The Rise and Myth-Busting of TikTok

Rafael Henrique | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images

With roots in choreographed dances and lip-syncing songs, TikTok has quickly become a global phenomenon for anyone with a cellphone. Unlike other social media platforms—Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter—TikTok's unique algorithm tailors your feed based on videos you engage with and shows you more related videos you will actually want to see.

TikTok's growing popularity exposes the platform to criticism, scrutiny, and as with all social media platform launches, false claims. Keep reading as we debunk four TikTok myths and why you should potentially consider adding TikTok to your digital marketing strategy:

1. Tiktok's Audience Is Too Young For My Brand

While it's true that most TikTok users are younger than 30, recent data shows that the app is also gaining popularity within other demographics as well. According to a report by Hootsuite, 38% of TikTok users were over 30, highlighting the platform's potential for reaching a wider audience. Beyond showing off their cool dance moves, users find sharing helpful life hacks, tips, tricks, and tutorials. Others have found a sense of community for more serious and personal topics too.

Beyond showing off their cool dance moves, users find sharing helpful life hacks, tips, tricks and tutorials. Others have found a sense of community for more serious and personal topics.

2. TikTok Is Only For "Funny" Brands

In general, the best social ads are the ones that uniquely show personality, no matter how “buttoned-up" the industry is. Generally speaking, the more engaging your content, the better it will perform, regardless of the platform. For example, take the company Bin Blasters. Before finding TikTok in 2020, founder Casey Evertsen considered selling the garbage can cleaning business. However, after one viral video on TikTok, the company explored an expansion to cities across the United States because of the platform’s algorithm, it was proof, you do not need a large following to go viral and achieve real business transformation. That is part of the appeal! By creating shareable and unique content, brands can increase their chances of reaching a wider audience—regardless of who they are.

3. The Impending TikTok Ban Means I Should Steer Clear of the Platform

As TikTok CEO Shou Chew continues to testify before a Congressional Committee, more information about the platform's data collection continues to unfold. The bottom line? As far as researchers can tell, TikTok isn't any more invasive or illegal than other U.S. tech or social media companies like Meta or Twitter (who have had security issues of their own). However, the key to any social strategy is having a backup plan. If your brand no longer wants to be on TikTok, the same size videos and content ideas will also work great on Instagram Reels or Instagram Stories.

4. Instagram and Facebook Work Fine for My Ads. I Don’t Need to Be on TikTok.

Through influencer and word-of-mouth marketing, TikTok has completely transformed e-commerce. There's a reason the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has over 16 billion views. In fact, 67% of users say TikTok inspired them to shop even when they weren't looking to do so, and over 79% of people responding to a U.S. survey revealed they had purchased a product or service after seeing it on social media.

So, before proceeding with posting yet another Instagram or Facebook ad, consider TikTok's 29% engagement rate and the average user spending 52 minutes per day on the app. Those numbers are substantially higher to Instagram's 4.7% engagement rate and 30-minute-per-day average.

TikTok's pace of growth as a key social platform cannot be understated. While the conversation around its security and effectiveness can be debated, one thing is for sure: TikTok's two-way communication between brand and consumer makes it a highly engaging opportunity for any brand.