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9 Interesting Stats about TikTok in 2021

Let’s agree on one thing, TikTok has become one big phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. You might have come to know about TikTok from the famous pop single by Kesha. Or, you might have your own favorite TikTok influencer. But that’s not everything about TikTok. 

We can’t limit the possibilities of TikTok to such achievements only. The platform has a lot more to offer. But interestingly, the purpose of TikTok is different from person to person. 

Go and ask Gen Z’ers. They would say that TikTok is a brand new subculture. And a marketing expert will tell you differently. 

But for one thing, TikTok is one of the fastest growing social media platforms, with more than… ? Well, yes, that is what we will be talking about today. Let’s know some fantastic and ‘complete’ TikTok statistics and how those can help. 

So, here’s our topic for today: 9 Interesting Stats about TikTok in 2021. 

What is TikTok?

What is TikTok? Is it like those many random social media sites where people meet and chat? Well, not exactly. It is, of course, a social media platform (like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), but it doesn’t have the same features as them. The difference here is the uniqueness of the platform, making it one of the most popular platforms worldwide. 

The popularity is so immense that you will always find someone in your circle using TikTok or being immensely active irrespective of where you live. Even if you’ve never used it, you know what it’s all about. 

In short, TikTok is an antithesis of YouTube. And why so? Well, TikTok is a short video platform, unlike YouTube where you post longer videos. When someone uses YouTube, they use it to see longer videos. 

Hence, you would hardly see such short videos on the platform. On the contrary, on TikTok, people get entertained by those short and limited videos. TikTok has a typical time limit of a maximum of 3 minutes. 

Well, is it like Instagram, then? No! On Insta, you can post pictures, upload stories, and do a lot of other stuff. But, on TikTok, you only post videos. But, yes, Instagram certainly has TikTok-like features, which we call “reels.” 

Thus, TikTok is a totally different platform than Instagram or Facebook. The videos you get to watch on TikTok are short, unique, and creative. These get viral easily, provided it has the right message and quality content. And that is why this platform has become quite so famous.

How Did It Start?

But how did it all start? TikTok has a whole history of transition. It was launched in 2016 by its parent company ByteDance. It was launched under the name of Douyin- the Chinese version of TikTok. So, the Chinese company ByteDance had seen it all before. 

So, after Douyin launched in China, ByteDance opened the platform to the world with a new name of TikTok. But how has it become so famous in the US and other countries? Wasn’t there something called Musical.ly before?

Well, there was. And, for that matter, Musical.ly was one of the most popular social platforms as well. But, in 2017, ByteDance purchased Musical.ly and, thus, got its customer base. It was a deal-breaker for TikTok since the whole user base of Musical.ly got merged into it. 

At that time, Musical.ly had almost 200 million users. But, even today, a lot of TikTokers are from the time of Musical.ly. They are probably the earliest people on the platform.

So, TikTok is the name of the Global Version of Douyin. But why does ByteDance have two different entities, having the same features and working on the same program? Well, it is due to some Chinese laws that do not cooperate with the global spectrum. Anyway, that isn’t stopping the platform from growing at all.

TikTok has gained enormous popularity among Gen Z’ers. And it has a pretty good reason too. Let’s know the reasons why it is so popular among millennials. 

Why Is It So Popular Among the Youngsters

There are a lot of reasons why TikTok is so popular among Gen Z’ers. For one thing, TikTok is a social phenomenon taking the world by storm. It presents a lot of enormous opportunities before us. But, more than that, TikTok has this unique ability to open the narrow walls of political borders and make everyone feel one. 

Here are some of the reasons for the immense popularity of TikTok:

Personalized Entertainment

TikTok offers you personalized entertainment options. You can watch anything and everything according to your taste. And this is also because TikTok allows the creators to express themselves. So, you find like-minded people on this platform, unlike other social media sites where you have to put in strenuous efforts. 

Show Who You Are

The platform is more about sharing your core identity. What you are, or who you are, have a huge effect on it. Gen Z’ers want to express themselves as individuals, with many unique ideas and ways of showing them to the world. TikTok is a platform where you can express yourself in the most creative ways- which the world might have never seen. 

Builds a Community

TikTok is now a community. With more than 800 million users, TikTokers across the globe have a sense of connectivity. Thus, it has become one of the best platforms for making social connections. The sense of community also works as a support system, especially when you want to express yourself in some unprecedented way. 

Builds Self-Confidence

Tiktok has, undoubtedly, helped a million people to come out of their narrowed walls and present themselves before the world. It is one of the reasons that boys and girls of Gen Z like the platform. No one judges them, or there is no narrow limit. It helps them increase their self-confidence and find a way to express themselves. 

How Is It Good for Marketers?

