What is TikTok, where does it come from and what does the video social network offer?

Today we are going to explain what TikTok is, where it comes from and what it offers. We are talking about an Asian social network based on sharing music videos, and which is achieving incredible results in recent months. 

In fact, this past October it has managed to exceed Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat in the number of downloads confirming itself as one of the surprises of the year.

Let's start by explaining what this new social network is, who is behind it and how it has managed to become so strong. 

Later, we will explain briefly and so that you can understand what you can do with it so that you know how to differentiate it from other alternatives such as Instagram, Snapchat or YouTube, even though it drinks from concepts that these three great alternatives have.

What is TikTok?

The app's original name is Douyin which means "shake the music" in Chinese. This name comes in handy, as it is a social network based on sharing small music clips. However, outside of China it is called TikTok, and you can find it available for both iOS and Android.

The application was launched in September 2016, it only took 200 days to be developed, so it seems that they had quite clear ideas. 

Its growth has also had a spectacular speed, because if according to Chinese portals, last February the partner network had a total of 66 million daily active users, in October 2018 other sources point out that it has already overcome the 130 million barrier of users.

As for its operation, TikTok allows you to create, edit and upload 1-minute music video selfies, being able to apply various effects and add a musical background. It also has some Artificial Intelligence features, and includes eye-catching special effects, filters, and augmented reality features.

All this is offered in a simple way, and with easy-to-use editing options so that everyone can make fun videos without having much editing knowledge. In addition, the application includes other functions such as the possibility of sending messages, voting, friend lists and of course a follower and follower system. Very Instagram-style, but focused on videos.

Who is behind TikTok?

Behind the app is Chinese tech company Bytedance, whose most popular product is the AI-based news aggregator Toutiao, which has around 120 million users in China. It is also an aggregator punctuated by controversy due to the censorship they impose on its content when the Chinese government requests it.

Bytedance is also the company that bought Musical.ly for 1 billion dollars in November 2017, and between both platforms they have a total of 150 million monthly active users worldwide, with 10 billion video views every day.

After the acquisition, Bytedance spent several months treating both almost twin applications as a single unit, until in August 2018 it killed musical.ly to merge it with TikTok, which has been one of the main reasons it has grown so much. so dizzying in recent months, going from 100 million to 130 million users in a quarter.

What can you do with Tik Tok

If you have ever used Musical.ly, you already know what you can do with TikTok, since both applications have always been similar, and after merging the options that both might have have been unified. In summary, you can think of this social network as a kind of Instagram dedicated to small music videos , although it is also used to make all kinds of compositions, memes and jokes.

The application has a main screen where you watch popular videos or people you follow, being able to swipe up or down to switch between videos. There is also a browse page where you can search for clips and users, or browse among hashtags that may interest you. 

When you watch a video, it is shown in full screen, with a series of icons on the right with which you can follow the user, like, comment or share the clip.

The application has a main screen where you will directly see a selection of all kinds of content. Also, as if it were Instagram, it has a second category of searches in which you can search manually or automatically see the results of the main hashtags that are available.

In the center you also have the button where you can access the main protagonist of the application, its video recording and editing tool. You can record your videos with several takes , since the app only records while holding the corresponding button. Of course, before you start recording the video you will have several options of filters and effects with which you can control them.

When editing the video, you can select shots or phases in which to add other types of effects on your own. For example, you have a series of filters similar to those of Instagram, as well as different types of effects to manipulate the videos. The editor will mark the different areas in which you have edited the video with different colors.

Beyond videos, the mode of publishing content also lets you create slide-out videos from a series of photos you choose. In addition, the application also includes a section where you can send messages to other users, as you can also do in Instaram, and even edit your profile and the information you say about yourself.