TikTok might only look like a lip-syncing and video content for the Gen Z and millennials, but would you actually believe that it can also be a good marketing platform for your business?
Tiktok is an iteration of Musical.ly, a popular lip-syncing app from 2014. Tiktok creator, ByteDance, bought Musically in 2017 and merged the two applications in 2018. Both social applications allow you to sing and dance to music, but TikTok offers far more choices of sounds and visual effects, making it extremely fun to use.
In early 2019, TikTok launched TikTok for Business to be the home for all its current and future marketing solutions for brands. Ad products under this umbrella platforms include Brand Takeovers, In-Feed Videos, Hashtag Challenges, and Branded Effects. This year, TikTok also opened TikTok Creator Marketplace that allows brands to discover and partner with TikTok content creators on paid brand campaigns.
TikTok is clearly a 2020 cultural phenomenon; there’s no denying its success. It is the fastest growing social media app that has been downloaded two billion times globally in more than 150 countries. Thanks to its sophisticated AI that monetizes user data to fuel targeted advertising – sounds like a common practice across other social media platforms, right? But don’t you think TikTok has gone too far?
Check our previous article “My thoughts on TikTok in the Insurance industry caused a stir ?” – Dr. Robin Kiera
Security threat has been linked to TikTok recently – there are allegations of spyware and data theft. US lawmakers requested an investigation into the app on national security grounds following concerns of TikToks’s relationship with the Chinese government and US intervention. Additionally, India outright banned TikTok and other 58 Chinese applications, describing it as a “targeted move to ensure safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace.”
With these mounting allegations against TikTok, a vast opportunity for businesses and individuals in this app is still undeniable. Its algorithm showcases AI and machine learning potentials that are either spyware or a platform to inspire creativity and bring joy as they claim themselves to be. If there is one thing we can be sure of, that is, the clock is ticking with the rise of TikTok.
P.S. follow Dr. Robin Kiera on Tiktok as “Attention Hacker” Here