How TikTok is changing social media and society in 2023

How TikTok is changing social media and society in 2023
Photo by Solen Feyissa 

TikTok is on the cusp of revolutionizing the social media landscape in 2023. As social media continues to evolve, TikTok has emerged as a powerful player in the space.

In the fall of 2020, I personally discovered the app out of boredom and a need for inspiration. I was immediately drawn in by the humor-oriented content and, despite a learning curve, quickly realized the app's potential for both entertainment and connection.

Over the course of the last two years, I have gained a deeper understanding of the app and its audience, and have even achieved significant engagement on my own content, with over 45,000 views on a single video and nearly 40,000 likes overall.

If you haven't already, now is the time to join the TikTok community and experience its unique blend of entertainment and connection for yourself.

With an unprecedented 1 billion users worldwide and 3 billion downloads, the platform has experienced a staggering 45% growth in active monthly users since July 2020. Its unique focus on short-form video content and the personalized algorithm has resulted in a mass migration of users from other social media platforms to TikTok.

Currently ranked 6th among the world's most active social media platforms, TikTok was projected to reach 1.5 billion users by the end of 2022.

Furthermore, the platform boasts the highest engagement rates among its peers, with an average user session lasting 10.85 minutes, more than twice as long as Pinterest and three times longer than Instagram.

Businesses and marketers looking to connect with younger audiences can also take advantage of TikTok's forecasted 40% growth in usage in 2022, making it the fastest-growing social media platform among marketers.

Interestingly, TikTok's finance community alone saw 255% growth in 2021. With hashtags like #stocktok and #crypto exploding, TikTok has become a platform for financial education and market updates. Brands can capitalize on this by creating authentic and helpful content to engage and empower users in their financial journey. Will the finance community leave social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn? Time will tell.  

In addition to its commercial potential, TikTok reflects how the internet and technology are shaping our society. The platform caters to our increasing desire for instant gratification and personalization. As we continue to see this trend in technology, it is essential to reflect on how it shapes our values and behaviors and how we can use it to create a positive impact.

Here's a quick summary of the top TikTok statistics from 2022:

  1. TikTok has 1 billion users worldwide.
  2. The app's been downloaded more than 3 billion times.
  3. It's the 6th most popular social network.
  4. Most of TikTok's audience is female.
  5. Gen Zs are the largest user group on TikTok.
  6. TikTok is more popular than other social media platforms.
  7. 167 million TikTok videos are watched in an internet minute.
  8. It's the most engaging social media app.
  9. Tiktok is highly popular in Asia.
  10. The United States alone has over 130 million users.
  11. TikTok's usage was expected to increase by 40% in 2022.
  12. Finance TikTok grew by 255% in 2021.
  13. People use TikTok to find funny/entertaining content.
  14. #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt drives word-of-mouth marketing on the platform.
  15. TikTok shoppers are highly active and engaged.
  16. Best-performing videos are 21 to 34 seconds long.
  17. Captions boost video impressions by 55.7%.
  18. Marketers' perception of TikTok's effectiveness is growing.
  19. It's the second most popular platform for influencer marketing.
  20. Micro-influencers produce better engagement rates.

Main source: Medianetic