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I find it very intriguing and fascinating the market penetration speed tiktok had: - developed in 200 days - launched in September 2016 in China - launched i

I find it very intriguing and fascinating the market penetration speed tiktok had: - developed in 200 days - launched in September 2016 in China - launched in September 2017 internationally - in November 2017 it's parent company spends up to $1 billion to acquire musical.ly. - it presently has over 500 million MAU users (I think it has them for over a year now, but I'm on mobile and can't find a source for this claim) How do you think it's possible for an app appearing seemingly out of the blue to move so fast in such a crowded and mature market like social media? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/TikTok https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/TikTok

dvt 7y ago
> How do you think it's possible for an app appearing seemingly out of the blue to move so fast in such a crowded and mature market like social media? I'm not sure if you're on Snapchat or Instagram, but they aggressively advertise (I see dozens of TikTok ads a day). Basically, they're burning money. It's definitely not sustainable.
- tudorconstantin 7y ago
  I am thinking rather in the context of google plus for example: they had the money to promote it and the channels to do it and still they had to close it. Throwing money at a problem doesn't always solve it. Not wanting to sound conspirational, but there's got to be more than huge piles of money behind tiktok.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
- mensetmanusman 7y ago
  The average time spent in front of artwork at a museum is 8 seconds. Maybe this is the attention span of people in leisure?
nudiustertian 7y ago
it took up the vacuum left by vine and inherited the musical.ly users
- adammenges 7y ago
  Why Twitter killed vine will forever be a frustrating mystery to me
  - nolok 7y ago
    Because the people at the head of Twitter have no idea what to do with a social network or why it work (or doesn't)? It's not like their handling of Twitter itself is much better...
acollins1331 7y ago
I agree with the other responses to your post. As a younger millenial that is on other social media apps, I saw tiktok as soon as it launched and have seen the aggressive marketing. Contrary to your point, I'm a little surprised it took so long for the MSM and old people to figure out what was going on. There's real money in being young and in-touch.
mdorazio 7y ago
It's not that surprising to me. China was a perfect launch market - huge internet population, nationalistic preference for Chinese products (including software), Great Firewall on YouTube and Facebook, etc. Meanwhile, for their international launch they've been able to burn a stupid amount of investor cash where most US VCs wouldn't touch streaming video in a big way with a ten foot pole because the economics have been so bad historically.
- guerrilla 7y ago
  Just curious, do you consider the US to have a nationalistic preference for US products?
  - xxpor 7y ago
    Depends who you talk to, but generally no.
    - ShorsHammer 7y ago
      I find that hard to believe. US consumers overwhelmingly favour Apple compared to the rest of the world.
      - paggle 7y ago
        There is a difference between a strong preference for US products and a nationalistic preference for US products. A strong preference for US products may come from US companies just understanding the market better. But I don't think that outside of some consumers with their cars and motorcycles, there is a strong desire to "Buy American" and support a product specifically because it is American.
      - bnjms 7y ago
        You’re not wrong exactly but it’s not to the same extent. Especially for software. The example is TikTok’s success. And a European or north or south American app wouldn’t get the same scrutiny we’re seeing here.
Razengan 7y ago
> How do you think it's possible for an app appearing seemingly out of the blue to move so fast in such a crowded and mature market like social media? Occam's razor: It provided what people wanted.
CPLX 7y ago
> How do you think it's possible for an app appearing seemingly out of the blue to move so fast in such a crowded and mature market like social media? Has anyone in this thread actually spent time watching Tim Tok videos and using the app? It’s completely addictive, the content and dynamics of the app are great. It’s a really solid product and it’s not confusing why all the kids like it. I mean I am totally open to the idea that there’s lots more going on and it’s a nuanced situation. But let’s start with the basic facts, it’s not confusing why it’s a giant hit.
- krageon 7y ago
  And it fills a niche that previously had other offerings in it, but that have since disappeared.
- unityByFreedom 7y ago
  > Has anyone in this thread actually spent time watching Tim Tok videos and using the app? I just looked at what's trending [1]. It's like Facebook on steroids, teenagers posting 10 second videos of me me me. The only thing you learn watching TikTok videos is how to get people's attention with 10 second videos. [1] https://www.tiktok.com/trending https://www.tiktok.com/trending
- dolessdrugs 7y ago
  TikTok is the first app where AI is the product. https://a16z.com/2018/12/03/when-ai-is-the-product-the-rise-of-ai-based-consumer-apps/ https://a16z.com/2018/12/03/when-ai-is-the-product-the-rise-...
  - hos234 7y ago
    What's the Chinese Govt response to social media engament optimizing/addictive apps been? Do they recognize the dangers? Is there a digital well being movement happening?

