Wednesday 9 August 2023

A Brief Guide to TikTok Trends

Calling TikTok popular would be an understatement. In 2022 alone, the app had over 800 million active users, and that number is set to grow exponentially over the following years. Furthermore, over 80% of users fall between the ages of 16 and 34. In other words, it caters to a young, hip, internet-savvy crowd — a crowd of trendsetters.

Nowadays, you can’t browse the app without running into a set of videos with a similar format, each with millions of views. New trends crop up on a weekly basis so fast that even active users can’t keep up.

But what exactly are TikTok trends, and how do they come about? And more importantly, can you use TikTok trends to grow a brand or expand your current reach? Well, that’s what we’re here to help you figure out. 

What Is a TikTok Trend?

In the briefest terms possible, a TikTok trend is a type of short video that people can easily imitate, replicate, and make their own. For example, a user can post a brief clip of them dancing using a particular hand motion. Other TikTokers can find the video entertaining and use that same hand motion in their own posts, thus helping the trend spread.

In essence, TikTok trends last for only a short period of time and are a mix between a meme and a popular fad. Below is a list of some popular trend formats that make their rounds on the app.

Challenges

A TikTok challenge is a type of video where the creator asks a user to perform a certain action. It can involve anything, from lip-syncing or dancing in your pajamas to imitating a particular gesture. These trends are highly popular since they encourage fans of certain TikTokers to create their own content. Some of the popular ones from 2022 include Shoot in the Sky, Learn Something New, and the Journal Challenge.

Dances

Dances are incredibly popular on TikTok since users can create their own choreography and perform it to a popular song. Certain dance moves, especially if they’re simple enough, can be imitated easily by others, which promotes engagement and content creation. Some of the most viewed and liked dances over the past year include the Box, the Say So, and the Tap In.

Sounds

Snippets of dialogue, onomatopoeia, sound effects, and animal noises — all of these make for great additions to your TikTok videos. Adding a specific brief recognizable sound to video content will result in instant engagement by your followers.

Songs

Picking trending songs can boost your views and increase exposure. Users in 2022, for instance, tended to choose some hot tracks like Captain (Whistle), Own Brand Freestyle, and L$d. And you don’t even have to lip-sync to the song you choose. Simply playing it in the background while you perform a stunt can just as easily help you create a viral trend.

Transformations

Whether it’s pre-makeup/post-makeup videos or seamless transitions from one outfit to the next, transformation content is highly popular on the platform. Its main appeal is that it’s wowing and dazzling, as it plays off the element of surprise.

Features

TikTok provides its users with lots of editing features that make the videos unique, such as the BeeCut, Zoomerang, Magisto, and Funimate. Some of these features include different video and audio filters that transform your content in creative ways. More often than not, you’ll see TikTokers use these features to make their content stand out.

Mashups

One video, multiple songs; that’s roughly the gist of mashup TikToks. Lots of people who aim to be DJs tend to mix different tracks and get an interesting final result. Others can merely juxtapose two or more different songs for comedic effect.

Figuring out what a new TikTok trend might be is difficult for newcomers since it comes and goes so fast. However, there are ways to figure out what is popular and how to pick up on the latest trends. To find out, make sure to do the following:

  • Expand your interests beyond your niche (e.g., gaming, cooking, sports, photography, etc.);
  • Spend a bit of time on TikTok and scroll through the home page every now and again;
  • Keep track of any current global events, as well as the latest trends in popular culture;
  • Focus on the type of music you hear or even individual songs; TikTok may be a video app, but a lot of its appeal is built on music and audio in general;
  • Follow popular and knowledgeable TikTok experts;
  • Peruse the popular hashtags;
  • Consider the longevity of certain trends; some have staying power, while others are fairly limited and quickly fade to obscurity.

Relevance and Relatability

By following a particular trend, you show your followers that you relate to them on a personal level. They’ll know that you’re keeping up with the times, in a sense. As such, you’ll be drawing a bigger, contemporary crowd.

Expanding Your Reach

In order to gain new followers, you can jump on an existing TikTok trend. Considering that users often binge content related to the same trend, they are likely to come across your video and give it a watch.

User Sentiment

Any financial or business expert today will tell you that user sentiment is vital in both marketing and brand growth. You need to know first-hand what your users prefer when it comes to their online content. Once you do, you can use that knowledge and cater to both old and new users with trendy viral TikToks.

Influencer Partnerships

When researching trends, you’ll inevitably run into talented influencers who know how to make a viral post. Naturally, you will want to connect with them and strike up partnerships to expand your business and reach new audiences.

Competitor Strategies

As a TikTok user with a brand that you wish to expand, bear in mind that you won’t be the only one browsing the platform. Your direct competitors will also actively try to jump on the TikTok trend bandwagon. However, their presence on the platform is an excellent opportunity for you to study how the competition thinks. You can even think up new ideas based solely on observing what the competitors do.

The post A Brief Guide to TikTok Trends appeared first on Buzzoid.

No comments:

Post a Comment