The Newest Kid on the Social Media Block: TikTok

You’ve probably heard of the newest kid on the social media block: TikTok. Instead of being another flash in the pan social media app, it is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing social media networks on the Internet.

What is Tik Tok?

TikTok allows users to create short videos of themselves lip-syncing or acting out comedy sketches that are up to 15 seconds long. Think of it as karaoke for the digital age. You can choose from a huge database of songs, effects and sound bites to make your videos more interactive. Much like the days of Vine, Tik Tok is a reiteration of Musical.ly.

How does it work?

When users upload their first video, they can record themselves singing along to music. The app has many features that can make the video more entertaining. For example, you can shoot the video in slow-motion, create a time lapse, fast forward, use filters and effects. Once users are happy with the video, they can post it to their followers who can then take up a challenge and mimic them. There is also a duet feature which allows you to connect with another user and lip-sync together.

The appeal of TikTok stems from is viral content creation ability. Users create content and then challenge others to produce similar content to their own. Collaboration is key. You can do a duet with someone by replying to their video. Users can also upload their own sounds, so it’s possible to lip-synch to someone’s original video. Users challenge others to create videos that are similar, which can include the same song, a comedy sketch or a challenge that you can complete with your friends or pets.

The fun thing about TikTok is that it isn’t about perfection; it’s about belonging to a movement that wants to express itself through dancing, singing, acting and collaborating. These aspects of TikTok’s culture makes it feel more authentic than heavily edited YouTube or Instagram videos. The whole point of the app is to create funny, odd or even downright weird videos in an attempt to make people laugh.

There are subsets of people within TikTok, offering a community for everyone. From Cosplayers to the anime obsessed, to new wave emo kids, each have an opportunity to express themselves in their own way.

One of the biggest reasons that TikTok has taken off the way that it has is that teens are enjoying creating and sharing content easily online. The app has a very dedicated, young community of followers. For many users, gaining likes, followers and getting videos featured on the app are important priorities. Teens are quickly moving away from being spectators online to becoming content creators. This app can be used in creative ways and can be used as an outlet for teens to express themselves and create their own social content.

While TikTok may not be a silver bullet for business marketing, it is an entertaining collaboration tool that is seeing a growing community of content creators.