Our Social Executive, Annie Harte, ponders whether now is the time for brands to make the most of TikTok’s explosion in popularity.
Let’s go back to the 60s for a moment. An era when pop artist Andy Warhol predicted: “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”.
Fast-forward five decades. In some ways he was absolutely spot on – the only inaccuracy being how long that fame would last. How does 15 seconds sound, Andy? In the world of TikTok, that sounds about right.
Dubbed the ‘leading destination for short-form mobile video’, TikTok has exploded in the last year, with more than 3.7 million active daily users in the UK alone who engage with the app for 41 minutes per day on average. Honestly, if you’ve not found yourself down a TikTok rabbit hole at midnight on a Tuesday in lockdown, where have you been?
Who’s mastering the art of TikTok?
TikTok’s biggest demographic is lip-sync-loving Gen Z who are choreographing their way up the likes ladder using the various effects, filters and songs available in the app. Choose the right soundtrack, at the right time, and you might just bag yourself a number one hit – plus your window of fame. Need we remind you of Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’?
How has TikTok fared over lockdown? Well, what happens when you put the world into quarantine? A huge surge in interest, as people everywhere of all ages craved a way to express themselves without leaving the house. Interestingly, millennials in search of a creative outlet flocked to TikTok in their droves. Cue territorial claims from Gen Z that millennials are out to steal ‘their’ platform. The beauty of self-expression; to encourage us to be our unique selves.
Privacy matters
It's not all sunshine and rainbows for TikTok though. A number of governments have considered legal action against the video platform over privacy concerns. Most famously of all, Donald Trump signing executive orders giving TikTok 45 days in the United States before it’s banned and 90 days to sell its US business. That’s one ticked off president.
But even prior to this, the safety of the app has been a problem. In early 2020, the Financial Times highlighted a number of issues with its moderation measures – instances of violence, hate speech, bullying and explicit content were exposed as the app struggled to keep up with its rampant growth. Despite continually updating their community guidelines, there are still concerns that TikTok won’t be able to adapt fast enough to newly emerging risks and ultimately maintain the app as a safe space for creativity and joy.
Is it worth the risk?
For brands with a young audience, TikTok is definitely a channel to consider: Topshop have been reacting to trending challenges to promote their latest collections, while popular dating app, Bumble, has used the platform to tell real life stories of first dates. Fashion powerhouse Gucci has also become an unexpected hit on the app, understanding that to be successful, brands must truly behave like users themselves.
However, you should consider the brand safety issues carefully before making a move onto the platform. Unless they improve their advertising capabilities and back it up with a strong team of moderators, TikTok is unlikely to become the next Facebook of advertising. Brands are increasingly wary about where their content is being shown, and who it’s actually being shown to.
Time for tech to catch up
Although TikTok might be making the headlines at present, all social platforms need to be doing more for the safety of not only their users, but also the advertisers who are using their platform to promote themselves. Yes, TikTok has a lot of catching up to do, but it’s not the only culprit where dodgy data-sharing and privacy is concerned.
We’ve seen a number of cases where ads have appeared alongside harmful content. Probably most famously, YouTube’s ‘brand funding terror’ blunder in 2017 – a prime example of profit over good practice. Also, Cambridge Analytica anyone?
It’s a complex landscape out there to navigate on your own. But don’t let that put you off. At eight&four we help our clients weigh up the risks and potential gains on a brand by brand basis. Working out a safe passage to success is what we do – be it on TikTok or not.
Want to know which platform is best for your brand? Get chatting with our Social Director Ines Casas: ines@eightandfour.com
