What Features Make TikTok Such A Good Social App?

You can find hundreds of social media platforms on the Internet. Some are targeted specifically at users in geographic areas or regions, others are tailored to meet the needs of niche users — and then there are the ones like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) that everyone’s familiar with.

TikTok, however, is the app of choice for an enormous number of people, particularly millennials and those in Gen Z and Gen A. Nearly 80% of TikTok’s American users, for example, belong to one of those three demographic groups.

What explains TikTok’s popularity?

5 Reasons Why TikTok Is Such a Good Social Platform

1. The TikTok Algorithms

TikTok’s many innovations can be credited with turning it into a social media sensation in the late 2010s, but none was more important than the computer algorithms that determine which TikTok videos are shown on users’ For You page (FYP).

Those proprietary algorithms are far better than competitors’ at tracking surfers’ behaviors and preferences, letting the system display a continuous stream of relevant TikTok content that matches individual users’ interests and keeps them satisfied for long periods. TikTok boasts the highest “most time spent watching per month” of any social platform, largely for that reason.

In fact, acquiring TikTok’s algorithms is the primary motivation for companies interested in purchasing TikTok, if it has to be sold to comply with US law.

2. User-Generated Content

The vast majority of TikTok posts are created by smaller accounts. That differs from most other apps, where the large number of corporate media producers and people sharing clips from mainstream media can overwhelm content shot by “the little guys.”

That makes the platform’s content more interesting and more relatable to a large number of younger users, particularly since it’s shot by individuals who are approximately the same age and share the same interests and points of view.

3. Trends

No app does a better job of illuminating (and in many cases, starting) trends. From TikTok dance challenges to the platform’s enormous importance in popularizing new songs and giving exposure to new fashion choices, TikTok is far ahead of competitors in showing users what’s trending in the social and lifestyle worlds and allowing them to join in.

The platform’s tools for content creators are also groundbreaking when it comes to letting them use the latest trending sounds, Stitch or Duet with trending videos, and research trending topics to include in their TikTok content.

4. Ease of Use

There’s essentially no learning curve for first-time TikTok users. The app is intuitive and fun, and it takes no time to understand and begin enjoying the basic TikTok feeds and functions.

It’s almost as simple for first-time content creators to record their first videos. Users don’t have to contend with difficult in-app video editors or use third-party apps to create great content. (They can, however, take advantage of CapCut’s symbiotic relationship with TikTok to produce more elaborate videos, another big plus.)

5. Much More than Dances and Lip-Syncing

While TikTok initially made its name for the viral dance and lip-syncing challenges it gave birth to, there’s content on the platform to satisfy virtually any interest or need. Whether it’s humorous and prank videos, fashion unboxing reveals, home repair tutorials, nature videos, or almost anything else, the app has an endless supply of content addressing the topics users search for.

That’s even more important when considering the vast age range of TikTok content creators. Not only are there enormous numbers of posts on every subject, but there are videos shot from the point of view of almost every age group. That combination is what makes the platform feel so relevant — and such a popular choice for almost every social media user.