Short Essay1 LI Yuwei（1155228261）
TikTokfication of Social Media Platform
After launching in the U.S. in 2018, TikTok has steamed ahead, and announced in September 2021 that it had surpassed one billion monthly active users globally. This is in contrast to the loss of users and decline in activity on the nascent social media, represented by Facebook and twitter.
TikTok's business model:
① Digital goods business model: TikTok has TikTok coins. After consumers exchange real money for TikTok coins, they can give gifts to the creators. 99 cents equals 100 TikTok coins. ③ Ad-based business model: when users buy tokens and donate them to other creators onTikTok, the creators can withdraw all the tokens given to them and exchange them for real money. For every $1 a user withdraws from the APP, TikTok takes a 50% cut.
One of the key features of TikTok is the short, flat and fast nature of its content and its algorithmic recommendation system. It has not only pushed short videos to become an important form of social media information exchange, but also led to the “TikTokfication” of various types of social media around the world: Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube and some Chinese social media platforms are moving towards a similar content production and interaction mode in terms of function and product experience.
In order to capture the windfall of short videos, other social media have also introduced TikTokficationfeatures.
On 5th August 2020, Instagram officially announced the launch of Reels. Reels is known as ‘TikTok on Instagram’, which allows users to shoot and upload videos of up to 15 seconds, and can also add background music, special effects and so on.
Youtube also lauched Youtube Shorts, a short video app, in Indian market in order to solidify its position in the foreign video content space, and launched it in the U.S.in 2021 and globally in July.
In addition to the basic features of “TikTokfication”, Youtube Shorts also works with Youtube accounts to help users build up followers, and offers a $100 million creation fund to encourage users to participate in the creation of short videos.
When describing “TikTokfication”, it looks like just a combination of words like vertical screen, short videos, up and down swipe interaction and recommendation algorithms. However, “TikTokfication” is more of a general term, which refers to a popular and constantly experimented information production, dissemination and presentation mechanism.
In China, the term ‘short-video trend’ is more commonly used, and many well-known social media apps have started this business early.
BILIBILI has been pushing vertical video since the second half of 2020, presenting a single column of video streams and guiding users to swipe up and down.
Xiaohongshu adopted a two-column recommendation model, and after clicking on the video, you can swipe up and down to watch other content.
Weibo and WeChat's video function have also adopted the up and down slide interaction mode, and the same goes for apps such as Zhihu and Taobao.
This type of mechanism was carried forward by short video platforms, and then gradually absorbed by various types of social media APPs, constantly adjusting, supplementing and iterating, and eventually as if it had become a kind of collective turn to satisfy users' habits.
When a product supports short videos, other products will also actively or passively think about and adapt to this change. The creation threshold of short video can be high or low, professional users can elaborate and polish, ordinary users can also shoot instantly. In the end, platforms and users together create a short video basedinformation dissemination trend, social media APPs follow the trend, which has resulted in today's TikTokfication situation.
Outside of algorithmic recommendations and interaction models, the success of TikTokfication has profoundly changed the production of new media content. Content became highly homogenized. Traditional media became more focused on traffic than quality, which has led to the public's distrust of media today. Therefore, beyond the commercial success, we must also be aware of the drawbacks of TikTokfication.
As I wrote in my first essay, the rapid rise of the short-video platform TikTok has sparked a trend of "TikTokification" among social media platforms. This trend, characterized by short-video content and algorithmic content recommendation, has brought significant changes in content distribution and user engagement. While platforms like Instagram have attempted to emulate TikTok's success, this sometimes elicits strong opposition from users who call for a return to the core of traditional social media. However, the overarching trend towards recommendation-based content distribution is undeniable, with platforms increasingly relying on algorithms to determine user content. Despite this shift, social media does not necessarily signify the end of traditional social media; rather, different platforms are adapting in various ways based on their unique positions and user bases. Future social media may represent a fusion of traditional attributes and recommendation-based attributes, with platforms continually adapting to meet the evolving needs and preferences of users.
ReplyDeleteYour essay provides a clear and insightful analysis of the “TikTokfication” trend across social media platforms. I appreciate how you have captured the essence of this phenomenon, explaining TikTok’s unique business model and its ripple effects on competitors like Instagram, YouTube, and various Chinese apps. You also highlight the broader implications of this trend, including the shift in content production and dissemination, as well as its potential downsides like content homogenization and diminished trust in traditional media.
ReplyDeleteBuilding on your observations, I’ve been thinking about why this short-video format has extended beyond social media into platforms like Taobao, JD.com, and Pinduoduo. One possible reason is that short videos have proven to be an effective tool for driving engagement and conversions in e-commerce. By showcasing products in a dynamic and visually appealing way, they make online shopping more interactive and immersive. Additionally, short videos align well with consumer behavior in the digital age—quickly capturing attention, delivering information, and creating a sense of urgency to purchase.
This raises an intriguing question: will the TikTokfication of platforms continue to blur the lines between social media, e-commerce, and even other industries? I would love to hear your thoughts on this and explore how these trends might evolve in the future. Let’s discuss!