For a long time, Instagram was at the forefront of social media marketing. It was the place for businesses to grow their audience and promote their products through influencers and advertisements.
Now, the social media landscape has changed (again). With the recent rise in popularity of TikTok, businesses have to start considering how they can utilize the growth of the app and everything it has to offer, as well as understand why it has achieved what it has in just a couple of years.
TikTok was the most downloaded app of 2021, and its increased fame can be attributed to a few different things.
First, is the younger generation's short attention span and preference for short-form content. TikTok provides an endless stream of videos and curates a For You page that not only shows you content you've expressed interest in, but it's algorithm also predicts what you could be interested in.
Today, people want short and fast paced videos, the sweet spot being around 20 seconds, They also want the ability to move on to the next piece of content as quickly as possible. TikTok offers exactly that. This also explains the gradual decline in popularity of YouTube, which was the centerpiece of influencer marketing just a few years ago.
Another reason for TikTok's growth is that it expanded from just a social media platform, to a viable search engine and marketplace. As a search engine, it's quick to suggest searches you may want to try based on videos you've liked, and the results themselves are easy to peruse. TikTok's reliance on visual content allows users to immediately see what the video will offer them and if it’s what they’re looking for. Many young users have stated that they prefer this method over Google - signaling a major shift to people wanting both entertainment and information at the same time.
As a marketplace, the app has a feature called TikTok Shopping where users can buy products directly in the app. This removes several steps people would traditionally have to go through to buy product , and instead, in just three clicks, they can see something for the first time and decide to buy it. Youth as well as exposure to instant gratification from a young age make Gen Z & Millennials more likely to make such impulsive purchases, and TikTok makes this infinitely easier and more accessible. This is also indicative of the reach and purchase intent of ads on TikTok. Significantly more users take action after viewing an ad on TikTok as compared to Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. It is integral for businesses to utilize this.
For these reasons (& many more), TikTok has become the most important and effective social media marketing tool, overtaking longtime #1: Instagram. It’s short-form content, search and shopping features, and high purchase intent are just some of the many reasons businesses should focus on this platform and make use of these avenues.
TikTok is the future, combining search and commerce to create an ecosystem of digital marketing within the app. To stay competitive and continue to grow, businesses should consider TikTok the marketing tool of the future.