Read two articles and answer following questions.

Article 1:

So, what is TikTok?

Boasting more than 500 million active users, TikTok is a mobile video-sharing app that stepped on the scene in 2018. Users can create and post short, looping videos set to music or sound bites often with humor as the focal point. Like the other social platforms, TikTok features a personalized discover page, a home feed, user profiles, and a built-in suite of video editing tools. Because TikTok posts have a max length of 60 seconds, the end result is typically a quirky, highly concentrated form of entertainment thats equal parts confusing and captivating.

Background. To understand TikTok, you have to look at it in the context of its forerunners, Musical.ly and Vine. Vine, the viral short-form video-sharing app launched in 2013, can be thought of as the originator of snack-sized viral video content. Vine put the wheels in motion for short videos to take off as a standard video format where creators could leverage the vertical orientation native to smartphones. (Snapchat and Instagram trailed this model with their own investments in video.)

In 2014, Musical.ly launched as a follow-up to the success of Vine, which Twitter acquired sadly shuttered in 2016. Users could create short videos with the added layer of lip-syncing. This approach, coupled with low production requirements, made it easy for just about anyone to create engaging content.

Fast forward to 2017, when Chinese tech giant ByteDance saw opportunity in Musical.lys content model. ByteDance acquired Musical.ly in 2017, and in 2018 rolled out to the international market with the name TikTok. By October 2018, TikTok was the most downloaded app in the U.S. and reached a record 1.5 billion downloads globally at the end of 2019.

What can you do on TikTok?

TikTok trends move fast. Blink and you might miss them. The platform doesnt have the visual aesthetic of a curated Instagram grid nor is it the place for serious issues (though some have tried). Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg thought he hit the mark in comparing TikTok to Instagrams Explore page (according to leaked audio from an all-hands meeting). PSA: Instagram and TikTok are definitely not the same.

TikTok has managed to create a distinctive social experience that values spontaneity, humor, and relatability above all else. Its turned social media into pure social entertainment.

Heres how users are getting the most out of the app:

Video editing. TikTok has provided an entire generation of users with a crash course in video editing. The platforms easy-to-use tools add a unique creative impact that doesnt require the learning curve of an advanced video editing platform. Creators can choose from dozens of overlays, transition effects, filters, playback speeds, text options, and sounds. It gives just about anyone the ability to create an engaging video with just a few taps.

Playing with sound. The platforms editing tools and advanced filters enable creativity by default, but a unique edge is the ability to add sound from a massive library of both licensed music and user-created recordings. After a video is posted, any user can rip the audio, re-create the parody, and throw it back into the TikTok ecosystem until the joke is dead. Similar to the way hashtags work to discover content, users can search for a song or sound to see the original content and all other videos it appears in. Sound on the platform inspires music video spoofs, funny lip-dubs, dance routines, and more.

Hashtag challenges. Viral trends start in the hashtags on TikTok. Hashtag challenges encourage users to attempt and share their own unique takes on challenges posed by different creators or brands like Guesss #InMyDenim challenge or Jimmy Fallons #tumbleweedchallenge. Challenge have proven to be an engaging way for users to easily create appealing content, while brands can use it as an opportunity to build awareness with consumers.

React videos. Users on TikTok have taken the concept of a reaction to a hilarious new level. With the React feature, users can record their own reactions (with audio and video) to an existing TikTok video. The reaction video can appear side-by-side with the original.

Cringe-worthy content. Like a train wreck you cant look away from, cringe videos feature awkward performances aimed at getting a laugh. Its a format made famous on YouTube, and TikTok-ers are playing it on their own terms with injections of youth commentary and social satire. Still confused? Here are some examples.

Whos using TikTok?

Gen Z runs the show. Younger audiences (ages 13-22) make up the majority share of TikTok users. As of September 2019, 42% of internet users in the U.S. aged 13-16 are on TikTok, according to eMarketer. Among ages 17-21, the percentage falls to 32%.

Looking ahead

Perhaps the most valuable facet of TikTok is its audience. Theyre young, sure, but they want a digital experience thats authentic, homegrown, and thoroughly entertaining. Its part of the reason why reactions and challenges have taken off at warp speed. Instead of standing by and watching social play out from a distance, TikTok users are diving in head-first to leave their mark in near real-time.

While other social platforms compel users to post carefully curated content, TikTok invites users to release their inhibitions, have fun, and get silly, said Ashley Fauset, VP of Marketing for Stardust. Todays consumers are increasingly savvy when it comes to advertising. Brands should pay close attention to the differentiation between TikTok and other platforms, and craft their channel strategy accordingly.

Article 2:

The rise of TikTok has revolutionised the social landscape for both users and brands alike. The short-form video platform has reinvented the way we consistently consume and create content.

With over 2 billion downloads, the platform has seen staggering growth in overall engagement. As creators organically build large audiences, brands are now beginning to utilise TikTok within their own social media strategies.

Organisations like HiSmile, The Washington Post, and the NFL have started paving the way for branded content across the platform.

TikTok is one of the few social platforms that empowers any creator to quickly amass a large organic following.

With an algorithm that categorises content by niche user interests, theres a prevalent opportunity for brands to engage users with their own style of content.

If your brand is ready to integrate TikTok within your social media strategy, theres a few key points to refine before getting started.

With the goal of any TikTok content to be featured on the For You page, its important to follow a consistent post structure to help improve your chances of success.

The following guidelines will allow your content to drive the most engagement from a relevant audience across the platform

Portrait content

Like other short-form video platforms, TikTok is built for mobile delivery, meaning content should be optimised for vertical viewing.

Although its possible to publish square or horizontal content across the platform, the user experience is not as engaging.

If youre currently publishing content thats not originally recorded in a portrait format, its also possible to repurpose this by adding a frame around the video itself.

This additional text will fill the remaining space of the screen, making the content feel native to TikToks platform.

Creators like Gary Vee follow this strategy to cross-post existing content from Instagram or YouTube.

By cross-posting content, it can help streamline the initial creation process while you determine if the platform is a suitable fit.

Relevance

Like all platforms, the timeliness of content can be an influential factor that determines how well a post will perform.

By creating content around relevant TikTok trends, its possible to drive more engagement from users on both the discover and For You pages.

A brand following trending hashtags is an effective way to build an agile content strategy.

Hashtag challenges are responsible for some of the most popular videos across TikTok. These challenges are a fast way of gaining viral traction as millions of users actively participate by recreating an original video.

By understanding which challenges the community is currently engaging with, you can then create your own relevant content to capitalise on these trends.

Engage with your audience

Similar to Instagrams algorithm, TikToks algorithm prioritises different posts based on the unique engagement events they receive.

One of these influential parameters is the total amount of comments a video receives. In fact, comments added from the For You page attribute a heavier weight than those added by your followers.

ideo length

As TikTok videos replicate a similar experience to Instagram and SnapChat stories, users are more inclined to engage with short-form videos that are 5-15 seconds long.

When adding a song to your video, its important to understand that the audio will only play a 15-second snippet, therefore your content should aim to deliver value within this short timeframe.

Analytics

By upgrading your TikTok account to become a pro creator, youll gain access to TikToks native analytics dashboard.

Similar to analytics across platforms like Instagram, TikTok analytics will allow you to uncover unique insights about the performance of your overall content strategy. These insights will highlight trends across both your profile and individual posts.

Analytics will reveal valuable information about the demographic distribution of your audience, including their location, gender, age, and interests.

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