Before we discuss the reasons why Zhang Yiming made TikTok, we must first understand what it is. TikTok is a social media platform that has grown exponentially in the last few years. The app offers users a platform to create and share short-form mobile videos, and music or lip-sync videos along with effects. It was first launched on the Chinese market in 2016 to widespread success and by 2018 it had grown to be the most downloaded free app across the globe in that year. In 2019, the only apps that had more than a billion downloads across the Play and Apple Store combined, were Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok. Its popularity and influence have grown quickly and it’s now used in over 150 countries.
Zhang Yiming, the founder of ByteDance, the creator of TikTok, saw the potential of the app and decided to invest in it. Yiming had started ByteDance as a news aggregator and it had grown to become one of the leading technology companies in the world. Yiming had looked for areas to expand the company into and judged app development to be one of the best areas for potential growth. He wanted to build an app that could take advantage of the increasing trend of social media and the entertainment industry, and build a user base quickly. It was this thought process that led Yiming to invest in the development of an app that was to become TikTok.
Yiming’s decision to invest in an app also aligned with his vision of the future. He wanted to create a platform that could merge music, videos, and fun to entertain people around the world. He wanted an app that was easy to use and could be enjoyed by people around the world regardless of language or culture. He also wanted users to easily connect with each other and thus have access to more people, cultures, and creativity. This was the basic concept for the app that would become TikTok.
Yiming picked the perfect platform to develop his idea. He chose the Chinese market – the largest, most dynamic, and diverse mobile market in the world – as the basis for the app. He put together an experienced and talented team and got to work on creating an app that could bring his vision to life. Given his experience in the tech industry, Yiming knew that to create an app that could stand out and compete with all the other apps available, he had to come up with something new.
And, that is exactly what Yiming did. He coined the concept of the “TikToks” – short, engaging and often humorous videos, which were immediately successful. Yiming also introduced countless elements to the app to increase its appeal such as tools to edit, create and customize videos, access to a library of diverse songs, and filters and effects to give videos a more professional look. All these features enhanced the user experience, which was why TikTok quickly took off and attracted millions of users in no time.
Advertising
Yiming recognised that the app could have a broader business purpose apart from entertainment. He realised that he could use the platform to reach out to various companies and organisations to build partnerships. Having such a vast user base, Yiming saw it as an opportunity to not only extend the reach of their own products, but also serve as a marketing platform for external parties. As a result, the app started to generate revenue via advertising with companies like Nike and Coke. This opened up another stream of income and helped to fuel the app’s growth even more.
Competition
Zhang Yiming also took into consideration that it was a highly competitive market and knew he had to be prepared for challenges. He was well-versed with the competition, both from peers, such as Instagram and Snapchat, as well as from other apps. Thus, he put reliable structures in place to ensure their app remained relevant and attractive to users. As the app was being developed, Yiming focused on gaining a competitive edge with new features, fresh content and a tight control over the user experience.
Banning
Just as the app was gaining traction, it was also receiving some considerable backlash. Governments in some countries such as India decided to ban the app after concerns were raised that it was promoting inappropriate content or politics. This presented a challenge to Yiming and the company, but they reacted swiftly. They made adjustments and brought in control mechanisms that moderated content and ensured that videos were of an acceptable nature. As a result, the bans were lifted and the app continues to be in circulation.
Popularity
One of the main reasons behind the success of TikTok is its popularity among teens and young adults. It is arguably the most popular app among this demographic, and its popularity extends to other demographics such as Gen Z and millennials. Yiming capitalised on this and ensured that the app was developed to give users a variety of features and options to choose from, such as a library of music and effects to personalise their videos. These features, along with its ease of use, helped it gain huge success with young people and made it one of the most popular social media platforms in the world.
Controversy
Despite these successes, the app has been beset by controversy since its launch. Some of the criticisms are related to its content, security and privacy concerns, such as the concerns raised over data harvesting by the Chinese government. Yiming and ByteDance had been quick to address any issues and build trust with users by introducing more control mechanisms to control the content and data usage. But, its long-term success and viability remain in doubt, as many governments continue to monitor the app and the potential risks associated with it.
Conclusion
Zhang Yiming invested in the development of an app that was to become TikTok due to his belief in the potential it had to merge music, videos, fun, and to entertain people around the world. He chose the Chinese market as the basis for the app and put together an experienced and talented team to create an app that could bring his vision to life. He also used it as a platform to reach out to companies and organisations to build partnerships and buy advertising. As the app was gaining traction, it was also receiving some considerable backlash, so Yiming and the company responded by introducing control mechanisms that moderated content and ensured that videos were of an acceptable nature. Furthermore, due to its ease of use, features, and its popularity among teens and young adults, it has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. However, its long-term prospects remain uncertain as its security and privacy concerns still need to be addressed.
