The big question of recent times is how TikTok’s algorithm managed to turn this social network into a worldwide boom. The platform started with the teenage niche market has become the most popular application in the Western world. This situation has put Facebook and its entire planned structure around the metaverse in check. The possible answers are endless, but the astute choices made by the Asian app are still present.
The easy and short video creation tool blurred the line between the creator and the consumer. This change was more profound than the one generated by the YouTube video platform had achieved so far. Having a vast licensed music library was another favorable aspect. This made it possible for young people to create clips without fear of copyright. Finally, we can highlight a billion dollar advertising campaign on Instagram and Facebook, which allowed reaching an unimaginable sum that would be sent by Mark Zuckerberg himself, owner of Meta (exFacebook).
An algorithm that engineered a success
However, the most powerful tool the application has to attract users, and thus keep them engaged, is the “for you” page. It is owned by the company, as is the FYP and the algorithm that completes it.
The FYP is the default screen that new users see when they open the social network. Even if no account is followed, the account is immediately populated with a steady stream of selected short clips of what’s trending on the app. This decision by the company gave it an advantage over its competitors. Since, any Facebook or Twitter account without friends or followers becomes a lonely or sterile place; whereas, TikTok attracts you from the first day you open the application.
But it is from there that the secret ingredient of the firm begins to appear. As FYP scrolls, the composition of the videos that are presented begin a slow change, until, as detailed by the most regular users, it becomes better and better at predicting those videos that will end up piquing your interest.
The boom of microvideos in the networks
With the algorithm proposed by the company, recommendations are reached based on a series of factors. These entries are weighted as diverse and with multiple, but precise, factors for a video to end up in our feed. Innovations are crucial to get some recommendation from older visualizations.
Tiktok does not expect the user to like the video he just watched with a “little finger” up. The platform’s job is to find those jobs that are within the predictions experienced by each user, with a pleasant feel. However, FYP is not magic and you may encounter some instructive flaws in your quest to achieve success.
