If you’re a marketer or just an avid social media user, you know that TikTok has certain features that glue our eyes right to the screen. The short video structure of TikTok has proven to be so addicting that everyone else is also trying to utilize it.
If every platform wants to be like Tiktok, then what does the future hold for Tiktok itself? TikTok is also trying out new features in all regions to see which ones are more profitable. It’s definitely going to be a lot more than just a dancing platform with silly trends.
Knowing the competition in the air with Instagram, TikTok tries to rule out certain features and factors. For example, when it comes to music, accessibility, transparency, and business features; TikTok has framed certain trends. In this blog we have mentioned our understanding of both trends and predictions for the year 2023 onward.
Predictions & Trends of TikTok’s Future
Let’s see what we can predict from their recent updates.
Future Prediction #1: Music
If you want to know which songs are popular right now, you go to Tiktok. Its music-centric platform gives people a chance to discover new songs. In fact, 75% of TikTok users find new artists through the platform, and 6% of them say they heard new music.
TikTok is already trying to lean into these statistics to expand its influence in the music streaming industry. Tiktok’s parent company is already taking the first steps by launching their own streaming service, called Resso, in a few countries.
Before we know it, they might even start their own production house.
Future Prediction #2: Business
TikTok has an incredibly well-built algorithm that modifies an individual’s For You Page to fit their needs. Brands are taking advantage of this by marketing their products in different ways on TikTok.
To keep up with the rise of e-commerce businesses, TikTok has released a TikTok Shop feature in the US, UK, and some parts of Asia. As the feature gets more popular, it might become worldwide.
They’ve already introduced partnerships with Shopify and Square to help make TikTok a one-stop-shop. A survey in 2020 showed that the app encouraged 2/3rds of its users to shop even when they weren’t thinking of it.
TikTok has also had a significant impact on the way fashion trends swing. Many fashion creators use the algorithm to determine the next big thing. To monetize off of this aspect, TikTok might collaborate with creators to bring about waves in the fashion world. Who knows? It’s all a game of speculation.
There is also talk that TikTok might open its own fulfillment centers and become as big as Amazon.
Future Prediction #3: Accessibility
TikTok isn’t just a scroll-and-roll platform. It has valuable user-generated content that people want to save and try out later. It can be anything from mental health advice and recipes to even just dance trends.
To accommodate tutorials and other information-related content, TikTok increased the length of the videos to up to ten minutes. This gives users more time to delve deeper into their topic of expertise. TikTok has also introduced scrubbing thumbnails to easily skip to the part you want to see.
Other than likes, the bookmarking feature helps the algorithm figure out what sort of content you’re interested in. And if you want to boost your content, you can buy cheap TikTok likes to trick the algorithm.
All in all, this feature helps users access content seamlessly. You might see more organizing options for what you save in the future, too.
Future Prediction #4: Transparency
When it comes to TikTok’s algorithm, it’s almost a mystery how it picks up exactly what you want to see. Everyone’s For You pages are so perfectly tailored for them that it almost seems like magic.
This mysterious algorithm makes people weary of data-scraping and privacy issues. To clear the air, Ttiktok has released a feature that puts these doubts to rest. With the new “Why This video” button, you can see why Tiktok chooses a video for you with the exact reason.
You might notice other platforms rolling out the same feature. This tiny bit of information works towards the end of digital transparency.
Future Prediction #5: Search Engine
Right now, searching on TikTok isn’t as easy as it is on Instagram or Twitter. As of now, people prefer using social media to find information on products or local businesses. Around 40% of Gen Z users use social media instead of Google to get their information.
TikTok is upgrading its search functionality by letting users search keywords present in the comments instead of just the post. It seems like a small change, but the people at TikTok headquarters are analyzing their data constantly. We might see more search engine upgrades, other than hashtags, in the future.
Future Prediction #6: Features from Other Social Media Platforms
Instagram now has reels, and YouTube has short videos after taking inspiration from TikTok. It’s only fair that TikTok also starts to take inspiration from other platforms.
Titok now enables users to pin three of the top posts, just like Instagram does. The features help creators display their best work on the top so users don’t have to scroll too far.
Other than that, Tiktok has also partnered with IMDb to let their cinephile users tag shows and films in their videos. These tags can even lead you to more TikTok related to that piece of media.
The reason why people have an account on each social media app is to use all the different features. But now, it seems all of these platforms are merging with each other in terms of layout and functionality. This certainly makes the future of platforms interesting.
Takeaways: The Future of TikTok: Predictions and Trends
The fight between the social media giants to gain more users is never-ending. But you can leverage their algorithm to attract traffic. To get a little boost, you can always buy instant TikTok followers. Keep an eye out for recent trends, and you might just find the next big thing!