Today we are going to explain what TikTok is, where it comes from, and what it offers. We are talking about an Asian social network based on sharing music videos, which has been achieving incredible results in recent months. This past October it managed to surpass Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat in number of downloads, confirming itself as one of the surprises of the year.
We are going to start by explaining to you what this new social network is, who is behind it, and how it has managed to become so strong. Afterward, we will explain briefly so that you can understand what you can do with it and that you know how to differentiate it from other alternatives such as Instagram, Snapchat, or YouTube, even if it drinks from concepts that these three great alternatives have.
What is TikTok
The original name of the app is Douyin which means “shake music” in Chinese. This name suits it since it is a social network based on sharing small music clips. However, outside of China it is called TikTok, and you can find it available for both iOS and Android.
The app was released in September 2016, and it only took 200 days to develop, so it seems they had a pretty clear idea. Its growth has also had spectacular speed, because if according to Chinese portals, last February the partner network had a total of 66 million daily active users, in October 2018 other sources suggest that it has already exceeded the 130 million barriers. of users.
Regarding its operation, TikTok allows you to create, edit, and upload 1-minute music selfies, being able to apply various effects and add a musical background. It also has some Artificial Intelligence features and includes flashy special effects, filters, and augmented reality features.
All this is offered in a simple way, and with easy-to-use editing options so that everyone can make fun videos without having much editing knowledge. In addition, the application includes other functions such as the possibility of sending messages, voting, lists of friends, and, of course, a system of followers and followers. Very Instagram-like, but focused on videos.
Who is behind TikTok
Behind the app is Chinese tech company Bytedance, whose most popular product is the AI-based news aggregator Toutiao, which has around 120 million users in China. It is also an aggregator peppered with controversy due to the censorship imposed on its content when the Chinese government requests it.
Bytedance is also the company that bought Musical.ly for $1 billion in November 2017, and between the two platforms, they have a total of 150 million monthly active users worldwide, with 10 billion video views every day.
After the acquisition, Bytedance spent several months treating both almost twin applications as a single unit, until in August 2018 it killed musical.ly to merge it with TikTok, which has been one of the main reasons it has grown so much. so dizzying in recent months, going from 100 million to 130 million users in a quarter.
What can you do with Tik Tok
If you have ever used Musical.ly, you already know what you can do with TikTok since both applications have always been similar, and after merging the options both could have been unified. In summary, you can think of this social network as a kind of Instagram dedicated to small music videos, although it is also used to make all kinds of compositions, memes, and jokes.
The application has a main screen where you can see the popular videos or those of people you follow, being able to swipe up or down to go through the videos. There’s also a browse page where you can search for clips and users, or browse hashtags that might interest you. When you watch a video, it is displayed in full screen, with a series of icons on the right with which you can follow the user, like, comment, or share the clip.
The application has a main screen where you will directly see a selection of all types of content. Also, like Instagram, it has a second search category where you can either perform searches by hand or automatically see results for the top hashtags available.
In the center, you also have the button where you can access the great protagonist of the application, its video recording and editing tool. You can record your videos with several shots since the app only records while you hold down the corresponding button. Of course, before starting to record the video you will have several options for filters and effects with which you can control them.
When editing the video, you can select shots or phases in which to add other types of effects on your own. For example, you have a series of Instagram-style filters, as well as different types of effects to manipulate the videos. The editor will mark the different areas in which you have edited the video with different colors.
Beyond videos, post mode also lets you create slider videos from a series of photos you choose. In addition, the application also includes a section in which you can send messages to other users as you can also do on Instagram, and even edit your profile and the data you say about yourself.
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
