“TikTok has captured attention like few other competitors, surpassing two billion downloads to become the most downloaded app of 2020. While 75% of downloaded apps are used once and then forgotten, 90% of TikTok users access the app daily. In the US, TikTok users spend more than 850 minutes per month on the app.

So what is the primary reason behind this astronomic growth? One might think it is naturally the content. From ping pong tricks to dance tutorials, history trivia to smiling otters – there are no empty shelves in its vast video library. Or one might think it could be TikTok’s ability to spark viral trends – often through popular dances and memes. Elaborate ‘in-jokes’ that bounce around the world in a never-ending iteration of one-up-manship, with each creator adding their own twist.

Both are defining factors in TikTok’s success. But they are not the reason for it. The most powerful influence operates less overtly. It is the unseen essence that pulls these assets together. The secret sauce which supercharges the brand is its algorithm.”