The popular micro-video social network TikTok has taken a significant step in positioning itself as an alternative to Twitter and Threads with the debut of its text posting feature. This new feature will allow users to express their ideas through words and will give a space dedicated exclusively to the written creativity of its users, who until now can only express themselves in writing in comments, photo captions and video labels.
In addition to the use of text, users will have the option to add colored backgrounds and stickers to their posts, providing a creative and personalized touch to their messages. TikTok has set a generous limit of 1,000 words per post, giving users ample scope to express themselves in detail.
The objective of this innovation is clear: to directly confront Twitter, now known as X, and Meta Threads. Musk’s company has experienced financial problems due to the abandonment of many advertisers and a decrease in active users in recent times; Threads, for its part, is still in its takeoff phase, and after a first week in which it gained many users, the rate of registrations has slowed down noticeably.
Instead, TikTok has experienced sustained growth in recent months, reaching more than 1 billion active users. It is now looking to capitalize on the opportunity to attract disgruntled users from other platforms, such as Twitter and Threads. Additionally, TikTok’s audience is overwhelmingly young: it’s the number one news source for 12-15 year olds, surpassing YouTube and Instagram in that demographic.
TikTok’s recent expansion of services, including the text-only post option, presents an interesting scenario for the social network in its fight against other already established platforms in ‘that sector’. The ability to appeal to a younger, more diverse audience could further boost its popularity and reach.
Despite its success, however, TikTok has faced criticism related to its ties to China, leading some governments to restrict use of the app in certain areas. Additionally, the recent revelation that employees in China can access certain Australian user data has raised concerns and many questions about the treatment and privacy of the data they collect from users.
Despite these challenges, TikTok continues to expand and diversify its services, making it a potential competitor in the social media arena and positioning it as an attractive option for those looking for a unique and creative user experience. With its new text-only post feature, TikTok seeks to establish itself as a versatile platform at the forefront of innovation in the world of social media.