This week’s key points

• TikTok has now surpassed YouTube in daily time spent on the platform
• The largest demographic on TikTok is 18-24 year olds (42%)
• We’re on TikTok, and we’re keeping up-to-date so we can help your organization take advantage of opportunities on the platform

Mind-Boggling Growth

TikTok now has over 1 billion users, 5 years after launching. That record growth rate could be due to increased internet access across the world, but we think it’s mostly because of its addictive nature and superior algorithm. TikTok was the most downloaded app in 2020 and is projected to be number one in 2021 according to Sensor Tower. 

The average US user spends 89 minutes a day on TikTok. The largest portion of those users are 18-24 year olds, making up a whopping 42% of the platform’s user base. They’re followed by 25-34 years olds at 22%, 13-17 year olds at 17%, 34-44 year olds at 12%, and 45+ at just 7%. And TikTok isn’t just meant for Gen Z. The fastest growing segment on TikTok is the 25-34 age range. Here’s the full breakdown, if you’re curious.

TikTok usage has exploded among teens and young adults, whereas Facebook has been declining (one of those factors being the Facebook Papers scandal, which you can read about here). Time spent on Facebook fell 16% last year amongst 13-17 year olds. So if you’re reaching for a younger audience, TikTok may be the way to go. In addition, according to TikTok for Business, Gen Z has a powerful $44B in spending power. 

2-Second Tidbits

According to Digiday, TikTok has decreased our attention spans even further, forcing marketers to focus their ad content in the first two seconds. That’s quite a leap from Facebook’s 10 seconds and Youtube’s 30 seconds. Remember those days?

Huge TikTok stars are making up to $5 million for their time on the platform, but that shouldn’t stop you from considering micro influencers (50k-150k followers) on TikTok as well. In fact, brands are finding that the most successful partnerships are often with mid-tier influencers. (150k-700k followers)

Where does your brand fit in?

There are so many opportunities with TikTok, but where does your brand fit on this exploding platform? TikTok has its own unique culture, trends, and best practices. The most effective strategy when playing in this space is to create native content, so you can expand that 2 seconds of attention to a larger time frame. The best TikTok ads are the ones that look the most like content you’d expect to see on the platform. Users can smell a cut up broadcast spot from a mile away. 

If you’re looking to go further than an ad on TikTok, think about partnering with content creators. Content creators are experts on what works on the platform, and their audiences are more likely to engage with your message if it’s endorsed by one of their favs. 

If you’re curious to learn more about TikTok, TikTok advertising, or partnering with a TikToker, let us know! You know your business, we know emerging platforms. Let’s talk.

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you for the next installment of Media Trends Monday! Have a great week.