Is TikTok A Social Media Or Entertainment Platform? (2024)

A TikTok executive described the app as an entertainment platform and not a social mediaone.The short-form video app is arguably the most popular social media platform. It was the most downloaded app in 2020 and 2021. The site has had no end of viral trends that range from fun things to jump in on to dangerous ones. TikTok videos are also shared on other platforms because of the cool filters and tools the app provides to creators to make their videos.

TikTok isn’t the only social media company to rebrand. Facebook changed its name to Meta and announced a focus on the metaverse. It could be argued that Meta is still primarily a social media company while it builds out its metaverse and the products to go with it. Whatever someone wants to call these companies, it’s ultimately up to the users to decide how they use the products.

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At a marketing conference, Khartoon Weiss, the head of global agency and accounts at TikTok, said, “The audiences that love and build and create and connect with TikTok, they say they check Facebook, and they check Instagram and they check Twitter and they check Snap and they check things. But they don’t check TikTok. They tell us they watch TikTok.” This seemingly describes TikTok not as a social media platform but as an entertainment platform. One might argue that what TikTok is, depends on the individual user and how they are using it.

What Is TikTok?

YouTube is labeled a social media platform, but it could also be seen as an entertainment one. Users can watch a lot of different content. For example, there are music videos and tutorials on anything from cooking to DIY crafts and home projects. There are exercise videos that people can use to do at-home workouts. Publications create video content to share with their audience that lives on YouTube. There are shows on different subject matters, and for a while, there were even YouTube originals. All of that sounds more like an entertainment platform than a social media one. Users can also find many of these things on TikTok, mainly in a shorter format. And it has many other types ofvideos too.

YouTube and TikTok also provide the tools for creators to make their videos. YouTube is a little more professional, whereas TikTok has many fun features to play with to create engaging content. These companies also incentivize creators to make great content to keep their users on their sites longer. This sounds like a network or streaming service. They all want their creators to create content that leads viewers to that channel or streamer. So, some social media services have broken into the entertainment side of things. Social media was a great way for creators of TV shows, movies, books, and publications to engage with their viewers around the content they create for other mediums. TikTok creators make content that directly engages with their followers. Not all users generate content for their followers, though. Some are just having fun. And not all users are staying up-to-date on their favorite creators like they may a TV program. It’s got a vast user base that uses it to fit their own needs. So, while TikTok could be seen as an entertainment platform, many still use it as a social media one.

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Source: Fast Company