Learning about different cultures and having a closer connection to favourite brands were important to TikTok users this year and will continue to be so in 2024, according to the social network’s latest report.
The trend forecast says that “brands that will see the most success will regularly pique global curiosities, flip traditional story arcs and deepen trust with their audiences.” It is based on the findings of the company’s annual survey, which this year revealed that 40% of users believed the app introduces them to new topics they didn’t even know they liked. On the creative front, the survey revealed that ads with an “intriguing narrative structure” keep viewers’ attention 1.4 times longer than average.
“In an era where storytelling has become predictable, TikTok showcases creativity without a typical beginning, middle or end,” TikTok global head of business marketing Sofia Hernandez tells MiC.
TikTok also found that people are looking for engagement with brands that goes beyond singular events like a sale, and respondents indicated TikTok is providing a platform for that. The report said that after seeing an ad on TikTok, viewers said they trust the brand 41% more, are 31% more likely to be brand loyal and 33% more likely to say the brand is a good fit with “who they are as a person.”
TikTokers are also eager to connect with brands that are leading positive social change and are transparent. “It will be key for brands to consider each campaign and organic piece of content as an opportunity to share, listen and learn, building brand trust and values together to generate deeper loyalty on- and off-platform,” according to the report.
Learning is also important for TikTokers, who will continue to visit the platform to gain insights on sports, food, fashion, travel and beauty from around the world, according to the report. In the survey, users said the social network “makes the global feel more local” – around 74% of those surveyed believed that TikTok connects them with people from different backgrounds, and 67% said they have learned a lot about different cultures on the platform.
Finding and being part of a community were highlighted as key reasons people visit the platform. The report states that in 2023, people were eager to forge close relationships and find a safe place to escape the overwhelming world. Seventy-one percent said it was easy to bond with others by sharing life experiences on the social network.
Photo via Unsplash
