TikTok is showing no signs of slowing down in its bid to take over the planet. From its relatively humble beginnings in 2016, the app has grown to encompass a huge Gen Z user base, with many other demographics now also being attracted to TikTok. It’s fair to say that this is one of the most popular social media apps around right now; its mixture of goofy video content and relatable, realistic everyday lives has proven to be a hit with people of all age groups and persuasions.
Whether you’re just getting started with TikTok or you’ve been using it for a while and still aren’t quite sure about it, there are plenty of reasons to get involved with this social media community. TikTok represents the zeitgeist right now; if you want to know where the pulse of younger social media users is at, then having a TikTok presence is practically a requirement. Here are 5 of our favourite reasons to be using TikTok right now, no matter who you happen to be.
1. TikTok lets you unleash your creative side
If there’s one thing that can be said for the TikTok platform, it’s that creativity is absolutely running rampant. Every TikTok content creator is using their creative side to demonstrate that crafting content can be fun and help you to develop creative instincts. Whether you’re making lip-sync challenges and dance videos like the app’s early adopters or you’re blazing a new trail, engaging with TikTok’s creative side can be a lot of fun.
In many ways, the limitations imposed by TikTok’s video editing suite have only served to empower and embolden users’ creations. The range of filters on offer within TikTok allows users to express their personalities, and the editing tools available let them make custom videos with interesting transitions and sequencing techniques. Make no mistake: TikTok users see the relatively limited video creation suite within the app as a challenge, not a hindrance.
2. Brands can advertise on TikTok
TikTok is an incredibly important medium if you’re a brand wanting to advertise your product or service. You should already be aware of the incredible power of social media when it comes to marketing; it’s one of your crucial tools for constructing a digital marketing strategy. With that in mind, then, it should stand to reason that TikTok, which has one of the highest monthly active user counts, should be an integral part of your social media approach.
There are a number of ways you can utilise TikTok if you’re a brand. The first and most obvious way is with paid advertising campaigns, which may or may not be the best approach; TikTok users don’t necessarily take kindly to overt advertising, so you need to structure your campaign carefully. You can also partner with influencers to promote your product, which is a more natural way of doing things but which carries its own set of risks.
3. TikTok has a great sense of community
Almost more than any other social media platform, there is an amazing sense of community on TikTok. Users band together to support one another and promote each other’s content; you’ll frequently see creators lifting up others and recommending them to their followers. Using TikTok, you’ll see that social media can, in fact, foster a sense of togetherness and collective identity; it’s just that many other platforms almost seem designed to emphasise division.
In fact, some of TikTok’s most prominent video editing features are set up to reinforce this sense of community. The Stitch feature allows you to weave your own videos seamlessly into another user’s content, creating an entirely new story. Duets, meanwhile, let you play your video alongside another user’s, so you can create a side-by-side video. This works best for things like vocal harmonies and comedy skits, but you’ll always find users discovering creative ways to use these features.
4. TikTok can help you launch a career as an influencer
These days, being a social media influencer is a completely valid and legitimate career. Many people make a stable income from being an influencer; it involves partnering with brands on platforms to promote products and services, with brands wanting to leverage your following in order to create momentum. This means that if you have a reasonable follower count on TikTok, you can become an influencer, potentially converting that follower count into a genuine living for yourself.
Of course, being an influencer on TikTok isn’t easy, no matter what people might tell you. It takes a great degree of hard work and application to be an influencer. You’ll need to schedule regular posts and make sure your content is something people are actually interested in seeing. This is only half the battle, too; partnering with brands will only come if you’re proactive in your approach, contacting brands yourself and explaining why you’d make a good partner. If you think you’ve got what it takes, TikTok is a great launching platform for a career as an influencer.
5. TikTok is speaking up for the disenfranchised
Despite having its fair share of controversies – notoriously censoring “ugly and poor” users and being banned in several countries – the social justice agenda is alive and well on TikTok. If you have any interest in elevating folks in minorities so they can speak and have voices (as you should be), then TikTok is the platform for you. There are several subsections of TikTok, each of which has its own unique set of content and rules; there’s LGBT TikTok, Black TikTok, and many other places where you can see different kinds of content creators.
In fact, studies have shown that Gen Z users often learn about social justice issues from TikTok. Creators can use their platforms to show others what their experience of the world has been like, and they can also elevate causes and charities, showing users where to donate if they want to make a real difference. TikTok isn’t just a great place for creativity; it’s also a place for users to band together and try to effect serious, genuine change in society.
