What is TikTok?

TikTok is an app that enables users to create, share like and comment on short videos on mobile phones and tablets, and which has become astonishingly popular globally primarily (but not exclusively) with younger audiences.

When Was TikTok Launched?

TikTok was first launched in 2016, but its complete dominance of the video streaming space really began when its developers, Chinese UI UX design agency ByteDance, acquired the Musical.ly app in 2018. Crucially, all Musical.ly users and their content were automatically transferred to the TikTok platform, and the meteoric growth and popularity of the app began.

How Many People Are On TikTok?

The growth and influence of TikTok has been rapid and widespread — so much so that in September 2021 it announced that it had already achieved the astonishing milestone of one billion users. As of 2022, it is estimated that 44% of TikTok users are aged 18 to 24, 57% of users are female, and the app has been downloaded more than 3.5 billion times.

Significant numbers of businesses are embracing TikTok too, with influencers playing a huge role on the platform — around 45% of the brands on TikTok are understood to use influencers in their marketing campaigns.

Why Is TikTok So Popular And Successful?

The way in which users interact with the app has played a significant role in its success, and so TikTok’s popularity has been a triumph for its Chinese UI UX design agency.

TikTok enables users to share not just video with friends, but other media as well, and so the UX is fully immersive. The way in which the AI cultivates users’ feeds is also different to other similar platforms, such as Instagram.

A range of factors determine what users see in their feed, such as viewing duration or which content has been commented on previously, as well as placing an emphasis on localised content. This last feature is also a key reason why the app is so popular with businesses and advertisers, as it means that local trending hashtags get significant traction.

How Does Hick’s Law Impact TikTok Users?

A key principle that the UI UX agency behind TikTok has applied is what is known as Hick’s Law. This essentially describes the phenomenon that when users have more choices, they will tend to find it harder to make decisions.

TikTok’s designers have incorporated this principle into the UX, which is why the signup process for the app is quicker and simpler than other comparable platforms. In addition, immediately a user opens the app on their device, they are presented with highly ranked content rather than a number of choices or the option to scroll, and this has been shown to lead to higher levels of ongoing engagement.

The Focus Is Always On The Content

This principle extends to the way in which users view and interact with content. When interacting with the app, users only see one piece of content at a time, rather than multiple options. Then, when a user swipes, they are then taken to another single piece of curated content. This means that scrolling is not an option in the way it might be on Twitter or Instagram, and so highly ranked, relevant content has more chance of appearing to the users who are likely to be engaged with it.

How The TikTok UI Encourages User Engagement

It is unquestionably the case that the UI UX agency behind TikTok has created a user experience that produces extremely high levels of engagement. For instance, the way posts are laid out is consistent, so actions such as Like, Comment, Share, etc., are always located in the same place on the screen, with the icons being designed in such a way that they stand out and can’t be confused as being part of the content. These buttons and icons can be easily accessed by the user’s thumbs and are simple to reach, which further promotes engagement and interaction with the content on display.

The Importance Of UX and UI Design Services

As a leading UI UX design agency, at Ignite Search we are always looking for new and innovative ways to attract users and increase their levels of engagement. We are committed to providing high quality UI UX design services for apps and other platforms that have wide ranging reach, and provide all users with a highly enjoyable and highly engaged experience.