TikTok’s search engine allows users to easily find videos, creators, sounds, and hashtags on the platform. Understanding TikTok search stats can provide valuable insights into what content is popular and how users are interacting with the platform.
TikTok Monthly Active Users
As of September 2022, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users globally. This makes TikTok one of the most popular social media platforms, behind only Facebook and Instagram. The massive user base presents huge opportunities for brands and creators to reach a young, engaged audience.
TikTok’s growth has been explosive. In January 2018, TikTok had about 54 million global monthly active users. By January 2021, that number had grown over 10x to 689 million. Much of this growth has been driven by rapid adoption in India and the United States.
TikTok’s user base skews young. As of June 2022, 43% of users were aged 18-24. Only 10% of users were over 35. This youthful demographic is highly attractive to brands targeting Gen Z consumers.
Daily Time Spent on TikTok
Users are incredibly engaged on TikTok, spending significant time consuming content on the app. In 2021, TikTok users spent an average of 95 minutes per day on the platform globally.
This daily engagement trounces other leading social media apps. For comparison, Facebook users spend about 58 minutes per day on that platform. Instagram users spend just over 30 minutes per day.
TikTok’s video-based, full screen, auto-playing content makes it easy for users to spend hours passively watching. The algorithm is finely tuned to keep users engaged by serving them content tailored to their interests.
TikTok Downloads
TikTok has been downloaded over 3.5 billion times globally across iOS and Android devices. It was the most downloaded app on iOS for Q1 2022, accumulating more than 175 million downloads.
India has accounted for 611 million lifetime TikTok downloads to date, while China has seen 196 million. The United States rounds out the top 3 countries with 165 million TikTok downloads.
App analytics company SensorTower estimates that TikTok generated approximately $914 million in consumer spending within its apps during Q1 2022. This was more than double the revenue from Q1 2021, showing the platform’s rapid monetization.
Most Followed TikTok Accounts
The most followed individual on TikTok is Charli D’Amelio, with over 150 million followers. She surpassed 150 million followers faster than any other creator in TikTok history.
Other top followed accounts include Addison Rae (98 million), Bella Poarch (92 million), and Will Smith (72 million). Brands are also building huge followings, like Chipotle with 11 million followers.
Having millions of followers represents incredible influence and reach for individual creators and brands. It allows them to quickly get millions of views on their content.
Most Liked TikTok Videos
The most liked TikTok video of all time comes from Bella Poarch, with her famous “M to the B” lip sync video garnering over 76 million likes to date.
Other viral TikTok videos with staggering like counts include:
- Zach King’s magic trick video (75 million likes)
- Jason Derulo falling down the stairs while dancing (43 million likes)
- Will Smith and Jason Derulo face-swapping challenge (41 million likes)
Achieving tens of millions of likes represents creating content that resonates widely with the TikTok community. This organic reach is highly desirable for brands.
Top Hashtags
Hashtags play a key role on TikTok, allowing users to participate in trends and have their content discovered. As of September 2022, some of the most popular hashtags include:
- #fyp – for you page (352 billion views)
- #viral (184 billion views)
- #funny (119 billion views)
- #dance (113 billion views)
- #comedy (38 billion views)
Viral hashtag challenges can gain insane traction on TikTok. For example, Jimmy Fallon’s #tumbleweedchallenge hashtag brought in 8 billion TikTok views in less than a week.
Top Searched Keywords
Analyzing top keywords entered into TikTok’s search bar can provide insight into what users are looking for on the platform. As of September 2022, some top searched keywords include:
- Gaming
- Fashion
- Beauty
- Recipes
- Travel
- DIY projects
- Pets
- Comedy
- Dance
Keywords show the diversity of content succeeding on TikTok. Both niche topics and popular interests are driving searches and engagement.
Conclusion
Analyzing TikTok search and engagement data demonstrates the platform’s explosive growth and popularity. Brands and creators can capitalize on trends to create viral content. Understanding audience interests through top hashtags and keywords provides insights into what types of content resonate.