Well, Gen Z is one of the biggest target markets for now. In 2019 alone, the estimated buying power of Generation Z was estimated to be somewhere around $143 billion. And this is only from the US perspective. So, if you can pitch them right and earn their trust, you can gain more than just a market. 

So, how does it profit you?

Generation Z is now taking over the world. TikTok is very engaging, where the participation of this age group is the most at present. So, when you use the right approach, you open your ways to far greater opportunities. And if you can earn their trust, you can earn a loyal market for your brand. 

How Is It Different from YouTube

So, how is TikTok different from YouTube? YouTube is one of the giants among the social media platforms. Owned by Google, YouTube is also the 2nd most popular social media platform in the world. 

If you relate TikTok with YouTube just because both platforms produce visual videos, you will misinterpret things. Had TikTok been anything like YouTube, except that it had video content, it wouldn’t be here where it is today. 

Remember that no one wants a second YouTube. There are plenty of such platforms about which we are not even aware of. So, YouTube is where it should be. TikTok’s approach is different, and it has taken the world by storm. 

So, how is TikTok different from YouTube?

First of all, YouTube is a video platform focusing on lengthier videos. Most YouTube videos are 10 to 30 minutes long. However, there are music videos and some other kinds shorter than this. But, the size of the average videos recommended by YouTube’s algorithm is between 10-30 minutes. 

On the other hand, TikTok videos are short. It has a maximum limit of 3 minutes, which is much shorter than YouTube. In most cases, TikTok videos are even shorter than 3 minutes. These short and crispy videos are presented through the most creative and unique methods. 

Again, both these platforms are way different in terms of algorithms. While YouTube has a more complex algorithm, TikTok’s algorithm is simple. A video takes a very long time before getting recommended on YouTube. But, on TikTok, it is quicker. 

So, you get TikTok views much faster than getting views on YouTube. Therefore, TikTok videos are very likely to go viral in a short span. 

These were some of the primary differences between YouTube and TikTok. In short, both these platforms have way more differences, except the one similarity that both are video platforms. 

9 Interesting Stats about TikTok

All right. Now, let’s move ahead and learn some of the most interesting TikTok statistics in 2021. These statistics will help you understand where the platform is standing today. These will also help you plan your TikTok marketing strategy, or see why TikTok is such a great platform to invest in. 

TikTok is the 7th Most Popular Social Network

According to Statista, TikTok is the world’s 7th most popular app, with more than 700 million active users. The ranking is solely dependent on the number of users it has. 

For example, Facebook is the most popular app with more than 2 billion active users, followed by YouTube and Whatsapp, both having more than 2 billion users in their pocket. 

However, these global stats are somehow confusing. These are constantly subjected to change as well. Deciding the number of TikTok is quite crucial. And why so? Well, one has to remember that TikTok has a different version within China. 

Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, has more than 600 million active users. Now, if we collide these two numbers, we would get a much bigger figure, pushing TikTok to the fifth position- ahead of Instagram and WeChat. 

However, the app has faced many bans in different countries. For example, in June 2020, India banned TikTok. India, the second-most populous country’s ban on the app caused it to lose a considerable user base. 

The app is also banned in Bangladesh, Armenia, and Indonesia. These constant bans from populous countries definitely play a crucial role in the overall user scenario of the app. 

TikTok has 2 Billion Downloads

Source: Sensor Tower

Even though it hasn’t been very long since the app set its foot on the web, it has gained quite a lot of popularity. In February 2019, TikTok secured its first billion downloads. Then, it just took TikTok another eight months to gather half a billion more. But the scenario starts to change very fast. 

In April 2020, a survey found out that TikTok, the short video app, has secured a total of 2 billion downloads. The noteworthy point is its speed of growth. TikTok was able to gather another 1 million downloads in just over a year. It is undoubtedly a sign of the skyrocketing popularity of all. 

But, the pandemic has helped the brand a lot. This surging popularity is undoubtedly one of the results of the pandemic. Since the users were pretty busy with their phones, they found the medium as a mere form of entertainment. But, as they soon started exploring the many opportunities, TikTok went viral. 

Now, here’s the latest update. At present, TikTok is the most downloaded app in the world. It has surpassed Facebook in terms of total downloads. However, in Asia, TikTok still remains the 2nd most downloaded app.

It is the Most Downloaded App in AppleStore

Source: Business of Apps

Well, there is more to reveal. TikTok is not only the most downloaded app worldwide but is also the most downloaded app on the Apple App Store. So, what’s interesting? And how big is it?

According to Sensor Tower, in 2019, in the first quarter of 2019, TikTok was able to secure 33 million downloads in one quarter. But what is more interesting is that it was the 5th consecutive quarter as the most downloaded app on the platform. The number has crossed many of its competitors, such as Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, etc. 

The constant achievement of such a position is proof that TikTok’s user base is constantly growing. It’s not only able to hold the current ground but is continually adding new people to its list of proud TikTokers.

