Introduction, trends, and usage of short videos and TikTok in 2023

Short videos have become a ubiquitous part of our lives, with the rise of platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. In 2023, the trend of consuming and creating short-form videos is expected to continue its upward trajectory. Short videos have become a favoured medium of communication, entertainment, and self-expression for Gen Z and Millennials, who make up the largest user base of these platforms.

The usage of short-form videos has extended beyond entertainment to also include education, marketing, and activism. For instance, educators have begun using TikTok as a teaching tool, creating engaging videos that simplify complex topics for students. Brands have also recognized the potential of short videos to reach younger audiences and have launched campaigns on these platforms. Finally, short videos have also become a tool for social change, with activists using them to raise awareness about various social issues.

TikTok: A Winning Marketing Strategy of World's Fastest-Growing Platform for Businesses

Background

TikTok has established itself as one of the most significant social media platforms globally, with more than 2 billion downloads and over 1 billion active users every month. Despite its immense popularity, particularly among Gen Z users, businesses have been slow in adopting the nascent video-sharing platform for their social media marketing strategies.

Methodology

To assist you in refining your TikTok marketing strategy for 2023, we analyzed the TikTok presence of over 300 brands by connecting more than 650 video creators and marketing experts from popular brands. Our survey report and these figures demonstrated the growing global influence of TikTok, as well as its popularity across diverse cultures and demographics. Our research also aimed to identify what approaches are successful on the platform and what strategies are less effective.

The TikTok Effect: How Short Video Marketing is Taking Over in 2023?

TikTok is a prime example of the popularity and impact of short-form videos. Launched in 2016, the platform has amassed over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. TikTok's algorithm-driven content discovery mechanism has made it a go-to platform for users seeking bite-sized entertainment. The platform's short video format, coupled with its vast music library and filters, has led to the creation of viral trends and challenges that have gone on to shape popular culture.

TikTok Quarterly Downloads from 2017 to 2022

According to our research and findings, TikTok has been downloaded over 2 billion times worldwide and currently stands as one of the most popular apps globally.

The pandemic-induced global lockdown has played a significant role in its growth, with many people turning to TikTok as a source of entertainment and income. As a result, the platform has emerged as a lucrative opportunity for content creators and businesses looking to tap into its large and engaged user base.

TikTok's Phenomenal Reach and Impact Across the Globe

Our report further highlights that the United States had the largest TikTok audience worldwide, with a staggering 113 million users actively engaging with the popular social video platform.

Indonesia followed closely behind with around 110 million TikTok users, while Brazil secured the third spot with almost 82 million users watching short videos on TikTok by January 2023. These figures demonstrate the growing global influence of TikTok, as well as its popularity across diverse cultures and demographics.

Usage of TikTok short videos over other Social Media Platforms

The level of engagement on TikTok is significantly higher than on many other social media platforms, which can make it an attractive option for businesses and brands looking to reach a highly engaged audience.

Moreover, TikTok is more extensively used by women than men. Based on our survey we found that approximately 55% of girls and women aged 16-35 prefer to use TikTok for entertainment purposes, while 43% of males also prefer to use TikTok over other platforms.

Among global internet users aged 16 to 64, around 18% are estimated to be using TikTok

In June 2021, TikTok achieved a significant milestone of 3 billion downloads worldwide. In Q1 2022, TikTok saw a record 315 million downloads, which excludes downloads from Chinese third-party app stores.
These statistics demonstrate the growing popularity of TikTok as a widely used social media platform with a significant global reach.
According to our survey, 14% of marketers intend to increase their spending on social media in 2023. However, only a small fraction of marketers (3%) considers TikTok as the most effective social media channel for their marketing efforts.

Popularity of TikTok from 2021 to 2022

TikTok allows users to create and share videos that are up to 60 seconds long and has become increasingly popular due to its unique features and content format. TikTok's user base is also highly engaged, with users spending an average of 52 minutes per day on the app.

In Q3 of 2021, TikTok achieved the milestone of reaching 1 billion users,1.8 bn in 2022. Our survey projected that these statistics are expected to grow further and reach over 2.3 billion users by the end of 2023.

Business Statistics explaining Application of TikTok Marketing

As TikTok's user base expands, businesses have an opportunity to tap into the platform's vast audience and increase their brand exposure. Our objective here was to determine which strategies are effective and which ones are not on the platform. So, as per our findings:

TikTok advertisements reach 17.9% of all internet users aged 18 and above.
The number of people over the age of 18 who can be reached by TikTok ads is 884.9 million, which accounts for 15.9% of the global population of this age group.
TikTok has the highest reach among Gen Z users, with 25% of female users aged 18-24 and 17.9% of male users being reached by the platform.
TikTok ads are now reaching up to 50.3% of US adults, or 130,962,500 people. The top advertising markets are the US, Indonesia, Brazil, and Mexico.

TikTok: Advertising audience overview

The potential audience aged 18+ that marketers can reach with ads on TikTok. Global overview of data available on January 2022.

Potential reach of ads on TikTok

884.9 Million

TikTok ad reach age vs total population

11.2%

Quarter-on-quarter change in TikTok ad reach

+7.3%
(60 Million)

Year-on-year change in TikTok ad reach

N/A

TikTok ad reach age vs total internet users

17.9%

TikTok ad reach age vs population

15.9%

Female TikTok ad reach vs total TikTok ad reach

57.0%

Male TikTok ad reach vs total TikTok ad reach

43.0%

Almost half of the top brands are not on TikTok yet

We've set out to analyze brand presence on TikTok and selected a random sample of the largest and most recognizable international brand names. Out of the 317 brands analyzed, around 50% have an official TikTok account and about 47% of these brands have posted content on the platform

The most successful brand categories on TikTok in 2022.

Our next objective was to examine the top-performing brands active on TikTok. We calculated the mean view count for each brand's videos and averaged it across various industry categories. According to the findings, Tech & IT brands appeared to have the best performance, with over 2.3 million views per post, followed by Food & Beverages, Gaming, and Media.

Usage of music helps brands to unleash their marketing potential on TikTok

Music is the lifeblood of TikTok videos. Out of the 650 video creators we surveyed, almost 80% prefer to use featured music.

According to marketing experts, approximately 62% used upbeat music, while less than 10% of the videos incorporated suspenseful or calming music.

Looking into the future. Trends, Popularity and Usage in 2023

The usage of short-form videos has extended beyond entertainment to also include education, marketing, and activism. It has become the most crucial tool which is high in demand for social changes from raising awareness to marketing products and solutions. This survey report demonstrated and explained the application of TikTok marketing, with TikTok advertisements reaching 17.9% of all internet users aged 18 and above.

In conclusion, it also suggested that TikTok's popularity is likely to continue its upward trajectory in 2023, with a projected user base of over 2.3 billion by the end of the year. The platform's algorithm-driven content discovery mechanism and short video format make it a go-to platform for users seeking bite-sized entertainment, with a highly engaged user base.

Therefore, businesses and content creators are encouraged to adopt TikTok for their social media marketing strategies, with the platform offering a lucrative opportunity to increase brand exposure.

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