This misconception of TikTok, that it’s an
app for tedious dancing children, is one that belies the opportunities available – as well as the demographics of its user base, as MJ Widomska, founder and director at YRS TRULY, explains. “This may come as a shock for many, but
TikTok is no longer a platform for lip syncing teens,” says Widomska. “Its user base has expanded greatly in 2020 (quarantine boredom surely helped) and is still very much on the rise. While you may, at least initially, see younger users when you download TikTok, that’s just because they’re more likely to create content instead of just consuming it. In reality, the demographics of TikTok’s user base are not that far off from other platforms you may be more familiar with.”
NICHE COMMUNITIES As discussed, it’s not that TikTok doesn’t have lip syncing teens – it very much does. But it’s a much broader platform than it’s often given credit for, with the potential for building communities around increasingly niche interests. “In reality, I would say the TikTok audience
does skew a bit younger, but it’s a massive platform with users in all age groups that just keeps growing at the moment,” notes Thomas Reisenegger, founder of Future Friends Games. “Content- wise, TikTok is also very varied and really good at creating small content niches, from Microsoft Excel tips and hacks to fan-made musicals, cute indie games and skincare tips.” And those content niches, of varying sizes, are
where the real opportunities for TikTok marketing lie. Far from being scared away that your game won’t appeal to the lip syncing demographic, we should instead be focusing on how TikTok can create communities around anything. I once stumbled upon a TikTok discourse between people who collect human bones. If that can get millions of views, your game certainly can too. And best of all, you don’t need an existing audience in order to hit it big on the app. “TikTok’s discoverability is fantastic,” says
Widomska, “you can genuinely get tens, hundreds, even millions of views with no followers. Whenever you post a video, the vast majority of people seeing it aren’t your followers anyway – TikTok tests the water by showing it to a few people to see how they react. If they watch it several times in a row or engage with it in any way, it sends a signal to the algorithm to keep pushing
it to other users. With consistency and a little luck, your TikTok account can become your strongest awareness driver.” “At the moment it’s the platform where organic
growth without a big pre-existing following is possible for the very first time,” adds Reisenegger. “We have had a few instances where a first post got upwards of a million views and resulted in thousands of followers. That’s pretty much unthinkable on most social media like Twitter and Facebook today. “The only platform where similar organic
reach is possible right now for games is Reddit, I think, but posting content is way more difficult due to strict rules, mods and the fact you can only post semi-regularly. Opposed to YouTube and Instagram, TikTok also doesn’t push users too hard to post on a regular schedule - so you can take longer or shorter posting breaks and still grow your channel.” That growth potential on TikTok is, partially,
thanks to the terrifying power of the TikTok algorithm. The reason people are often so surprised at the variety of content on TikTok is thanks to this. In almost no time at all, TikTok’s algorithm worked out what content I wanted to see and delivered it straight to me, with an almost
“At the moment it’s the platform where organic growth without a big pre-existing following is possible for the very first time.”
unsettling accuracy. Unlike on other social media sites, like Reddit, you don’t need to meet the users where they are. TikTok will deliver you to them, all being well. “At the moment the algorithm is extremely good
at finding people that would like your content but are not your followers yet,” says Reisenegger, “so that’s great for especially smaller companies and newcomers on the app. “On the flip side, I believe the follower count
matters a bit less than on other socials – though it can still give you a headstart. Basically, if you have
January 2022 MCV/DEVELOP | 29
Thomas Reisenegger, founder of Future Friends Games
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