Gen Z makes TikTok the most engaging social media platform

For illustrative purposes only | Photo by grinvalds iStock / Getty Images Plus, St. George News

FEATURE (AP) — Over one billion users in over 150 countries spend quality time scrolling through TikTok, the most influential social media platform today. Stomping over the previous leader Instagram, TikTok influencers have locked in fans mesmerized by their meal preparation, financial prowess, makeup artistry, DIY living and life stories full of horror and heartbreak.

A recent study shows that TikTok currently is the most engaging social media platform | iStock / Getty Images Plus, St. George News

Here’s a look at how TikTok has taken the social media space by storm and captivated one of the largest target markets in the U.S., the Gen Zs.

TikTok leads in engagement

The most significant difference between TikTok and other platforms is that other giants like Facebook and Instagram are still mainly image-focused. A recent study analyzed 27 million posts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok to determine the average engagement rate for each social media platform.

The conclusion was that TikTok is currently the most engaging social media platform, with an average engagement rate of 5.96%. TikTok has created a gaping hole between itself and Instagram, as it only has an engagement rate of 0.83%. Following that are Facebook at 0.13% and Twitter at 0.05%.

It’s not lost on social media marketers that video content is the preferred medium for engagement and this study further supports it. In fact, between 2021 and 2022, TikTok’s average engagement rates increased, whereas, for each of the other social media platforms, their rate of engagement experienced a decline. TikTok is likely to attract even more users away from the other social media platforms in the future.

Industries with highest engagement on TikTok

The industries on TikTok with the highest engagement include fast-moving consumer goods, beverages, jewelry, arts and crafts and media. TikTok users are so captivated by these videos that they have an average user session of 10.85 minutes, twice as long as Pinterest users and more than three times longer than people on Instagram.

With Gen Z set to become the largest generation in the U.S., it’s no surprise that they are TikTok’s biggest supporters, followed by Millenials.

Gen Zers have highest engagement

Sixty percent of TikTok users are Gen Zers, so it’s no surprise that this generation has helped TikTok engagement skyrocket past all other social media platforms. It is expected that Gen Z will become a population of approximately 74 million in the U.S by 2023.

The Gen Z audience is excellent news for TikTok. They are the most significant target market and trendsetters, so Gen Zers will continue to draw in an audience who wants to know about the latest trends in every niche. It’s also a win for corporations and big brands who want to increase awareness of their products with the help of TikTok influencers.

The draw of TikTok

What is it about TikTok that keeps users coming back again and again? According to Nielsen, there are four reasons why TikTok is so attractive to users: authenticity, joy, discovery, and unique advertising space.

From the audience’s perspective, they believe that TikTok shows genuine, unfiltered, honest, and unique content. 64% of users feel like they can be themselves on the platform, and 56% feel they can post videos that they wouldn’t post on any other platform.

A relationship where users trust the content creators is vital to TikTok as it leads to intense engagement levels. It’s also the exact relationship advertisers seek to help pump their products.

TikTok brings joy

When TikTok’ers were asked in a survey by GlobalWebIndex how they primarily use TikTok, most of the responses were to find funny and entertaining content. Clearly, TikTok is delivering on this search criteria with its ever-increasing engagement rates.

TikTok appears to have a dopamine-like effect that keeps drawing in users. According to a study by Nielsen that TikTok commissioned, 31% of the users describe their positive vibes, saying that “lifting their spirits” is one of the top three reasons they keep returning to the platform.

TikTok is an information hub

As mentioned, TikTok is a place to discover the latest trends. People can find new content, the latest products, and new brands, so it’s not only fun but also informative. Nielsen states that 85% of the respondents find new content that they enjoy through TikTok.

Finally, because users deem TikTok to be authentic and uplifting, they consider the content unique among the other social media platforms. Luckily for TikTok, businesses and brands have also been able to mimic this sentiment and create unique and fun content.

What TikTok has managed to accomplish and eluded other social media platforms is creating a sense of community. Users find the content on this platform to be genuine, enjoyable, relatable, honest, and unfiltered. They feel it’s a place where people can express themselves and share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas without judgment.

With engagement rates surpassing other social media platforms, TikTok has tapped into the hearts and minds of Gen Z and others and will continue to influence how they think and spend their money.

Written by TYLER WEAVER, The Associated Press, via the Wealth of Geeks Network

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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