TikTok is the trend

TikTok is the trend. The platform is ticking…ever upwards. TikTok is THE trend.

It’s no longer ‘just having a moment’. Six years in, the short-video app has leapfrogged competitors and cemented itself as the go-to platform for both users and brands. Many established players have copied some of its key features but, when it comes to its hyper-niche algorithm and participatory culture TikTok remains far ahead while still feeling like a relatively fresh entrant.

The fastest growing social network in history (according to Statista it took TikTok 5.1 years to attract 1 billion users) continues to rewrite the rules across a variety of parameters. The TikTok is rewriting the rules: Organic-first.

First and foremost, the platform puts the importance of having a solid organic approach back on the agenda. TikTok requires brands to seamlessly blend into its DNA and adopt the platform’s codes and language by operating as creators rather than as advertisers. The silver lining is that the TikTok community generally is very appreciative of this approach, compared to similar efforts on other networks.

Duolingo, Manscaped, and Balenciaga are good examples of brands smashing it on the platform. Top-Down Culture. A second point is that TikTok has disrupted the top-down view on culture, enabling anyone to start trends.

The Corn Song is a perfect example of this - a simple interview that turned into a song, inspired thousands to create content, and resulted in several brand deals for the Corn Kid (not bad for simply stating how much you like corn). The fast pace of evolving contemporary culture will continue to make for an interesting environment where brands can test and learn if they’re prepared to have an agile and very creative mindset. TikTok’s interest-based algorithm connects creators – storytellers, educators and entertainers – with communities, however niche it may be (e.

g. WitchTok, TaxTok or Moms of TikTok). It’s a go-to space for search.

A third noteworthy development is that TikTok is increasingly being used for search purposes by Gen Z. This doesn’t mean it will overtake Google any time soon because search engines by design are more functional. But TikTok’s stream of inspirational search results is pretty much in line with their infinite feed scroll which provides, as nicely expressed by The Verge, “your own rabbit hole adventure story”.

This eventually means another avenue for TikTok to stack up watch time, finetune their algorithms and boost the overall stickiness of content. In line with TikTok’s growing ad business (approximately the 4th biggest digital ad destination in the US) we also expect to see the introduction of more commerce capabilities on the platform in 2023, like the recent US launch of TikTok Shop. According to eMarketer research, TikTok will gain 9.

6M social buyers in 2023. That’s more than the net increase of Meta and Pinterest combined. Since TikTok became the most top-of-mind space for brands to play in, we’ve seen a great amount of best practices (as well as cringeworthy attempts) bubble up.

Those who seamlessly fit into the platform’s DNA and daring to push the boundaries (and ditch all seriousness) can succeed. Ryanair has notoriously packaged negative passenger experiences and its bad rep in an ongoing storyline combined with the hottest topics of the day. Liquid Death is another best-in-class cult brand on TikTok.

The water company started out with reviews and product usage vids. Today it juggles between gimmicky celebrity endorsed content and its very distinctive UGC..