Overview of TikTok
TikTok is a video sharing social networking service owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance. It allows users to create short lip-sync, comedy, talent, and entertaining videos up to 3 minutes in length. TikTok has seen rapid growth since launching internationally in 2017, and is now one of the most popular social media apps globally.
As of December 2022, TikTok had over 1.2 billion monthly active users worldwide, making it the 7th most used social media platform. According to Wallaroo Media, the number of global TikTok users grew by 45.3% from 2021 to 2022. The app has been downloaded over 3.7 billion times on the App Store and Google Play.
TikTok is particularly popular among younger users. Around 41% of its users are between the ages of 16 and 24. The app was the second most downloaded app worldwide in 2022, surpassed only by Instagram. Part of TikTok’s success is attributed to its algorithmic content recommendation engine that delivers a personalized feed to each user.
Navigating TikTok
When you first open the TikTok app, you will land on the For You feed which shows a customized feed of videos for you based on your interests and interactions. This is similar to the home feed on other social media platforms. You can continuously scroll and watch an endless stream of short videos on your For You feed.
To explore more videos and find new creators to follow, tap on the Discover icon at the bottom. The Discover page shows popular videos, trends, hashtags, and effects. This is a great way to explore different content that may not show up on your main feed. You can search for specific topics too. According to TikTok’s help center, “Discover is the ultimate destination for a more curated experience based on your viewing preferences.”
To see messages, comments, and notifications, tap on the Inbox icon. You’ll see direct messages from other users as well as notifications when someone likes, comments, or shares your videos. It’s important to check your inbox regularly to stay engaged with your TikTok community.
Finding Friends on TikTok
Unlike some other social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok does not have a designated friends page where you can easily see a list of your connections. However, TikTok does provide several different options for users to find and connect with people they know.
The most direct way to find friends on TikTok is by using the “Add Friends” feature. This can be accessed by tapping the profile icon in the bottom right corner, then tapping the icon showing a person and a plus sign. From here, you have the option to find TikTok users from your phone contacts, Facebook friends list, or search for specific people by name or username.
Another method is enabling the “Sync Contacts” feature in your account settings. This will allow TikTok to compare your phone contacts to its userbase and automatically suggest people you may know based on matches. You can then easily follow these suggested users with one tap. Similarly, the “Sync Facebook Friends” setting connects your Facebook friends list to help you find contacts using TikTok.1
Following hashtags and getting involved in niche communities on TikTok can also help you organically connect with other users who share your interests. While TikTok doesn’t have a designated friends page, discovering new connections is a core part of the TikTok experience.
Following Other Users
One of the main ways to connect with other users on TikTok is by following them. When you follow someone, their videos will start appearing in your Following feed. This is the main feed on TikTok that shows you videos from all the accounts you follow.
Following other users is how you build your own personalized feed on TikTok. It lets you discover new content based on your interests and the accounts you choose to follow. The more users you follow, the more videos will appear in your Following feed.
To follow someone, simply tap the Follow button on their profile page or on any of their videos. Once you follow an account, their icon will have a blue checkmark indicating you are now following them. You can always unfollow accounts later if you change your mind.
Building up your Following list is the key to unlocking the TikTok experience. It’s how the algorithm starts to learn your preferences and fills your feed with content it predicts you will enjoy. So browse popular hashtags and categories to find creators to follow that match your interests.
(Sources: https://support.tiktok.com/en/using-tiktok/followers-and-following, https://www.tiktok.com/tag/following?lang=en)
Importing Contacts
One way to quickly find friends on TikTok is by importing your device contacts. TikTok can check your phone contacts against existing TikTok users to show you which of your friends already have TikTok accounts.
To use this feature:
- Go to your profile page
- Tap “Add Friends”
- Tap “Find friends from your contacts”
TikTok will then access your phone’s contacts and match any existing users. You can easily follow your friends directly from this screen.
This makes it quick and easy to find people you already know on TikTok without having to search for them manually. It’s a simple way to instantly connect and start interacting with friends who are already on the platform. Just keep in mind TikTok will access all contacts on your phone when using this method.
Share Profile to Find Friends
One easy way to find friends on TikTok is by sharing your profile link with them. You can share your profile link on other social media platforms or messaging apps to let people know you’re on TikTok.
To share your TikTok profile:
- Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right.
- Tap on the three dots in the top right corner and select “Share profile”.
- Choose how you want to share your profile – by message, email, or copying the link.
Once you’ve shared your profile link, anyone who follows the link can view your profile and choose to follow you back. This allows you to connect with friends from other platforms who are also on TikTok.
Sharing your profile widely gives more people the chance to find and follow you on TikTok. It’s an easy way to increase your followers and find friends who are interested in your content.
Just make sure your profile represents you in the way you want before blasting your link everywhere! Keep your bio and content updated so new followers get a great first impression when they visit your profile.
Searching Names
You can search for specific people on TikTok by their name or username. To do this:
1. Tap the search icon at the top right of the app.
2. In the search bar, type the full name or exact username of the person you want to find. For example “John Smith” or “@johnsmith123”.
3. Tap the search result to go to that user’s profile page. Make sure it matches the person you were looking for.
4. On their profile, you can follow them or connect with them if they are a friend.
TikTok’s search function looks through usernames, display names, bios, and video content when searching for people (TikTok Help Center). So even if you don’t know someone’s exact handle, you may still be able to find them by name.
Finding Facebook Friends
One way to find friends on TikTok is by connecting your Facebook account. This allows you to see which of your Facebook friends are also using TikTok.
To link your Facebook account:
- Go to your TikTok profile page
- Tap “Edit Profile”
- Tap “Link Other Accounts”
- Select Facebook
- Enter your Facebook login credentials and tap “Log In”
Once your accounts are linked, you’ll see a “Facebook Friends” section on your profile. Here you can browse and follow your Facebook friends who are also using TikTok.
Finding Friends Through Hashtags
One way to find friends on TikTok is by searching hashtags and viewing content from people who use tags related to your interests. When your friends post videos using certain hashtags, their content will show up in the hashtag feed. This allows you to discover videos from people you know who share common interests.
To find friends through hashtags:
- Think of topics and interests you have in common with your friends.
- Search these related hashtags on TikTok to pull up all public videos using those tags.
- Look through the videos and see if any are from your friends. Their username will be displayed on their videos.
- Follow or connect with friends you locate through shared hashtag interests.
Following popular hashtags your friends use can help surface their content in your main feed. This provides an easy way to find and connect with people you know on TikTok without needing their exact username.
Contacting TikTok About Feature
As of 2023, TikTok does not have a designated friends page to view a list of your connections. The platform is focused on creating an algorithmic “For You” feed based on users’ interests rather than social connections. However, TikTok does allow you to follow other accounts and see who is following you back.
If you would like TikTok to add a friends feed or page, you can contact the company to request the feature. The best way to do this is to use the feedback form on the TikTok Support website at https://support.tiktok.com/en/contact?lang=en. Here you can select “General” for the issue type and then explain your request for a friends page where users can see a list of their connections.
You can also try reaching out on Twitter by sending a direct message to @TikTok_US or @TikTokSupport explaining your desired feature. While there’s no guarantee your specific request will be implemented, contacting TikTok support is the best way to provide feedback directly to the company.