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The Social Aspects of TikTok’s UX -Fostering Connections and Community
How TikTok’s User Experience Encourages Interaction, Collaboration, and a Sense of Belonging Through Psychological Phenomena
Introduction
In the previous articles of this series, we explored the captivating power of TikTok’s vertical videos, short-form content, and looping features. In this article, we will delve deeper into the social aspects of TikTok’s user experience, examining how the platform fosters connections, collaboration, and a sense of community among users by leveraging key psychological phenomena.
Statistics at a glance (2023):
- Daily active users: 1.8 billion
- Average time spent per user per day: 95 minutes
- Downloads: 672 million+
- User engagement rate: 68%
- Average number of sessions per user per day: 19
User Interaction through Features and Algorithms: Reciprocity
TikTok’s user experience encourages interaction and engagement through several features and algorithmic choices. The concept of reciprocity plays a significant role in fostering connections on the platform.
- Comments and reactions: Allowing users to share their thoughts and engage with other viewers.
- Duets and Stitch: Enabling users to collaborate by incorporating elements of other users’ videos into their own.
- Personalized content curation: Presenting users with content that resonates with their interests and values.
By fostering reciprocity, TikTok enables users to show appreciation, collaborate, and engage with one another, creating a social experience centered around content consumption.
Participatory Culture and Viral Trends: Social Comparison Theory
TikTok’s UX design facilitates the spread of viral trends and challenges by making it easy for users to participate. Social comparison theory plays a vital role in motivating users:
- Hashtags and challenges: Encouraging users to participate in viral challenges and trends…
