TikTok is developing a new still image app to compete with Instagram.
Eagle-eyed observers have spotted new references to “TikTok Photos” within the app’s code-behind.
The code appears to suggest that TikTok users will soon start receiving requests, encouraging them to share still images on the new app to “reach like-minded people who enjoy photo posts,” it said. The SpAndroid.
Why we care. If TikTok were to launch a rival to Instagram, it could offer marketers another opportunity to reach and connect with Gen Z, given TikTok’s popularity with that demographic.
Release soon? In TikTok’s code-behind, developers have spotted a new welcome message hinting at the possible existence of the reported Instagram competitor, which reads:
“TikTok Photos is launching soon, we hope to help you gain new audiences in the new app. If the switch is on, we’ll sync your public photos with the new app, whether you close the popup or not.
tracks. The news comes after TikTok launched a “photo mode” for streaming stills in 2022. The platform said at the time:
“Photo mode allows you to share carousel posts of still images that are automatically displayed one after the other. You can add music to the soundtrack of the images, which viewers can slide to their own beat.”
More recently, TikTok has also encouraged users to share more still images, meaning that content has the potential to generate more comments, likes and shares. Lia Haberman, professor of influencer marketing at UCLA, shared a screenshot of the notice threads:
Haberman then commented:
“TikTok is running an in-app promotion that encourages people to post photos, which they claim, compared to videos, can get: 2.9x more comments 1.9x more likes 2.6x more actions. app.” “Once I posted this on LinkedIn and Twitter, people told me their carousels worked really well, so I guess the increased algorithm really helps.”
why now Xiaohongshu, China’s version of Instagram, has been doing very well after introducing e-commerce features to the app. By 2023, the platform made more than $500 million in profits, much more than expected, and now has more than 200 million users in China. Given its success, it makes sense that ByteDance, the Beijing-based company behind TikTok, is working on a similar platform to tap into that market.
Also, with TikTok facing a possible ban in the US, it makes sense for ByteDance to accelerate the launch of a new platform before any potential ban takes effect.
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What TikTok says. TikTok did not immediately respond to Search Engine Land’s request for comment.
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