The Rise of TikTok
In just a few short years, TikTok has become one of the most popular and fastest growing social media platforms in the world. Originally launched as Douyin in China in 2016, the app was rebranded as TikTok for global markets in 2017. Since then, its growth has been nothing short of explosive. As of January 2023, TikTok had over 1.5 billion monthly active users worldwide and was one of the most downloaded apps of 2022 (source).
A big part of TikTok’s appeal is its short-form video format, which makes it easy for users to create and share fun videos. The app’s powerful recommendation algorithm is also a key factor behind its growth, as it quickly learns users’ interests and serves them a personalized feed of engaging content. For many younger internet users, TikTok has replaced platforms like Facebook and Instagram as their go-to social media app.
TikTok’s rise has been especially pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic, as people turned to it for entertainment and connection while stuck at home. The app saw downloads spike to 2 billion in April 2020 alone (source). With its immersive experience and ubiquitous presence in pop culture, TikTok has become the platform to watch.
TikTok’s Addictive Format
One of the main reasons for TikTok’s popularity is its addictive format. TikTok relies on three key elements to keep users continuously scrolling and watching:
Short Videos: Research shows TikTok videos are limited to 15 seconds to 60 seconds. This bitesized format allows users to consume lots of videos quickly, making it easy to get sucked in.
Algorithmic Feed: TikTok’s algorithm is highly tuned to learn user preferences and deliver a personalized feed of addictively entertaining videos. As this 2022 study explains, TikTok’s algorithm keeps users engaged by recommending relevant and interesting content.
Infinite Scrolling: TikTok automatically loads new videos continuously as users scroll. This infinite feed makes it effortless to watch video after video without stopping.
Combined together, these three elements create an incredibly sticky viewing experience that keeps users coming back.
FOMO From Not Having TikTok Features
Many users now expect TikTok-like features in the apps and platforms they use. This is driven by the fear of missing out (FOMO), which refers to the apprehension that online content and interactions from others are more rewarding (see https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7504117/). With TikTok’s meteoric rise and highly addictive short video format, users feel anxious if they can’t access similar features elsewhere.
According to one study, 78% of frequent social media users can be categorized as “followers,” meaning they follow brands and influencers they like (see https://www.gwi.com/hubfs/Downloads/Fear-of-Missing-Out-on-Social-Media-report.pdf). These users are highly susceptible to FOMO and anxious to stay on top of the latest trends. If an app lacks TikTok-esque features, they may feel left out of critical social interactions.
FOMO is a powerful motivator. Users now expect short videos, filters, reactive features, and more across their apps. Any platform without TikTok-inspired offerings risks losing engagement as users seek the features they crave elsewhere.
Trying to Attract Younger Users
One major reason apps are adding TikTok-like features is to attract younger demographics, especially Generation Z. Research shows Gen Z makes up a large portion of TikTok’s user base, with over 60% of Gen Z mobile internet users visiting TikTok [1]. Other platforms want to emulate TikTok’s success at engaging teens and young adults.
Gen Z tends to prefer visually-driven apps with short-form video content. According to surveys, nearly 80% of Gen Zers use apps like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram [2]. Adding TikTok-esque features is a way for other apps to modernize their platforms and gain relevance with the coveted youth demographic. The short video format resonates with younger users’ preferences for snackable, entertaining content.
By jumping on the short video trend, apps aim to draw more Gen Zers away from TikTok. While they may not overtake TikTok’s popularity with teens, embedding similar features can help them stay competitive. Apps want to ensure they evolve along with shifting social media habits and maintain market share among key demographics like Gen Z.
Monetization Opportunities
One major reason apps are eagerly adopting TikTok-style features is the potential for increased ad revenue. According to Statista, TikTok generated $3.8 billion in global ad revenue in 2021, a figure projected to reach $17.2 billion by 2024 [1]. TikTok’s addictive short video format keeps users highly engaged, allowing platforms to serve more ads and boost revenue.
