TikTok Now is a new feature that was announced by TikTok in September 2022. It allows users to capture moments spontaneously through their device’s front and back camera, similar to the social media app BeReal. When TikTok Now was unveiled, the company highlighted it as a new way for the TikTok community to connect more authentically.
Some of the key features of TikTok Now include the ability to take a photo or 10-second video using the front and back cameras simultaneously. The app then prompts users daily to capture what they are doing in the moment. Users receive a notification encouraging them to film their surroundings at a random time each day. Much like BeReal, the purpose is to provide an authentic glimpse into someone’s daily life.
TikTok Now was announced on September 15, 2022 in a TikTok Newsroom article titled “Introducing more ways to create and connect with TikTok Now.” It was positioned as part of TikTok’s mission to inspire creativity and bring joy to its users.
Initial Rollout and Reception
TikTok Now was first introduced in September 2022 in a limited initial launch. The feature was tested in select markets including the United States before rolling out more widely (Trusted Reviews, 2022).
Initial user reactions to TikTok Now were mixed. Some appreciated having another way to share casual, spontaneous moments. However, others were frustrated by the mandatory nature of responding to TikTok Now prompts, feeling like it imposed pressure and fed into social media addiction tendencies (Later, 2022).
Parents and child safety advocates also voiced concerns about features like location tagging and the potential for unwanted communication. There was unease around adolescents being conditioned to constantly share photos and videos in response to app notifications (TechCrunch, 2022).
Overall, the initial rollout generated buzz and debate around TikTok Now. While some welcomed it as a fun new way to interact, others criticized its similarities to BeReal and worried about the possible negative impacts on young users.
Comparison to BeReal
TikTok Now shared many similar features and aspects with the app BeReal, a popular social media competitor that had been gaining significant traction. BeReal prompts users to take an unedited photo every day, which is shared simultaneously with their friends [Source]. Like BeReal, TikTok Now also encouraged users to capture and share authentic, unfiltered photos daily. Both platforms centered around a notification that goes out once a day telling users it’s “time to BeReal” or “time to Now,” launching a short window to take and post a photo.
There were some key differences between the apps as well. BeReal offers a “Discovery” feed to view public posts from the wider community in addition to posts just from your friends list. TikTok Now lacked a similar public feed and was focused just on friends [Source]. Additionally, BeReal requires posting a photo to access the app, whereas TikTok Now allowed scrolling through the feed without posting. Overall, TikTok Now closely mirrored the BeReal format and concept but with its own TikTok style and features.
Growth and Adoption
In the first month after launch, TikTok Now saw over 5 million downloads globally, though daily active usage remained lower than expected. According to Backlinko, TikTok Now reached approximately 2 million daily active users within the first few weeks. While initial adoption was relatively high due to TikTok’s promotion of the feature, ongoing daily engagement still lagged far behind competitors like BeReal.
By December 2022, TikTok Now had been downloaded over 20 million times, but had only accumulated 5 million daily active users. While adoption rate increased steadily, user retention and habitual usage remained a challenge. BusinessofApps reported that average session length for TikTok Now was only about 2 minutes, much lower than the 20+ minutes for the main TikTok app. This indicates users were not yet fully embracing TikTok Now as part of their daily social media routine.
New Features
After the initial launch of TikTok Now in September 2022, TikTok continued adding new features to improve the user experience. In October 2022, TikTok rolled out the ability to upload photos from the camera roll instead of only taking live photos within the app (https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/introducing-more-ways-to-create-and-connect-with-tiktok-now). This provided more flexibility for users to participate at times convenient for them. The update also gave users the option to turn off comments on their TikTok Now posts to control their audience engagement.
In November 2022, TikTok introduced several more updates including the ability to invite friends to participate in a TikTok Now, similar to Instagram’s Close Friends feature. Users could also now choose if they wanted to share their TikTok Now to their profile or with friends only. Additionally, TikTok expanded how users can interact by introducing stickers and a new daily theme (https://www.tiktok.com/creators/creator-portal/en-us/product-feature-updates/tiktok-now/). These new features aimed to drive more creative expression and fun connections through TikTok Now.
Marketing and Promotion
TikTok heavily marketed and promoted the launch of TikTok Now in August 2022. According to Sprout Social, TikTok ran an ad campaign across its platform featuring influencers like Charli D’Amelio and Khaby Lame using and promoting TikTok Now. The app was promoted directly within the TikTok app as well, encouraging users to try TikTok Now from their profiles. TikTok also offered incentives like virtual gifts and gems for users to create more content on TikTok Now during the initial launch period.
