Future

So what does the popularity of TikTok mean for the future of social media? There are a couple major things that TikTok is doing differently that could change how social media in the future is portrayed.

One big thing TikTok does is focus on short-form video content. They understand that users want movement and action, but they also have a short attention span and want to constantly be stimulated with new content. They have mastered this. Users spend hours and hours locked to their screens scrolling through the never-ending “For You” page.

Branching off of this is the emphasis on exploring algorithmically generated content rather than focusing on followers content. It is easy for users to get bored of what the people they are following are posting and to log off of an app simply for this reason. TikTok takes this possibility away by making users following a very small aspect of their experience.

Videos that are shown to users are almost always user-generated content rather than content created by bigger production companies. Video platforms like YouTube started off like this, but slowly turned to featuring TV shows and news outlets on their recommended pages.

TikTok has remained loyal to their creators, keeping the community clean of a corporate feel. Ads that appear on TikTok normally feel integrated with the content, adapting a very casual style in their presentation that appeals to the scrolling audience. You may not even know you are watching an ad until you see the “Sponsored by” tag at the bottom of the screen.

Overall, it is clear that TikTok has crafted a new breed of social media that is sure to influence future developments. The new generation of content consumers is quickly growing tired of current social media trends, and looking for new ways to find content and express themselves.

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