Over 1 billion people use the smashing success of the short-form video platform, TikTok. In fact, TikTok has become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon. With its specific nuances, verbiage and more, the platform serves as a great tool for marketers to reach target consumers with the right data-driven approach.

TikTok just released their What’s Next report full of insights, case studies and trends for brands to take note of. The report is based on user behavior in 2021 and offers insights into how marketers can use the platform better in 2022.

The report is based on user behavior and identifies which verticals are trending on the platform.

The 35 page report can be downloaded here. However, most people don’t have the time to read 35 pages so we will go over the key takeaways in this post.

6 Key Trends

The report emphasizes the following trends and if your brand could capitalize on one or more of these trends, they’re already proven.

• Self-care champions: Beauty and self care topics dominated TikTok in 2021. Particularly popular post types in this category are before and after reveals. 

• Financial services: This category was a surprise. But financial services on TikTok are up 255%. Typically, videos in this vertical call out pain points on the path to financial independence. 

• Recipes and food videos: Many foodie brands have been using feed ads to share tips and tricks about their products. Cooking contests are also very popular.

• Gaming culture: Rising gamers on TikTok have become a staple of the TikTok community. They are so popular that non-gaming related brands often partner with gaming TikTokers and see success.

• Shopping functionality: 2022 will be the first full year of the release of TikTok Shopping. This feature is a suite of tools that turn videos and live streams into shopping experiences. With TikTok Shopping, consumers can purchase from brands that catch their attention without leaving the platform which has created an expedited buyer’s journey.

• The evolution of sound: One thing that sets TikTok apart from other popular social platforms is that music is an integral part of the videos that get posted. 88% of TikTok users say that sound is central to the overall app experience. This has led to some musical artists gaining popularity because of TikTok. The report also states that videos with music have longer viewing times.

The TikTok Audience

While many marketers associate TikTok with teens dancing and lip synching, the platform and it’s audience has matured lately and now has a broader demographic. Gen Z is still the biggest audience on the platform so brands who want to reach a younger audience shouldn’t overlook TikTok.

TikTok is said to be more authentic than other platforms with 73% of TikTok users feeling a deeper connection with brands than on other platforms.

Consumers crave interaction and this made community a theme of the latest report. Community is so strong on TikTok that 67% of users say they’ve purchased a product on TikTok even when they weren’t planning to do so!

Insights Into The Famous #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt Phenomenon 

The trend #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt was huge in 2021 and still is trending in 2022. The hashtag represents the power of word of mouth to make a product go viral.

This type of power is called a social commerce movement and the report offers tips on creating viral trends on TikTok. 

The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has been viewed 9.7 billion times. It has become popular for product discovery and has even made some small brands famous.

Influencers and TikTok

Influencers, or in the words of TikTok, “creators” were another central theme in the report. Partnering with influencers can increase view-through rates by 193%!

TikTok claims that partnering with influencers on their platform is more effective than paid ads.

Last year, TikTok created the Creator Marketplace which allows brands to connect with high profile TikTokers aka influencers. Brands can search through the Creator Marketplace via searches like industry, budget, goals, etc. 

Though the Creator Marketplace is fairly new, it already has over 100,000 creators that brands can partner with.

TikTok Shared Post Types That Resonate With Users

Not getting the engagement you would like on TikTok? In the report, TikTok shared engaging post types that their users love.

Start brainstorming how you can implement some of the following ideas:



• Before and after reveals
• Behind the scenes videos
• Showcase the manufacturing process
• Self love movements
• Timely reactions to events in the news
• Branded hashtag challenges
• Lead gen ads
• Tips and tricks about products

What do you think is the key takeaway from TikTok’s latest report? We’d love to read all about what stands out to you in the comments below!