Is Tiktok taking over social media?

It is undeniable that social media plays a significant role in any PR strategy. Traditionally, platforms like Facebook and Twitter have been staple features in PR plans around the world. But is there a shifting of the tide? But is TikTok usurping the royal family of social media?

TikTok-The Basics
Most social media users are aware of TikTok even if they don’t use the platform. The app facilitates the sharing of short videos, which appear to the users in a scrollable fashion. Utilizing enticing features such as filters and a handy search feature that allows them to score sounds for their creations, TikTok users produce videos, which appear in an elongated rectangular frame.

TikTok’s Popularity
With over 59 billion users as of 2021 and a popularity that has been labeled as explosive by digital media experts, TikTok is without a doubt, a game changer in the world of Social media. This platform, which was downloaded over 2 billion times by users around the globe in 2020 alone has been dominating the world of digital interaction since its arrival in 2016.  TikTok was the most downloaded non-gaming app for 2020 and the most current data available suggests that the app has maintained this position up to April of 2021.
TikTok’s survival of several threats including former US president Donald Trump’s bid to have it banned and numerous adjustments in its ownership structure is a strong indicator of the app’s strength as a social media tool.

TikTok’s Impact on How People Socialize Digitally
The New York Times concurs with this perception of the popular social media platform in its March 10, 2019 article entitled ‘How TikTok is Rewriting the World’ which declares that ‘TikTok  will change the way your social media works- even f you’re avoiding it’.  TikTok has far outstripped popular social media platforms like snapchat and Facebook in many ways. As an example, TikTok has taken hashtags, a  tool Twitter attempted to use to get users more engaged with content, and made it far more functional. But what does this mean for the world of social media?

TikTok’s Impact on Other Social Media Platform
For one, it means that many social media users are more attracted to video content, the main feature of Tiktok. It also means that, for many users, video content creation has become a primary means of delivering messages to the world. Other social media platform shave taken a leaf out of TikTok’s book and have prioritized their video content hosting capabilities to attract and keep their users.
 
 
Does TikTok’s Rapidly Growing Dominance Mean It Will Replace Other Social Media Platforms as a PR Tool?

 
So what does this all mean for people who use social media for marketing or promotional purposes? PR Professionals cannot afford to overlook TikTok, especially if they find that the demography they seek to target are avid TikTok users. By its very nature, this video sharing app is perfect for getting promotional content out to the massive in a quick time. And since its users rank in the billions, TikTok has the potential to deliver a massive power punch when it comes to promotional content. It should come as no surprise therefore that brands that have integrated TikTok into their marketing strategy have experienced phenomenal growth.
Ultimately though, TikTok’s continued success and dominance will depend heavily on the app’s ability to remain attractive and trendy to users as time goes by. While other social media platforms remain relevant and very instrumental in the execution of most PR or marketing plans, TikTok is most definitely a force to be reckoned with when it comes to delivering to an audience that is both expansive and engaged. 

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