The TikTok Effect: Why Does It Work?

When it comes to a social media platform, how exactly would you gauge a person’s level of authenticity and positivity? In its most recent study, TikTok aimed to find out how the app makes users feel, as well as what makes it stand out from the competition. The company partnered with Nielsen to gain more insight into how TikTok makes users feel, as well as what genuinely differentiates the app from the competition.

Over 8,000 TikTok users from around the world were interviewed by Nielsen to find out what they felt about various aspects of the in-app experience, such as TikTok content and adverts. The results highlight certain major trends that have likely contributed to the platform’s rapid growth.

The Nielsen analysis confirms that TikTok content is authentic, genuine, uncensored, and trend-setting, as stated by the app’s creators. However, when it comes to advertising content particularly, people continue to use phrases like genuine and authentic, while also using honest, true, unique, and enjoyable.

The unusual nature of TikTok ads, which generally strive to fit with organic content approaches to avoid users going over, certainly reflects this. Although not all of the findings are positive, they do highlight the overall enjoyment of the app and the general feeling of well-being that, especially in light of recent headlines, may not be present in other apps.

According to the study, “on average, TikTok users around the world say they trust others to be their true selves on TikTok.”  In contrast, recent discoveries concerning Instagram have proven that the perceived demand for perfection and fame can negatively affect self-perception. Maybe TikTok is a sort of antidote to this, focusing on the lighter side of life rather than projecting an artificial image of yourself.

The study also found that “lifting my spirits” was one of the top three reasons for returning to the TikTok app. These findings suggest that the short-form video approach may actually be more accepting and open for connection and happiness, which we could all need more of in the face of the current pandemic.

Again, worldwide, “59% of TikTok users experience a feeling of community on TikTok and 77% of TikTokers say the platform is a place where people can openly express themselves.” Rather than encouraging users to differentiate themselves by being “better” or “more attractive” than their peers, the app’s more realistic insights and windows into people’s lives emphasise the commonality we can all relate to. 

When it comes to social media, the performative and often self-serving nature of TikTok videos provides an alternative to what social platforms, in general, have become. 77% of TikTok users said they read the comments on the videos and posts they see on the app.

It’s worth noting that some of the primary appeal factors of the app are highlighted here, as well as the reasons for TikTok’s success. Maybe social media has evolved into a competition, a place where you compete and show off your best work, making it less hospitable for folks who just want to connect.

Maybe that’s why TikTok is so popular: it focuses on the things that unite us rather than the things that separate us. It’s a thought worth pondering – the entire study report from TikTok has additional insights.