TikTok is Taking Over

TikTok is slowly taking over our office. At first, we were only mildly interested, perusing videos only when they were embedded in articles, or clicking on TikTok compilations on YouTube. But now, we’re spending hours on the app and constantly sending each other videos.

What initially drew us into TikTok was its familiarity to a long-gone favorite, Vine. We could watch TikTok’s digestible, quick videos without being overly invested — a beguiling idea in an age where we often feel pressured to do so. But what kept us coming back for more were TikTok users themselves: they’re culture makers and shapers. What starts or gains steam on TikTok reverberates through the culture: from Old Town Road, Lil Nas X’s genre-bending #1 hit, to viral dances, like the one created by Jalaiah Harmon to K-Camp’s song, Lottery. This isn’t just contained to the app, either; content and creators are crossing over beyond the app as well. One of TikTok’s most followed users, Noen Eubanks, can now be seen on ads as the face of the French label Cèline and for Calvin Klein.

The Newbies
If you’re unfamiliar with TikTok, this part’s for you. Like Vine, the app is popular amongst teenagers, but is exploding in use across generations. Similar to Instagram, the app is where it’s at. You can see what’s trending and click through hashtags on the browser version, but the most engaging parts of TikTok — commenting, messaging, the Following Page and the For You page — are only available on the app itself.

TikTok can be dizzying at first open: when you download and open the app, videos play immediately and endlessly; to any newcomer, it’s a disorienting experience. Given that the app is rife with absurd content, though, it’s fitting. Just let the confusion wash over you for a bit – sometimes that’s the best part of TikTok.

The Casuals
If you’re a bit more familiar with TikTok but still unsure of how to really dive in, this is for you. The shining star of TikTok is not necessarily its Following page — it’s the For You page. TikTok’s For You page is That Girl, doing what the other girls (ahem, Instagram Explore) simply cannot. You can see the For You page without an account, so long as you have the app, but the secret sauce is in creating an account to really get the algorithm to understand you. The For You page is where you get to see the best of TikTok, catered to your likes and interests — all of the challenges, the dances, the duets, the skis and the series.

Admittedly, getting your For You page just right takes some time. Our rec? Spend some time over a few days to really scroll and explore. You’ll probably get some lyrics stuck in your head (some of us have had Cookiee Kawaii’s Vibe stuck in our heads for days now) but we promise it’s worth it.

The Pros
So you’ve got an account. Your For You page is already poppin. You know all (or most) of the dances and with TikTok’s built-in editor and lo-fi approach, you’re basically ready to upload your own videos. There’s not much more we can teach you about navigating the app, but maybe you want to explore some new TikTok territory. This bit’s for you.

What’s truly wonderful about TikTok are the niche pockets of TikTok, like the digital hype houses, the subgenres, tags that encourage vulnerability, and the communities that surround specific creators. There’s the ‘Rosa Cinematic Universe’, which consists of the content that surrounds @adamrayokay’s iconic character Rosa. There’s the mesmerizing array of epoxy and resin art videos, including this piece, which preserves a half-eaten banana for posterity. And then there’s the wholesome content we all deserve: Gardening TikTok, with users like @gardenmarcus and @ggthegardengirl.

It’s these pockets of TikTok that make the app such a delight and worth the continued scroll.

With Vine recently reincarnated as Byte, there’s no guarantee that TikTok is going to maintain its place in the fluctuating landscape of social media. We’re betting it’s going to stick around for a while, though. So if you’re looking to share some of your favorite TikToks with someone, want to learn more about the RCU, or need to learn the choreo to Renegade, drop us a line.

Love,

the projects*