I caved. I downloaded TikTok.
After months of hearing about this “new” platform, seeing weird videos reposted on twitter, and being told the app was just for kids, I decided to see what all the fuss was about. I don’t know why I was so hesitant at first. It’s so interesting how unfounded perceptions of something can affect our behavior. Reputation matters regardless of if it’s true. It kind of reminded me of the early days of Tinder when people were nervous to admit they were on the app. Nowadays, meeting someone in public is the “weird” way.
Anyway, after my first session on TikTok (read: four full hours) I realized a few things. First, it’s addicting as hell and the content is seemingly endless. Next, the majority of the discovery on the platform is organic. Sure you can follow specific people but the most popular use of the platform seems to be scrolling the homepage aka the “For You” page.
This structure allows for a level of organic discovery that we haven’t seen since the early days of Facebook and Vine. I hear all of you out there complaining about how platforms like Facebook have crushed organic reach. Well here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is (except no paid media necessary). We’ve got a platform that is seemingly in its nascent stages where it’s anyone’s game to win. It’s only in these early years of an app’s popularity in which it feels like a true meritocracy.
So what are you waiting for? Don’t fall into the same passive habits that have left creators and brands playing catch up for years. So often we see brands wait to get involved in an app because it isn’t mature enough. Then by the time the app is mainstream they effectively act as parents letting everyone know that the party is in fact over. Get in now while it’s fun and harmless. But most importantly, get in while it’s still effective.
Let me end this piece on a bold take. The definition of viral waxes and wanes in meaning and effectiveness over time. For example, going viral on Twitter in 2019 just doesn’t hold the same weight it did a few years ago. If you went viral on Twitter in 2015 you could acquire a legitimate following and potentially change your life. Well the only platform currently with that ability is TikTok. This has already started to happen. What started as a dance trend, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” now holds the record for most weeks at number 1 on the billboard charts thanks to Tik Tok. So here’s my gut feeling:
Over the next few years, more consumers will discover music on Tik Tok than Spotify.
Don’t wait, the clock is ticking.
