Why is TikTok So Popular?

Story by Kaylee Hill and De’Asya Williams.Photo courtesy of TechCrunch.

The social media app TikTok has grown in popularity over the years, but how much do its users actually know about it? 

TikTok was established in September 2016 by a Chinese technology company called Bytedance. It is mostly an app for people to express themselves: they can do crazy stunts, try food combinations that may or may not make sense and come up with popular dances. Many users join the app with the hope of going viral or becoming famous. Some creators win sponsors, prizes, or get paid for the videos they've created that have the potential to go viral. 

 Many celebrities enjoy using this social media platform to express their feelings and emotions to their fans, share their thoughts, or to simply scroll for fun. In October 2020, TikTok expanded worldwide, with more than 2 billion users. Much of this success can be credited to the lockdown during the pandemic. 

The big question many people ask is: Why is TikTok so popular? In a world full of apps, how has this one risen to the top? There are many reasons why TikTok is so popular, one of them being because of the short nature of the videos. Another plus for the app is the unlimited amount of content available for people For You Page (FYP). TikTok’s short-form videos are especially entertaining for people with short attention spans. This also allows it to compete with sites such as YouTube. TikTok also provides tutorials for everything, like drawing, cooking, and more. 

 Are you on TikTok? If not, what are you waiting for? 

 Kaylee Hill and De’Asya Williams are 6th grade scholars at Friendship Woodridge International School.