ByteDance, the parent company of popular video platform
TikTok, seems to be experimenting with the idea of launching a standalone photo
sharing app similar to Instagram. References to an app called "TikTok
Photos" were recently found within the code of the TikTok application,
indicating the company may soon prompt users to share still images and photos
to this new visual platform.
The code provided some additional context, suggesting one of
the goals of a separate photo app would be to help TikTok users "reach
like-minded people who enjoy photo posts" as well as "gain new
audiences" through expanding into this format.
If launched, a photo sharing application linked to the
massive TikTok brand could see quick adoption worldwide given TikTok's billions
of existing users and growing popularity as a social media leader. We've seen
with other Chinese social platforms like Xiaohongshu that images play a big
role, with the image-first site generating over half a billion dollars in
revenue last year alone through a blend of visual content sharing and ecommerce
functionality.
TikTok itself has already begun allowing photo posting
directly within the main video-focused app and has actively pushed users to
share more pictures through prompts and features over the past year. A
dedicated photo app could take this visual content sharing aspect even further
by optimizing the entire experience and interface specifically for different
types of still images rather than short videos.
Rather than attempting to directly compete with established
photo platforms like Instagram in markets where they are already popular, a
"TikTok Photos" app seems positioned to complement TikTok's growing
focus on online shopping, product discovery, and connecting with engaged
communities through images on mobile.
We've seen hints of this approach previously with the launch
of ByteDance's Lemon8 shopping and photo app last year, although it lost
momentum over time. However, linking photo sharing even more closely with the
massive scale and engaged user base found on TikTok itself could potentially
give any new visual platform launched under the TikTok brand a much better
chance of gaining long term success and sustainability.
The looming potential for another ban on TikTok services in
the United States also provides incentive for ByteDance to get a photo app off
the ground sooner to help test interest and function before major restrictions
are put in place, if needed.
For brands, the opportunity of connecting with huge
audiences through new creative and shopping-friendly formats on an official
TikTok photo platform should not be overlooked. Services like those offered
through the Great SMM panel could prove highly valuable in helping companies
devise visual content strategies to make the most of any new apps as they
emerge.
Businesses would be wise to consider how visual storytelling
and discovery may evolve across ByteDance's expanding portfolio of social
platforms. By staying up to date on new developments and keeping content
relevant through an experienced SMM provider, brands stand the best chance of
engaging customers and gaining visibility among constantly changing social
media audiences on mobile.
While full details are not yet available since the photo app
is still in early testing and development stages internally, ByteDance does
seem serious about leveraging the power of visual content to further enhance
the TikTok experience and connect engaged communities through new sharing
features.
A dedicated "TikTok Photos" application linking
photo posting even more tightly to their other popular services like TikTok
itself could see quick adoption worldwide if launched successfully. For
businesses large and small, watching how this project develops may inspire
fresh opportunities to creatively engage target audiences at massive scale
through visually-driven storytelling and online shopping on mobile devices. By
strategizing proactively with an expert SMM panel like Great SMM, companies can
make the most of any new platforms that emerge from ByteDance in the future.
