Why do you Tik Tok?

 

Tik Tok had 61 million downloads in January 2021. 

In terms of usage among teens, Tik Tok has surpassed Instagram and is now the second favorite social media platform for U.S. teens - 69% are regular users.

The most popular content category is entertainment with 443 billon hashtag views, followed by dancing with 150 billion views.

But other categories such as sports and fitness (43 billion) home renovation (29 billion) and fashion (18 billion) are starting to pick up as well. (2021)

This week, NowThis, a mobile news brand partnering with Tik Tok, began airing a live health education series.  Called "Viral" the weekly 45 minute episodes will air on Thursdays at 6 p.m. The series will be hosted by Laurel Bristow, who will discuss Covid-19 issues.  (Schultz, 2021)

 

Meanwhile, Americares, Zambezi and Hallwood Media have joined to create "Wear a Mask" an effort developed to educate and drastically shift the behaviors of apathetic and resistant young adults with regard to Covid-19.  To better connect with the target, the entire creative team for the project is between the ages of 18-34.

 

Hallwood and Zambezi produced an original hip hop track, and Dezirea Saenz was brought in to develop an original dance.  Additional Tik Tok influencers Tallie B., Kara Cannella, Andrew Carrera and Nany Kessey are also encouraging sharing. 

 

Additionally, The Zambezi team created album artwork, digital billboards, banner ads and interactive Snapchat filters. And a new music video is scheduled to be released later this month. (Faw, 2021)

 

And then there's - "books that will make you sob." While its 6 million downloads may pale in comparison to the earlier stats, sales of books are up.   

 

The #songofachilles hashtag has 19 million views on Tik Tok.  The book "The Song of Achilles" is selling about 10,000 copies a week, roughly nine times as many as when it was first released in 2012.  It is now third on the New York Times bestseller list for paperback fiction. 

 

Fees for influencers range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per post.  But free books are one of the perks. (Harris, 2021)

 

So, how do you Tik Tok?  Do you go beyond basic entertainment?  Are you looking for a new workout routine?  Home improvement ideas?  Or perhaps a new book?  What influencers do you follow and why? Do you share content yourself?  Are you hoping to be an influencer?

 

Will you watch NowThis?  How about "Wear a Mask?"  Do you think anyone else will?

 

(2021, March 11) TikTok Statistics – Revenue, Users & Engagement Stats (2021) influencemarketinghub.com.  Retrieved April 19, 2021, from https://influencermarketinghub.com/tiktok-stats/#:~:text=31.-,32.5%25%20of%20U.S.%20Users%20Aged%2010%2D19,aging%20with%20the%20app%2C%20however.

Schultz, R. (2021, April 14)  'Now This,' TikTok Partner On Weekly Covid-19 Series.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved April 9, 2021, fromhttps://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/362346/now-this-tiktok-partner-on-weekly-covid-19-seri.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=122082&hashid=EprW9szuRz-P0Y8JYqr1eg

Faw, L. (2012, April 13)  New TikTok Campaign Attempts To Make Mask Wearing Cool To Kids.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved April 19, 2021, from https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/362297/new-tiktok-campaign-attempts-to-make-mask-wearing.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=122082&hashid=EprW9szuRz-P0Y8JYqr1eg

Harris, E. (2021, March 20)  How Crying on TikTok Sells Books. nytimes.com.  Retrieved April 19, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/20/books/booktok-tiktok-video.html

 

 

 

I'm thinking about switching to a side part. What about you?

 

Gen Z has spoken.  Side hair parts, skinny jeans and laughing crying emojis are out.  Oh.  And you can call them Zoomers. (Bansal, 2021)

Each generation has to follow its own path if only to differentiate themselves from those older and less cool.  And right now it's game on between Gen Z and Millennials.

But where do these directives come from, who issues them and why?

Apparently it's the folks on TikTok.  And they think that a side part makes someone looks old. 

Maybe that's true. 

But another person posted this - "As a teen on TikTok I'm going to say it's because we've noticed that Democrats have middle parts and Republicans have side parts."

Now that's unexpected.  Or is it?

The polarization of politics in America has taken a frightening new turn as the need to belong to a tribe has become so intense that people are willing to believe and do just about anything to stay in the tribe.

In a poll taken earlier this month, 23% of Republicans say they will definitely not get vaccinated, and another 21% says they will probably not get vaccinated.  That adds up to 44%.  Meanwhile only 7% of Democrats say they will not get vaccinated.  (Beer, 2021)

Why is there such a big difference?  Because people with different party affiliations rely on different sources for their news. According to Pew Research, 93% of Republicans get their news from Fox, while 95% of Democrats get their news from MSNBC. Adults 18-29, 29% prefer the New York Times.  (Grieco, 2020)

And then there are those that get their news from social media - 18% of Americans are willing to admit it - they are less engaged and less knowledgeable than those who use other sources. (Mitchell, Jurkowitz, Oliphant & Shearer, 2020)

What have you seen people do to belong to a tribe?  What tribes do you belong to?  What have you done to bond with the tribes that you belong to?  Anything you regret? 

What determines how willing someone is to follow the dictates of the tribe?  Will you change your hair to a middle part and switch to yoga pants and skull emojis?  Why or why not?

 

Bansal, S. (2021, February 5)  Gen Z is Roasting Millennials for Their Side Parts and Skinny Jeans.  vice.com.  Retrieved February 22, 2021, from  https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dp4w5/genz-millennials-skinny-jeans-generation-wars

Beer, T. (2021, February 10) Nearly 1 in 4 Republicans 'Definitely' Won't Get Covid-19Vaccine, Survey Finds.  forbes.com.  Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/02/10/nearly-1-in-4-republicans-definitely-wont-get-covid-19-vaccine-survey-finds/?sh=53897ea2b68f

Grieco, E. (2020, April 1)  Americans' main sources for political news vary by party and age.  pewresearch.org.  Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/01/americans-main-sources-for-political-news-vary-by-party-and-age/

Mitchell, A., Jurkowitz, M., Oliphant, J., & Shearer, E. (2020, July 30)  Americans Who Mainly Get Their News on Social Media Are Less Engaged, Less Knowledgeable.  Pew research center. Retrieved Feburary 22, 2021, from  https://www.journalism.org/2020/07/30/americans-who-mainly-get-their-news-on-social-media-are-less-engaged-less-knowledgeable/