TikTok is more famous among iPhone users than Android. While on Google Play Store TikTok is the third most downloaded app, it tops the list on the Apple App Store.

It is Available in More than 200 Countries

While talking about the rankings of TikTok, we mentioned that TikTok is banned in many countries. Well, one of the reasons for such a ban is its concern related to privacy. Many Governments think that TikTok isn’t safe in terms of privacy. Even the former President of the United States, Donald Trump, was very vocal about it and threatened to sell off their market and leave. 

However, after Joe Biden took over the office, he somehow managed to overlook the issue. But, the scenario is not the same everywhere. TikTok is already banned in many countries, including India, which has one of the biggest markets for TikTok. Also, the app is banned in other countries, like Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Armenia. Pakistan is also considering its second ban on TikTok. 

So, in short, TikTok is facing bans in a lot of countries. But, still, there’s no sign of backing off. The point of specifying these backlogs is to highlight what it has now. Even after such bans, TikTok is still available in more than 200 countries across the globe, which speaks for its popularity. 

TikTok and “Tik Tok” Combined are the Third Most Popular Search Query on YouTube

Source: Hootsuite Digital Report 2021

Never forget the SEO part. Well, TikTok’s popularity isn’t only restrained within the app itself. Instead, it is trending on other social sites as well. And the first-hand experience is available on YouTube. TikTok and “Tik Tok” combined are the third most searched keyword on YouTube. 

Search queries have a lot of variations. A proper search query is impossible to happen without its various spelling variations. TikTok has many variations available as well. 

But, for one thing, TikTok and Tik Tok are two variations that are trending. One must not forget the immense popularity of YouTube as the second most popular search engine. 

So, it quite speaks of how mad people are about TikTok. 

Average People Spend 52 Minutes on TikTok Everyday

Source: BusinessofApps

TikTok is so popular that finding someone addicted or very active on it in our circle isn’t a big deal. They can be your friends, siblings, or even your parents. Or, you might also be the person to be named. But have you ever thought about how much time average people spend on the app every day?

When it comes to daily time spent on the social site TikTok, people spend 52 minutes a day on average. And the time spent on TikTok includes both creating contents or enjoying those. It means that one might create new videos and post or even watch the existing ones on the platform. 

Now, if you compare the average time spent on TikTok with other related social sites, the scenario is quite like this:

  • People spend an average of 53 minutes on Instagram. So, it is quite the same as TikTok. 
  • On Snapchat, the time spent on average stands at 49.7 minutes. 
  • Facebook leads the way with an average usage time of 58.8 minutes per day. According to the latest report, the average monthly time spent on Facebook stands at 19.5 hours

With a Value of $250 billion, ByteDance is World’s Most Valuable Startup

Source: Bloomberg

Every country is now seeing a huge spike in the number of startups. While the United States of America has the most startups, with something standing at 65,703, countries like India, China are not so far behind. And one great example of such achievement is the ranking of ByteDance as the most valuable startup. 

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok and Douyin, has a value of $250 billion. The calculation is based on recent data from March 2021. Previously, the experts ran a valuation of TikTok, where it stood at $140 billion. The rapid increase of its value has given a lot of investors confidence about its stability. 

Now, here’s a fun fact: with this valuation, TikTok is more valuable than MNCs like Coca-cola as well. And not to mention, being a startup, TikTok is a huge inspiration for many. 

51% of TikTok Users are Male

Well, this might seem unbelievable. And we are not sexist here, as well. But for one moment, can we really deny that we know more girls than boys having a TikTok account? Well, it might seem so. But, the numbers show it differently. Among its vast number of users, 51% are men. 

Is that shocking to you? Well, TikTok is a place where you can showcase your talent. You can make your tiktok go viral and get enough attention as well. And who wouldn’t want that? But there are people who like to watch content as well. So, it really doesn’t matter how many men or women there are. 

India was the Largest Market for TikTok, Followed by China and America

Though in the past, India once used to be the largest market for TikTok. As most of you might know, in July 2020, India’s electronics and information technology ministry banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok. The ban was massive, and, not to mention, it struck well, of course. TikTok lost its enormous user base of 200+ million right away. 

Now, if you are eager to know why India did so, you can Google the many reasons behind it. But, it is not the only ban TikTok has encountered. Many other countries, like Armenia, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, have also banned the social networking app under privacy-related charges. 

Conclusion

Even after facing so many bans and backlogs, TikTok is still the shining star in the clear sky of the digital world. And these TikTok statistics are proof of that. 

So, whether you are a content creator or a marketer, these statistics will help you devise a smoother strategy for your TikTok journey. Also, consider a guide to TikTok for a better understanding of how it performs. 

That said, we hope we will meet you soon enough with another exciting topic in our basket. Till then, toodle-oo! 

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