dvt 7y ago

> How do you think it's possible for an app appearing seemingly out of the blue to move so fast in such a crowded and mature market like social media? I'm not sure if you're on Snapchat or Instagram, but they aggressively advertise (I see dozens of TikTok ads a day). Basically, they're burning money. It's definitely not sustainable.

tudorconstantin 7y ago
I am thinking rather in the context of google plus for example: they had the money to promote it and the channels to do it and still they had to close it. Throwing money at a problem doesn't always solve it. Not wanting to sound conspirational, but there's got to be more than huge piles of money behind tiktok.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
mensetmanusman 7y ago
The average time spent in front of artwork at a museum is 8 seconds. Maybe this is the attention span of people in leisure?

nudiustertian 7y ago

it took up the vacuum left by vine and inherited the musical.ly users

adammenges 7y ago
Why Twitter killed vine will forever be a frustrating mystery to me
- nolok 7y ago
  Because the people at the head of Twitter have no idea what to do with a social network or why it work (or doesn't)? It's not like their handling of Twitter itself is much better...

acollins1331 7y ago

I agree with the other responses to your post. As a younger millenial that is on other social media apps, I saw tiktok as soon as it launched and have seen the aggressive marketing. Contrary to your point, I'm a little surprised it took so long for the MSM and old people to figure out what was going on. There's real money in being young and in-touch.

mdorazio 7y ago

It's not that surprising to me. China was a perfect launch market - huge internet population, nationalistic preference for Chinese products (including software), Great Firewall on YouTube and Facebook, etc. Meanwhile, for their international launch they've been able to burn a stupid amount of investor cash where most US VCs wouldn't touch streaming video in a big way with a ten foot pole because the economics have been so bad historically.

guerrilla 7y ago
Just curious, do you consider the US to have a nationalistic preference for US products?
- xxpor 7y ago
  Depends who you talk to, but generally no.
  - ShorsHammer 7y ago
    I find that hard to believe. US consumers overwhelmingly favour Apple compared to the rest of the world.
    - paggle 7y ago
      There is a difference between a strong preference for US products and a nationalistic preference for US products. A strong preference for US products may come from US companies just understanding the market better. But I don't think that outside of some consumers with their cars and motorcycles, there is a strong desire to "Buy American" and support a product specifically because it is American.
    - bnjms 7y ago
      You’re not wrong exactly but it’s not to the same extent. Especially for software. The example is TikTok’s success. And a European or north or south American app wouldn’t get the same scrutiny we’re seeing here.

Razengan 7y ago

> How do you think it's possible for an app appearing seemingly out of the blue to move so fast in such a crowded and mature market like social media? Occam's razor: It provided what people wanted.

CPLX 7y ago

> How do you think it's possible for an app appearing seemingly out of the blue to move so fast in such a crowded and mature market like social media? Has anyone in this thread actually spent time watching Tim Tok videos and using the app? It’s completely addictive, the content and dynamics of the app are great. It’s a really solid product and it’s not confusing why all the kids like it. I mean I am totally open to the idea that there’s lots more going on and it’s a nuanced situation. But let’s start with the basic facts, it’s not confusing why it’s a giant hit.

krageon 7y ago
And it fills a niche that previously had other offerings in it, but that have since disappeared.
unityByFreedom 7y ago
> Has anyone in this thread actually spent time watching Tim Tok videos and using the app? I just looked at what's trending [1]. It's like Facebook on steroids, teenagers posting 10 second videos of me me me. The only thing you learn watching TikTok videos is how to get people's attention with 10 second videos. [1] https://www.tiktok.com/trending https://www.tiktok.com/trending
dolessdrugs 7y ago
TikTok is the first app where AI is the product. https://a16z.com/2018/12/03/when-ai-is-the-product-the-rise-of-ai-based-consumer-apps/ https://a16z.com/2018/12/03/when-ai-is-the-product-the-rise-...
- hos234 7y ago
  What's the Chinese Govt response to social media engament optimizing/addictive apps been? Do they recognize the dangers? Is there a digital well being movement happening?