TikTok Dives Deep Into Its ‘Defining Spheres of Influence,’ Sound and Culture

While TikTok is clearly a visual platform, music and sound play an integral role in creators’ contributions to its community, and TikTok, in turn, plays an integral role in driving cultural trends. The video creation platform commissioned two studies from independent research and analytics groups to “dive deep” on its “defining spheres of influence,” sound and culture—MRC Data and Flamingo, respectively. TikTok noted in a blog post how its “sound on” platform challenges brands to experiment with initiative such as creating custom songs with culturally relevant artists or tapping into trending jingles and voiceovers. The company said 75% of TikTok users discover new artists via its platform and 63% have heard new music that they had never heard before. The MRC Data study found that when brands feature songs that TikTok users like in their videos on the platform: 68% of users remember the brand better.58% feel a stronger connection to the brand.58% are more likely to talk about the brand or share the ad.62% are curious to learn about the brand. TikTok said 67% of its users would prefer to see videos from brands that feature popular or trending songs, while 65% wanted to see content from brands that featured original sounds. MRC Data found that 67% of TikTok users are more likely to seek out songs they heard on TikTok on music streaming platforms, while 72% associate certain songs with TikTok. TikTok global head of music Ole Obermann said in the blog post, "TikTok has become an integral part of music discovery, connecting artists to their fans and introducing brands to every corner of the community. TikTok is the home for music trends that permeate the industry, charts and culture. From emerging artists to small business owners, the research from MRC Data reinforces that by associating with the right music or sound on TikTok, creators, artists and businesses alike can see a major impact.” The research by Flamingo found that 71% of TikTok users believe the biggest trends start on the platform, while 43% are inspired to try something or go somewhere new after seeing it at least once on TikTok. Flamingo also found that brand participation on TikTok is vital to connecting with its users, as 61% like brands better when they create or participate in a trend on the platform, while 21% feel more connected to brands when they comment on posts by users. Authenticity is key, as 56% of TikTok users and 67% of creators on the platform feel closer to brands they see on TikTok, particularly when they publish “human, unpolished content.” Flamingo found that 45% of users feel more connected to brands that teach them new things or provide information about themselves. Familiar faces are a welcome sight, as well, as 63% of users like seeing TikTok creators in videos from brans, while 66% enjoy when brands sponsor creators in order to promote their products. Finally, Flamingo found that seven out of 10 TikTok users believe communities on the platform have the power to create change in culture. TikTok head of North America business marketing Sofia Hernandez said in the blog post, “TikTok has revived brand love. Our community invites brands to lean into and participate in trends, to connect through conversations and to co-create, all of which builds advocacy and ultimately drives purchases.”

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TikTok Dives Deep Into Its ‘Defining Spheres of Influence,’ Sound and Culture

The video creation platform commissioned studies by MRC Data and Flamingo, respectively

David Cohen

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David Cohen