Integrating TikTok-like video feeds and challenges into apps provides similar opportunities to monetize user engagement through advertising. The more time users spend watching and creating video content directly within an app, the more ad impressions can be served. This potential for additional revenue is a major incentive for apps to implement popular TikTok features that keep users entertained and engaged.
Bandwagon Effect
Companies feel pressured to add social media features that are popularized by apps like TikTok due to a bandwagon effect. The bandwagon effect refers to the tendency for people to do or believe things because many other people do or believe them (Investopedia, 2022).
In the world of social media and apps, this can create a herd mentality where companies add features that are trending in an attempt to capitalize on their popularity. For example, after seeing the tremendous success of TikTok’s short-form video format, many other apps such as Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat introduced their own short-form video features like Reels, Shorts, and Spotlight.
Adding these highly-demanded features gives the impression that an app is staying current and appealing to users. Succumbing to the bandwagon effect allows companies to attract the users and creators who have flocked to viral sensations like TikTok in hopes they will bring their content and followers to the new platform. However, latching onto trends can also lead to a lack of innovation and product differentiation in the space if everyone offers the same feature set.
Boosting Engagement
TikTok’s highly interactive and addictive format lends itself to increased engagement compared to other social platforms. Features like Duets, Stitch, and reaction videos make it easy for users to interact and engage with content. TikTok claims that their platform boasts 15% higher engagement rates than competitors. This increased engagement stems from TikTok’s focus on entertainment, ease of creating content, and tools that facilitate engagement.
In particular, TikTok introduced reaction videos in early 2022 allowing users to film themselves reacting to other videos. Studies have shown reactions boost comments and shares as users tag the creator and respond to the reaction video. Other features like live streaming host Q&As and group chats facilitate real-time engagement. Even minor features like stickers and interactive text increase time-spent on the app. TikTok’s suite of engagement features leads to higher engagement rates and more time spent on the platform.
Data Gathering
TikTok features allow the platform to gather large amounts of user data that can provide valuable insights. When users engage with TikTok features like duets, reactions, and hashtags, they generate data points about their interests, engagement, and behavior. According to research from Hootsuite, social platforms use features as data collection opportunities. Features like duets and reactions allow TikTok to gather data on user preferences and connections. This data powers TikTok’s recommendation algorithm to serve users personalized content.
Data gathered through TikTok features also provides analytics that brands can use to understand their audience, tailor content and optimize performance. As noted by Sprout Social, mining social data can inform content strategy and campaign ROI. For TikTok, implementing popular features allows them to build a robust data set for internal use and external marketing opportunities.
Algorithms Favor Video
Social media platforms have increasingly optimized their algorithms to prioritize video content. As noted in an article on Sprout Social, “Algorithms influence which content users see in their feeds and at the top of their searches. Platforms often give preference to video because it boosts engagement” (Source). Users are more likely to watch, comment, like, and share video posts, driving more traffic and activity on the platforms.
Therefore, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have tailored their algorithms to showcase more video posts to users. They analyze metrics like view duration, completion rates, and engagement to determine which videos to surface higher in feeds. This provides a competitive advantage for video content compared to static images or text-based posts when vying for user attention. As video performs better, platforms feature it more prominently to increase overall engagement and ad revenue.
Differentiation Falls Away
One of the clear reasons for the trend of apps adding similar features is a lack of differentiation between apps. As social media platforms compete for user attention and engagement, they aim to provide as many engaging features as possible. This leads to a “copycat” effect, where platforms replicate features that have proven successful on other apps.
A prime example is the rise of short-form video, pioneered by TikTok. As TikTok videos became a global phenomenon, other platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat raced to add their own short-form video offerings like Reels, Shorts, and Spotlight. While this provides users with more choice, it also leads to a homogenization where the platforms start to feel similar.
Differentiation between apps falls away as they prioritize chasing engagement over providing a unique experience. With many apps owned by the same parent companies like Facebook and Bytedance, there are synergies in rolling out similar features across their properties. However, this could backfire if users eventually find little distinction left between apps.
