SOCIAL MEDIA

TikTok will take over social media, leaving other platforms to adapt

By our News Team | 2021

Trends report predicts that TikTok is on its way to dominance in 2022 and other platforms will be scrambling to emulate its approach.

Is TikTok well on its way to social media dominance, leaving other platforms to adapt in its wake? The answer, according to one recent study, is ‘yes’.

The ‘Social Media Trends Report’, released by consumer intelligence company Talkwalker in conjunction with marketing-software developed HubSpot, predicts other social media will be playing catch-up with TikTok next year.

“If there is one trend that is almost guaranteed as we move into 2022, it’s the continued domination of TikTok. The short-term video platform has broken download records, quickly becoming the go-to app for connecting with current and future consumers,” the reports says.

Image by antonbe from Pixabay

“Powered by a highly personalised content recommendation system, TikTok can help brands gain exposure to, and connect with, a qualified, engaged audience. As the app looks to introduce an e-commerce aspect and monetization model, brands that want to connect with consumers need to be TikTok savvy.”

Milestone of one billion monthly users

According to the website Social Media Today, TikTok has continued to steadily grow, and build on its foundations, and has now reached a new milestone of one billion monthly active users.

It says the platform has generated huge audience response and has quickly become the template for the next stage of social media development, with almost every social app now seeking to copy TikTok’s key elements and align with evolving usage trends.

“Indeed, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest are all in the process of trying TikTok-like options – which, given TikTok’s meteoric rise, makes perfect sense,” Social Media Today says.

“For context, TikTok has gone from 54-million users in January 2018 to a billion now, meaning it added some 950-million users in around 45 months. Instagram went from 100-million actives in February 2013, to a billion in June 2018 (66 months), which is not directly comparable due to different rates of mobile connectivity, usage, etc. But it does provide some measure of TikTok’s success.”

Pre-conference masterclass discusses taking African brands to the world

Participants challenged to identify, articulate and commercialise the cultural assets that make their brand ready for a global audience.

Three people stand side by side in front of a sports direct backdrop the woman in the middle holds a blue and orange 'sports direct' sign

Africa’s first Sports Direct retail store opens its doors in Nairobi

Second outlet planned for Nairobi before year end, with Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco said to be future target markets.

Person wearing a beige sweater holds a phone with a translucent search bar reading 'search' and microphonecamera icons in the foreground

Search is fragmenting – credibility and trust create the new visibility

Online search behaviour has changed significantly with the rise of AI. How can African brands adapt to this new marketing landscape?

Person shopping at a deli counter holding an orange shopping basket in a cheese section of a supermarket

The move toward future-ready food packaging where materials meet AI

Researchers propose a framework for packaging that senses, learns and acts – making packaging an active, AI-powered tool against food waste.

Conference stage with a woman in a patterned dress speaking to an audience large screens display '' logos and banners for a marketers conference with 'institute of marketing in malawi' branding on stage panels and backdrop

Malawi’s marketers urged to put trust at the heart of the profession

Country needs marketers to build recognition and consumer trust around Malawian products and national brand, says Deputy Minister.

Lingerie brand creates street-stopping advertising in Manhattan

Fashion brand suspends giant lingerie high above the city’s streets, using shadows to create a moving billboard for pedestrians and motorists.

We know AI influencers aren’t real – so why do we trust them?

Researchers describe AI influencers as having a ‘dual identity’. Consumers evaluate both ‘person’ and ‘technology’ identities at once.

Hotel receptionist assisting a guest at the check in counter with a gray suitcase nearby behind the desk

Why trust has become a critical asset for hotel industry marketers

Reputation and trust, once modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage, study finds.

Three people in formal attire pose for a photo at an awards event a woman in a pink dress holds a trophy while two men in suits stand beside her against a gold confetti backdrop

FNB bank’s eBucks programme dominates the 2026 SA loyalty awards

South African brands are increasingly setting the global benchmark for customer loyalty strategies, organisers say.

Portrait of a man with short black hair and a beard wearing a black button down shirt against a light gray background

Zambia’s strongest creative ideas are emerging from local truths

Global influences among younger consumers are still present, but they are being filtered through a distinctly Zambian lens.

Yellow humanoid robot at a bakery counter inspecting a display of donuts on display in front of glass cases

Consumers have doubts about products when they’re designed by AI

Researchers find that lack of perceived ‘genuine care’ is the mechanism connecting AI involvement to lower trust ratings.