TikTok has rapidly grown to become one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. The app allows users to create short videos set to music and share them with followers. Key features include duets, stitches, and an algorithmically curated For You page.
Other major social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter offer templates to help streamline content creation and branding. For example, users can create saved captions, hashtags, layouts, and more to easily reuse. However, TikTok currently lacks any kind of templates.
This raises the question – why doesn’t TikTok have templates like other platforms? This article will explore the potential reasons behind this missing feature.
TikTok’s Focus on Authenticity
One of the driving philosophies behind TikTok is a focus on authentic, organic content. According to a study commissioned by TikTok, 60% of TikTok users said they felt uplifted after watching content on the platform because of the raw, real videos people post. TikTok wants to cultivate an environment where users feel comfortable sharing unfiltered, spur-of-the-moment videos that capture real life – not overly polished promotional content.
Because of this focus on authenticity, TikTok has avoided adding features like templates that could make content seem manufactured or inauthentic. The raw, homemade aesthetics of users’ videos contribute to the feeling of realness on TikTok. While templates might help produce more polished-looking content, TikTok likely avoids this to preserve the spontaneous, genuine nature of the platform.
Technical Limitations
As a newer social media platform that launched in 2017, TikTok may lack some of the resources and technical capabilities for enabling complex video editing features like templates compared to more established competitors. According to an AP News article, “Similar technical limitations for TikTok don’t go into effect until Nov. 12, shortly after the U.S. election” (Source). With a shorter history, TikTok is still developing its array of video creation and editing tools.
The core focus of TikTok is on short, authentic user-generated video content. As a result, the platform currently provides limited built-in editing tools compared to sites like Instagram or YouTube. Simple editing features like trimming clips or adding music tracks are available, but more complex options like templates, animations, and advanced effects are not yet offered. This means creators have a smaller toolkit for easily customizing or enhancing their videos. However, the simplicity also aligns with TikTok’s brand identity of showcasing genuine content made by everyday users.
Copyright Concerns
TikTok likely avoids offering templates in order to discourage copyright infringement issues. As TikTok notes in their Intellectual Property Policy, they aim to respect copyright and remove infringing content when notified. Templates could make it easier for users to create videos using copyrighted music, images, or other material without permission. While TikTok does offer some royalty-free music, providing templates opens the door to increased unauthorized use of copyrighted material.
TikTok’s advertising platform has licensed music and some templates available, as they can better control that environment. As noted on their Ads Manager page, advertisers can use “thousands of tracks to use for free and without worry of copyright issues!” However, making templates widely available to all TikTok creators would likely lead to more copyright disputes and takedown requests that the platform prefers to avoid.
By focusing on user-generated authenticity rather than templated content, TikTok reduces legal risks and contributes to its mission of showcasing genuine creative expression.
User Base Preferences
TikTok’s user base tends to be on the younger side, with the majority of users under 30 years old. According to statistics from Backlinko, around 25% of TikTok users in the US are between 10-19 years old. The platform’s young demographics likely contribute to preferences for raw, unpolished videos that don’t rely on templates.
The informal, irreverent culture of TikTok caters to this younger audience that favors authenticity over polished perfection. As Exploding Topics notes, many users perceive highly produced videos using templates as less genuine. TikTok’s emphasis on showcasing real people and creativity makes pre-set templates somewhat counter to the app’s brand identity.
Overall, TikTok’s focus on providing an outlet for users to express their unique personalities may override perceived needs for templated videos. The app’s massive popularity among younger demographics indicates that users are satisfied creating videos without the aid of templates.
Sources:
https://backlinko.com/tiktok-users
https://explodingtopics.com/blog/tiktok-demographics
Brand Identity
TikTok pursues a very unique brand identity compared to other social media platforms, and avoids releasing features that may seem like copying competitors. Their brand identity captures the non-stop movement of creativity and culture, with design that reflects this core ethos. TikTok wants the platform experience to feel organic and spontaneous, rather than overly structured or templated.
Adapting to Users
One of the key reasons TikTok does not offer templates is that the platform’s features are tailored to how users already engage on TikTok. As this article discusses, TikTok’s algorithm is constantly learning and adapting to users’ interests. The platform monitors how people interact and tailors the experience to serve them relevant and engaging content.
Currently, TikTok users tend to create more authentic, off-the-cuff videos reacting to trends and sounds. There is less need for templates based on these common usage patterns. TikTok focuses on recommendations and discovery to connect users to content they will enjoy. As this source explains, the AI-powered recommendation system helps users find new, personalized content without relying on rigid templates.
Other Creative Tools
TikTok provides a wide range of creative tools that allow users to customize and personalize their videos without needing preset templates. This includes options like filters, effects, and stickers.
TikTok has an extensive library of filters that can be applied to videos to alter the look and aesthetic. There are filters to change color tones, add grain, create a vintage effect, and more. Users can browse hundreds of options to find the perfect filter to fit the vibe of their video (“Effects”).
In addition to filters, TikTok offers many unique video effects that can be layered on top of clips. These include fun overlays like falling confetti or flames, dynamic transitions, and more. The effects help users customize the video creatively beyond just sticking to a template. There are new effects being added all the time to give users fresh inspiration (“sticker filter on tiktok|TikTok Search”).
Stickers are another creative element that allows TikTok users to make their videos one-of-a-kind. Stickers can be used to annotate videos, highlight certain moments, add captions, and more. From animated stickers to customizable text, they provide a way to enhance videos without a pre-made template (“tiktok effect with stickers|TikTok Search”).
With this array of built-in creative tools, TikTok empowers users to put their own spin on videos without necessarily needing preset templates. The filters, effects, and stickers promote creativity and customization within the app.
Potential Addition in Future
As TikTok evolves, templates may be added to attract certain creators, but this risks losing the appeal of raw, authentic content. TikTok’s main priority has always been promoting authenticity and showcasing real people, as explained in this TikTok product feature update. Adding templatized content could undermine that mission. However, as noted in this article about TikTok’s future, the platform may expand tools for creators down the line. TikTok will likely strike a careful balance between offering some formatting options while preserving its essence as a platform for organic, genuine videos.
Conclusion
In summary, TikTok’s lack of templates is mainly due to the platform’s focus on promoting authentic and original content. The developers want to encourage users to get creative and make videos that showcase their unique personalities and talents. From a technical standpoint, implementing templates requires significant engineering resources that are currently directed elsewhere. TikTok also wants to avoid potential copyright issues that could arise from templatized content.
Furthermore, the current user base seems to prefer the flexibility of not having rigid templates. The look and feel of videos on TikTok arises organically based on trends, sounds, effects and user innovation. This aligns with TikTok’s brand identity as a platform for unfiltered creativity. While other tools exist to aid creation, TikTok is wary of adding anything that might make content seem artificial or less distinctive.
That said, as TikTok continues to adapt to user needs, the developers may incorporate select templates down the road that enhance instead of hindering authentic expression. The lack of templates currently allows TikTok to focus on its core strengths, but limited templates could arise organically as users gravitate towards popular recurring formats. TikTok will monitor how the platform evolves and remains open to template addition if it complements the quest for originality.
