Over the last couple of years, TikTok has been exploding in popularity. 2021 has been another big year for the company, with more users participating in the app than ever before. So, how long will this dominance over the social media game last?
When attempting to assess how long TikTok will last, it’s hard to say. But one thing we do know- the company has been around for a lot longer than you might think. TikTok is actually an app that was launched by Chinese entertainment giant ByteDance back in 2016 and has since grown into a global sensation. It has helped advance marketing in new ways that many never saw coming. In this blog post, we will go over some reasons why TikTok could last for a long time and what this could mean for marketing.
How long will TikTok last?
Content could start to get stale
As with any app, how long TikTok lasts will depend on how well they innovate and add new features. One of the major criticisms about it is that there’s no regularly scheduled content to keep people coming back for more- unless you want to watch other people play a game or try some makeup tutorials (which can be entertaining!). If this continues, in a few years, people may find that the content is getting stale and they’re losing interest. Trends also come and go quite quickly, with many users hoping on them all at once. This makes content too similar which may push some users away.
With how quickly things move these days, a new app or major trend can completely overtake TikTok in just a matter of months- sometimes even weeks! What if something like Snapchat comes out with an amazing update? It might be good right now but how good will it be in a year or two? You never know what a person’s limit is and when they may up and leave a platform if it gets too stale.
Brands may either back off TikTok or push too hard
As we have talked about in our previous posts regarding TikTok (insert links), many businesses of all sizes have started to use TikTok for various reasons including marketing. But at a certain point, we have to ask: how long will TikTok last if all you see are advertisements from businesses or advertisements from content creators on behalf of said businesses? If the marketing aspect gets too saturated on TikTok to the point where most videos that are shown on a user’s For You Page are marketing techniques, users may get tired of seeing this and stop visiting the app as frequently.
May last for a while because it is easy to use
One of the best things that TikTok has going for it, especially when we are talking about how long TikTok will last, is the fact that it is very easy to use. When you download the app, you do not even need to make an account to begin watching videos. Literally, anyone of any age can download the app and begin using it for entertainment. Once you have begun to watch many videos and return to the app repeatedly, you are likely to make an account and become a constant user. The ease of access when it comes to TikTok could be one of the biggest reasons why it may stick around for a long time.
Constantly gets new features and improvements
When we are discussing how long will TikTok last, we need to emphasize that the platform is always changing and improving. ByteDance is a huge company that has the money to constantly develop and implement new features that users pick up and run with. This is similar to how Snapchat is always innovating and making new filters and other features that users enjoy. Change is a good thing for these social media platforms and it often works to prolong their lifespan.
What could this mean for marketing
Whether TikTok survives for the long haul or for a few quick years, it is bound to continue shaking up the marketing game. If TikTok ends up staying very popular, look for many more companies to join the platform. This will cause even more videos the be created and more news about the platform. In anticipation of more advertisers joining the platform, TikTok released a self-service ad platform in 2020.
In addition to more advertisers joining TikTok, it is likely that new marketing methods will pop up and gain popularity. Many businesses have hopped on the trend of making meme-worthy video content as users create new jokes. These memes give businesses a bigger chance for success, as will the future trends and developments in the realm of TikTok. It should be a fascinating few years of development for TikTok, and we look forward to new marketing methods that pop up!