As with any social media app or platform, TikTok has its positives and its negatives.
While the app is excellent for engagement and has enhanced countless online careers for creators and influencers, it has also been responsible for the rise in potentially harmful challenges and is being credited with an increase in cyber bullying and other issues.
But we’re not looking at the negatives in this article. In fact, in this article we’re focussing exclusively on what makes TikTok such a valuable tool – and such a fun app to spend time on.
How Does TikTok Work?
If you’ve made it this far then the chances are that you are familiar with TikTok.
In case you’re not though, here’s a quick recap.
TikTok is a primarily visual app, which invites users to create and share videos and posts with their followers. As TikTok was born from a foundation of dance challenges, it relies heavily on the spread of trends and on video templates and formats which go viral.
Some of the most successful TikTok users create or engineer a video format which plays to their strengths, and which they replicate in every video that they post.
Videos can go viral or spark new trends every day – with the ‘For You’ page the ultimate goal for creators that want to grow their profile and enhance their visibility on the app.
So, why is TikTok such a good tool for creators and budding influencers?
TikTok’s Algorithm Is Exceptionally Comprehensive
Arguably one of the best things about TikTok is the exceptional algorithm which makes the whole app tick.
The algorithm is what determines which videos are presented and shown to each user and dictates everything from the ‘For You’ page to the recommended songs and audio clips that users could add to their videos.
TikTok aims to personalise as much of the app experience as possible for users, with the algorithm using a blend of their interests and existing activity, their friends and followers, and their searches to extract the best content for them.
Anyone Can Go Viral
A quick search for the most watched TikTok videos and the most successful TikTok users ever won’t bring up celebrity profiles, but rather the profiles of creators who have struck gold with a particular format or idea.
The fact is that TikTok facilitates virality for any user.
Anyone can create and share content, and as a result anyone can see their video go viral.
TikTok’s Editing Platform Is Unrivalled
Another great thing about TikTok is that the editing tools and the platform for editing content is unrivalled in terms of quality and versatility.
From transforming a series of photos into a powerful TikTok video to stitching content together to create something unique, TikTok’s editing tools help to make videos that go viral.
Videos Can Become Templates
One of the best ways that TikTok supports viral content is by turning videos into templates that other users can replicate and personalise.
Anything from a specific audio clip to a particular transition or video template can become popular and extensively used on TikTok – all you need to do is ensure that the filters and features you use as publicly available.
TikTok Protects Its Users
We’ve talked a lot about the opportunity available for TikTok users. But what we haven’t covered yet is how well protected TikTok users are. The rise in TikTok moderators and the easy access to reporting features and content bans means that the app is doing what it can to protect users.
Those who sign up as younger users will find that their experience is automatically limited in terms of what they can do. What’s more, those who engage in Live Streams can add moderators to protect the comments, while the comprehensive approach to reporting means that anyone can report anything that they deem inappropriate.
TikTok Is Great for Community
Features such as Live Streams and Subscription channels allow creators to really build a sense of community among their followers.
This only adds to the idea that TikTok is a largely sociable app.
Who Is TikTok Good For?
With all of those points in mind (and many more – seriously, we could be here all day!), who exactly is TikTok good for?
In our experience, anyone and everyone!
Whether you’re looking to connect with friends and family, a budding influencer want to build an online profile, or a brand / business looking to connect with customers and clients, TikTok has all the tools you need to start creating and sharing content.
Once you’ve fixed a niche and determined who you are creating content for, TikTok has a versatile series of tools and features that can help you to keep reaching the right audience. What’s more, you can also tailor the content that you see according to your preferences and can even use the app for private messaging and other communication as required.
All that’s left to say is Happy TikTok-ing!
