Title: Why Is TikTok So Popular? Why the Social Network Is Unique
Headings: Why Is TikTok So Popular? Why the Social Network Is Unique
Why Is TikTok So Popular? Why the Social Network Is Unique
A Brief Recap of TikTok
The Best Tech Newsletter Anywhere
The “For You” Page and the Algorithm
TikTok Trends
Communities on TikTok
The Future of Social Media

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TikTok Trends
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Another big reason why TikTok is so dominant is because of the prevalence of trends, such as dance challenges for popular songs or videos aligned with popular in-app filters. The algorithm prioritizes content that fits certain online trends that are popular at the moment. Since hot trends tend to gain more engagement, other users will frequently join in and create content that aligns with those trends. A big reason why trends emerge on TikTok is its audio system. When users upload a video, the audio of that particular video can be lipsynced or used by other users. For example, if someone creates a remix of a popular song, that specific audio clip can eventually be used in thousands of other videos. This is also a big reason why TikTok has become the dominant way that songs garner streams and grow on pop music charts, like Billboard and Rolling Stone. Many of the biggest and most dominant hits of the last two years originated from TikTok trends. Sometimes, obscure or old songs can get an unexpected boost as well. For example, Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams, released in 1977, recently became a trend on TikTok and returned to the pop music charts within the same week.