjoying the very same distinctive qualities that make TikTok so appealing. One of the most key considerations in the platform’s success has been its closeness in variety and functionality to the most popular social media apps, with the inclusion of musical capabilities. The option to lip-sync to your favourite songs and post the videos with pals is TikTok’s unique selling point.

The Challenge feature on Tiktok encourages users to go and make their unique videos. TikTok regularly hosts platform-wide contests in which users can participate. It also aggressively promotes the platform’s most prominent personalities to engage in these contests. Hashtags also provide users with something to do. “The Seaweed Dance” was one of the most prominent of these trends, with millions of users around the world contributing content to it.

Conclusion

One of the app’s most evident advantages is its accessibility, as it allows users of all ages to produce films with no restrictions on originality. Additionally, thanks to algorithms that foster developing trends, it has aided certain users in gaining a large following on other social media networks. TikTok has helped emerging artists all around the world monetize their skills, particularly when their songs are fan favourites and can be used in fun and captivating videos created by the app’s users. With such involvement of worldwide users, it has surely become the face of Social Media platforms and is only expected to grow in the future.