TikTok has taken the spotlight from other social media platforms as more and more young people are curious about the virality of this app. TikTok used to be an app called Musical.ly, a lip syncing platform for young users.
Since their rebrand in 2018, TikTok has acquired 800 million users and is the most downloaded app in the Apple App Store, beating Youtube and Instagram. Why has TikTok all of a sudden become the topic of conversation?
Trending choreographed dances.
Who doesn’t love to dance? Every once in a while, someone’s choreography will become viral. The most popular dance is “Renegade”, choreographed by 14-year-old Jalaiah Harmon. Viral dances like “Renegade” are easy enough for inexperienced dancers to do, but are also slightly challenging to learn. While you’re scrolling through your For You page, you’ll see many different users dancing and you’ll feel enticed to learn it! Dance is a universal language and fun to do! What better way to make something go viral than some choreography anyone can do?
The "For You" page.
If you don’t have TikTok, you’re probably wondering what the "For You" page is. It is basically a feed that everyone on the app sees. Once in a while, your own video will be put on the "For You" page and you’ll notice because the number of views is higher than usual. This prompts users to become original with their content in hopes that it will gain traction from the "For You" page.
Who doesn’t want their video to go viral? The more traffic your videos get, the more likely your videos will be put onto the For You page. This is a great way for users to become creative, hence the reason why TikTok is known for unique and intriguing content. The For You page also caters to what you interact with the most. If you love watching animal videos, you’re most likely going to watch a video of a puppy playing with their toy until the end. TikTok’s algorithm remembers this so the more you scroll through the For You page, the more it will cater to your interests.
Comedy skits.
Comedy is also a big part of TikTok. Some may say that TikTok is the new Vine (RIP Vine). But what makes TikTok comedy new and refreshing? Users can take the audio from other users’ videos and put their own spin on it. Whether it is a specific song or someone else’s voice, users are able to think of new ways to reuse them. For example, many have used audio clips from “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” to create their own version of what happened.
Challenges.
There are many TikTok challenges out there that make you want to get out of your seat and try it for yourself. Some of them seem easy, until you try it and probably fail. Those who successfully do it are eager to post their accomplishment on their page. Many challenges require another person to do it with, making the challenge a fun bonding activity.
Popular songs.
If you go to Spotify and look at the US Top 50 playlist, you’ll notice a lot of songs from artists you have never heard before. Almost all of the songs on the Top 50 list are popular because of TikTok! This also provides upcoming artists to debut their songs and make it popular through challenges, dance choreography, and comedy skits.
There are many other reasons why TikTok has become so popular, but there is no denying that TikTok’s strategies to reel users in are effective. TikTok is so addicting that users spend an average of 52 minutes a day, with 90% of users visiting the app daily. If you don’t have the app yet, I suggest you create an account to see what the hype is all about!