How TikTok Became the Hottest Gen Z Platform

Originally dubbed as the rip-off of Musical.ly, TikTok launched in 2016 and has rapidly become the hottest social media platform for younger generations - especially Gen Z. From entertaining pranks to how-to videos, the new social media sensation has captured the attention of 30.8 million users worldwide. But what exactly makes TikTok so appealing?

TikTok’s Addictive Algorithm 

We all know the feeling of hitting a slump when you finish a TV series you loved and can’t decide what to watch next. Well, with TikTok’s For You Page, the world is your oyster and users never find themselves in the need to search for new content or creators. TikTok’s algorithm is able to accurately predict what each user will love which makes their individual experience extremely convenient and… addictive. The more users engage on the app, the more accurate TikTok will be able to feed them new entertainment and hence the longer they will spend scrolling. This cycle is a large contributor as to why the average time spent on TikTok is 95 minutes per day compared to the average 30 minutes per day spent on Instagram. 

Goldfish Are More Focused than Gen Z

Believe it or not, the average human attention span is less than the estimated 9 second attention span of a goldfish. According to research, our average attention spans have decreased from 12 seconds (2000) to 8.25 seconds (2015). Therefore, TikTok’s original 15-second video lengths were the perfect duration to capture the fleeting attention of Gen Z who infamously watches YouTube videos at two times speed. By forcing creators to cram their content into bite-sized videos and cut out the unnecessary fluff, TikTok pioneered the short-form video industry and is currently forcing traditional platforms to follow suit with the introduction of Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.