TikTok During the COVID-19 Pandemic

    

    The COVID-19 pandemic impacted life as we knew it, with mask mandates, lockdowns, and social distancing. While social media as a whole has affected communication, this will solely be analyzing the way TikTok affected communication during a global pandemic. TikTok is a social media platform, in which the content is entirely made up of short-videos. Consumers can create their own videos and share them on the app, or just watch content via their For You Page.  At a time where people were encouraged to stay 6 feet apart from each other, “ TikTok saw a large increase in usage during the COVID-19 lockdown because it provided entertainment, distraction and social interaction based on video content engagement” (Klug et. al, 2023). The platform provided a form of mass communication, while allowing consumers to interact with one another and reduce the feelings of FOMO. “While users were not able to physically enjoy preferred activities or meet with friends, their TikTok behavior and location would largely result in receiving video content that matched their interests, location, social life, or professional community” (Klug et. al, 2023).

 Although the app currently allows users to share content that is 10 minutes in length, originally content was a max of 15 seconds. In order to effectively use the platform, communicators had to create visually appealing short-term videos that utilized current trends. During the pandemic, “participants created TikTok videos to share lived experiences of their pandemic reality, as well as consumed TikTok videos of shared lived pandemic experiences to interact with others when physical communication spaces were made impossible” (Klug et. al, 2023).  Rather than only hearing about the death toll caused by the disease, TikTok showed people: attempting to bake sourdough bread, making whipped coffee, binge watching Tiger King, and being the main character. By having a deeper understanding of the current trends on the platform, communicators were able to share information about the pandemic that was also engaging to consumers and shared factual information. In order to attract a higher amount of user engagement, communicators also need to be aware of SEO trends, to effectively utilize keywords and hashtags that stand out in content searches.

References

Klug, D., Evans, M., & Kaufman, G. (2023). How TikTok Served as a Platform for Young People to Share and Cope with Lived COVID-19 Experiences. [Preprint Version]. MedieKultur. file:///C:/Users/Claudia/Downloads/Klug,%20Evans,%20Kaufman%20-%20MedieKultur%20-%20TikTok%20COVID.pdf