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Research Outline

Prepared for Avin N. | Delivered May 7, 2020

Tiktok: Perceptions

Goals

To identify changes in usage patterns of Tiktok users, growth forecasts after COVID-19, quotes or articles from entertainment executives talking about how TikTok is now more important than ever, and any academic/ scholarly studies charting the rise and future potential of TikTok.

Early Findings

  • The New Indian Express has reported that there has been a surge in demand for Tiktok during the Coronavirus lockdowns across the globe. The app is increasingly being used by adults looking for ways to pass the time during the pandemic.
  • It states that according to SensorTower, Tiktok has been downloaded 65 million times worldwide in March 2020. This is in addition to the 800 million existing downloads as of January. CNN notes that Tiktok has been downloaded 315 million times from January-March, the highest ever for an app during a single quarter. Tiktok now has 2 billion users, double the number from 15 months ago.
  • An analyst from eMarketer has remarked that "with all of the negative news that people are hearing on a daily basis from other media, TikTok is something different." This is supported by the finding that the hashtag #happyathome has had more than 7.9 billion views. The analyst has also stated that it is still unclear if the increase in engagement from adults will continue once things get back to normal.
  • eMarketer had predicted that the number of US users of Tiktok will grow from 37 million to 45 million during this year, but has not altered its forecast to reflect the impact from the Coronavirus.
  • The Los Angeles Times has reported that Tiktok was "already on an upward trajectory before the coronavirus crisis, but its popularity skyrocketed during the pandemic." The article further states that Tiktok creators have seen an increased demand for home entertainment viewing. App Annie has commented that "it’s in that environment that an app like TikTok really flourishes because people are turning to their phones for entertainment."
  • An article from the KPI Agency states that a large number of celebrities had embraced the platform during the first few months of 2020 and that it is rapidly gaining popularity among older demographics.
  • However, the article explains that the age and income demographics of Tiktok users are significantly different than most people think. Even before the widespread adoption of the platform during the Coronavirus pandemic, 49% of users were aged 35+ with 37% of users having a household income of greater than USD100k (as of March 2019).