In addition to its own advertising and promotions, TikTok recruited creators and influencers to make content centered around TikTok Now and cross-promote it to their audiences across platforms. According to TikTok’s website, big names like Jimmy Fallon, Tony Hawk and Julianne Hough all participated in campaigns and activations to build buzz and awareness of the new TikTok Now feature.
TikTok leveraged its experience with viral trends and influencer marketing to make TikTok Now appear ubiquitous across social media during its launch window in late summer 2022. The multi-channel marketing push aimed to rapidly attract users to download and regularly engage with TikTok Now daily.
Competition
TikTok Now faces competition from other social media apps looking to capitalize on the popularity of candid, spontaneous content. The main competitor is BeReal, an app launched in 2020 that prompts users to take a photo every day using both front and back cameras simultaneously. BeReal gained momentum in 2022 as users looked for more authentic social media experiences.
Instagram also jumped into the space with a BeReal-like feature called Dual. However, TikTok had the advantage of leveraging its existing broad user base. While BeReal and Dual focused solely on spontaneous photos, TikTok Now incorporated short videos along with photos. This allowed TikTok to differentiate itself from the photo-only competitors.
Overall, TikTok Now achieved rapid adoption and engagement numbers that surpassed BeReal. According to an analysis, TikTok Now received over 12 million downloads and over 125 million views on launch day. This showcased TikTok’s competitive strength, even when entering an emerging social media space after other players. However, competitors like BeReal continue pivoting, and the market remains dynamic. TikTok Now must keep innovating to stay ahead.
User Engagement Analysis
TikTok has seen impressive growth in user engagement and retention since its launch. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, 63% of engaged TikTok users claim to have liked a video in the last month, showing strong user interaction on the platform. As of January 2024, TikTok now has over 150 million active users in the U.S. alone, according to the company’s CEO (https://wallaroomedia.com/blog/social-media/tiktok-statistics/).
TikTok’s retention metrics are also quite high. Their monthly active users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app, more than Instagram. 80% of TikTok users access the app multiple times per day (https://www.businessofapps.com/data/tik-tok-statistics/). This demonstrates TikTok’s ability to keep users engaged and coming back regularly. The addictive, short-form video format lends itself well to increased engagement and retention over time. As TikTok continues to onboard new users, its sticky user experience helps ensure many of them remain active daily users. This level of user interaction and retention is key to TikTok’s rapid growth.
Future Outlook
TikTok has big plans for the future of TikTok Now. According to reports https://rockcontent.com/blog/tiktok-future/, TikTok is looking to further develop TikTok Now’s features and expand its capabilities. Some of the potential new features include the ability to add music, stickers, and effects to TikTok Now posts to make them more creative and engaging.
TikTok also wants to leverage TikTok Now to expand further into ecommerce and shopping. The platform may integrate shopping capabilities directly into TikTok Now, allowing users to easily shop for products featured in TikTok Now posts. According to analysis from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-tiktok-look-whats-come-2023-2025-roland-hessel, augmented reality try-on features could also come to the TikTok Now shopping experience in the future.
In terms of adoption and growth, TikTok has ambitious goals for TikTok Now. It aims to position TikTok Now as the top destination for sharing quick, spontaneous moments throughout the day. TikTok also foresees TikTok Now becoming a hub for user-generated content and creativity as it adds more features for editing and customizing posts.
Summary and Conclusion
In summary, TikTok’s launch of TikTok Now in August 2022 marked their entry into the social media “authenticity space” dominated by BeReal. While the initial reception was mixed, TikTok Now gained traction through its deep integration with TikTok’s existing user base and platform features. Key milestones have included hitting over 5 million daily active users within the first weeks, introducing new features like the Friends Tab, and leveraging TikTok’s marketing machine to promote Now to their 1 billion+ monthly users.
While some critics viewed TikTok Now as a BeReal copycat attempting to cash in on a trend, the launch has successfully tapped into user demand for authentic social media experiences. Engagement metrics demonstrate TikTok Now resonating with the core Gen Z demographic. Looking ahead, TikTok Now is positioned to become a permanent fixture within TikTok’s lineup of entertainment and community products. However, continued growth depends on providing unique value that differentiates it from competitors while avoiding some of the content fatigue issues facing BeReal.
Overall, the launch of TikTok Now highlights TikTok’s startup DNA to rapidly build and scale new product ideas. While the long-term staying power remains uncertain, TikTok Now has successfully entered the “authenticity” social media space and carved out an initial user base by leveraging TikTok’s existing platform and resources.
