TikTok is an app that’s currently one of the leading destinations for short-form mobile videos. And honestly, it’s pretty awesome. Here in the Philippines, it hasn’t quite taken over so much just yet, but I can see it doing so in the near future.
The rise of these “TikTokers” was evident at VidCon, held earlier this year. That being said, I must say, they aren’t a shy lot; what great showman would be in the first place, right? Here in the Philippines, early TikTok adopters started with a lot of comedy and lip-synced videos, and that might be the stigma most Filipinos know of regarding the app.
Last week, TikTok held a Creators and Content Marketing Conference in Singapore, and it was fascinating to see how far the app has gone in different parts of the world. Some countries’ very own governments have a TikTok account, and honestly, it does make sense. TikTok is going out of their way to push the reach of the app.
People would upload the most random and ridiculous things on YouTube, like starting a fire when cooking, lipsync videos, and so much more. That’s one thing Youtube and TikTok already have in common. No matter how random, it’s always a good thing to remember these internet moments. These videos serve as reminders to ourselves that growth doesn’t ever happen overnight. Another similar platform TikTok reminds me of, even more than Youtube is Vine, which was a short-form video hosting service just like TikTok. Users shared six-second-long videos, and the app allowed them to loop clips as well. It took the internet by storm, especially in the western parts of the globe. Despite the popularity, Vine was later shut down since it couldn’t differentiate itself fast enough from the likes of Snapchat and Instagram video.
Unlike Vine, TikTok is fresh and new, which I do believe will stick to that short-form video style for a long time. Not only is it the app’s identity, but also it’s a delightful creative challenge for the users. From a filmmaking standpoint, this means you need to be able to captivate your audience with shorter running time. Again, it can be excellent practice for your creativity in storytelling.
Now, going back to the title of this article, Can TikTok be the next Youtube? I think it can be. With content creators and digital media producers on the rise, TikTok’s becoming one more platform to take advantage of. Some people even go as far as to say that TikTok seems more accessible compared to other platforms. People’s attention spans can dwindle from generation to generation, making short-form aspect even more intriguing to users alike.
Monetization is also going to be a thing on TikTok soon. I advise creative professionals to definitely give this platform a try and start pushing-out some fantastic content as quickly as possible.
