TikTok unveils new analytical capabilities for pro users
TikTok unveiled new analytics features for creators using the platform. TikTok Analytics provides users with the performance data for their videos to measure their reach and impact. The announcement comes at the heels of President Trump’s order directing the company to divest in the US by November 12.
Since its launch in 2017, TikTok has become one of the most popular social platforms in the US with over a 100 million users. In just over a year, it surpassed Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat in monthly installs in the App Store. TikTok started out as an iteration of Musical.ly, an app that was identical to TikTok and was launched in 2014 by Chinese Entrepreneurs Alex Zhu and LuyuYand. ByteDance acquired Musical.ly for $1 billion in November 2017 and merged it with TikTok.
Also read: Why Big Tech Wants Social Media Platforms: Microsoft’s Play for TikTok
Despite the app’s popularity and its parent company’s unprecedented valuation, countries across the globe have raised concerns over its alleged data sharing arrangements with China. TikTok’s privacy policy leaves a door open to responding to government requests — without specifying which governments. It reads: “We may disclose your information to respond to subpoenas, court orders, legal process, law enforcement requests, legal claims, or government inquiries.â€
I have deleted the TIK TOK app off all my devices. Hopefully a less intrusive company (data farming) that isn’t owned by China can recreate the concept legally, such funny and amazing content on the app from influencers.
— Ninja (@Ninja) July 9, 2020Opens a new window
Me trying to decide if I should turn @tiktokOpens a new window back on … pic.twitter.com/oHcHkq6wH3Opens a new window
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 9, 2020Opens a new window
Regardless of whether you believe the platform to be a security threat, the new features announced by the company are aimed at making it a more robust proposition for marketers and video creators.Â
TikTok Analytics: A Strategic Move To Bolster Business Relevance?
TikTok Analytics tools available on TikTok Pro accounts provide users with insights on how to improve performance and maximize content value. TikTok users looking to access this information will first need to switch to a Pro account. Users can access the analytics page on the desktop by hovering over their profile photo in the upper-right section of the screen and clicking “View Analyticsâ€.
Also read: TikTok’s Super Bowl Partnerships Drive Second-Screen Ad Experience
There are three elements that the company has made available to users under analytics:
- Overview: This section provides a general summary of an account’s performance over time. Users can see the total number of times their videos were viewed, users who followed them, and profile views.
- Content: Users can check their uploads from here. Content provides a list of uploads form the past seven days in the order of newest to oldest videos. Users will also be able to view information on videos that are trending on their account.
- Followers: This tab displays follower count over time to provide users with an insight into audience growth. Users can also access information around engagement such as total likes, comments, and shares that their views have received.
In addition to this, users will now also be able to see analytics for videos they’ve shared on the platform. They will be able to view the watch time, total views, average watch time and more information about audience traffic.
“In reviewing your analytics, we recommend considering the big picture of your video performance over time. Lots of factors determine how content is recommended in the For You feedOpens a new window , so no one engagement metric is necessarily more important than another as you survey how your videos are performing.Â
You should make note of high-level trends in your analytics, and broadly how audiences are engaging with your content and account – rather than focusing on a single metric (such as likes or comments) from video to video,†the company noted in their blog post.
Also read: TikTok: A New Type of Social Media Marketing to Reach Younger Consumers
The timing of the announcement couldn’t have been better as the company looks for a potential buyer to divest its stake in the US. While TikTok has been around for three years now, only recently has its popularity spiked in the country. Launching new analytical capabilities only makes the company more appealing to potential buyers and most importantly – marketers and creators on the platform. Although TikTok is too big to be a fringe platform – some marketers and brands would argue that it still has ground to cover in order to become a mainstream social platform like Facebook or Twitter.
With advanced analytical capabilities, TikTok is one step closer to becoming a social media platform of choice for brands and marketers. And while it remains to be seen how and if its acquisition takes place, TikTok has undeniably had a lasting impact on American popular culture.