TikTok releases new data on topic performance in the platform.
TikTok released a new report yesterday that highlights key themes that witnessed significant growth in interest on the platform throughout 2020.
The “What’s Next†report identified the following themes as the most interesting on TikTok:
- Home renovation: With much of America working remotely due to the pandemic, home is now the place where people spend most of their day. The home improvement category witnessed a 156% spike in November 2020. Under these circumstances, more and more TikTok creators are making the changes themselves while inviting others to join them on their journey. This drives significant growth of engagement from the community.
Also read: The Battle for TikTok’s Acquisition: What Is in It for Advertisers?
- Camping: In one of the most interesting trends, TikTok found that camping topics registered a 113% growth in engagement. From pitching a tent in the living room to fueling the flames of nostalgia with a treehouse out back, TikTok witnessed countless creative takes on all things camping-under-quarantine. After the year we have had, it makes sense why camping videos made such a splash in 2020.
- Video games: In what continues to be a popular global theme, gaming on TikTok registered a whopping 104% increase in engagement. The gaming community is really active on the platform. The report found that gamers love to share little stories about their encounters with other gamers, recreate gaming scenarios in real life, or share their proudest achievements.
- Cooking: Another popular theme through the quarantine has been cooking. With the lockdown prompting many of us to spend more time in the kitchen, TikTokers have provided millions of answers to the eternal question – what is for dinner? It is really no surprise that cooking emerged as one of the most popular categories on TikTok. Compelling visuals and ASMR have proved to be a sure-fire way of attracting audiences on the platform. TikTok found that immersive, POV video experiences enjoyed the highest engagement rates.
Also read: 235M Social Media Accounts From Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Exposed
What Does This Mean for Marketers?
Although there is not much data to go on, marketers can use these engagement insights to target specific audiences better.
The original ban placed on TikTok by the Trump administration is under scrutiny now. However, at this point, nothing is certain. What could be interesting for marketers, though, is that the Joe Biden administration has halted the proceedings to conduct a fresh review of the app’s impact on national security. The sale of TikTok is on hold, but the platform has been growing its audience-base in North America steadily. It will be interesting to see if TikTok does become a mainstream marketing channel for brands in 2021.