TikTok Introduces Text-Only Posts, Taking Aim at Twitter’s Market Share
In a bid to tap into the growing demand for alternative platforms to Twitter, social media giant TikTok has announced the introduction of text-only posts. The video sharing platform revealed on Monday that users will now have the ability to create “text-based content”, expanding the boundaries of content creation on TikTok.
According to TikTok, this new feature aims to provide a dedicated space for users to showcase their written creativity, previously seen in comments, captions, and videos. Users will also have the option to add colored backgrounds and stickers to their posts. However, the company has imposed a limit of 1,000 words for each text-only post, less than Twitter’s 280-character limit.
This new feature has drawn comparisons to Instagram, where posts can be commented on but do not facilitate a conversation like Twitter. TechCrunch reported that TikTok’s latest move is likely to take on Twitter, which recently underwent a rebranding by its owner, Elon Musk. Musk purchased Twitter in October and renamed the company “X,” a move that has been deemed “extremely risky” by industry commentators.
With Twitter facing financial challenges, announcing a decline of 50% in ad revenue due to advertisers holding back spending on the platform, rival tech companies are seizing the opportunity to attract Twitter users and launch competing platforms. Instagram, for instance, recently introduced Threads, a text-based app that initially saw 100 million people sign up within five days of its launch. However, Forbes reported that the number of active daily users has since dropped by 70%.
While TikTok boasts over a billion users, according to its website, Instagram still leads with 2.3 billion users, according to Business of Apps. It is worth noting that TikTok’s user base is younger than Instagram’s. The UK Communications watchdog recently revealed that TikTok is the primary source of news for 12 to 15-year-olds, followed by YouTube and Instagram.
Despite its soaring popularity, TikTok has faced criticism due to its links to China. Governments in Canada, the US, UK, and Australia have restricted the use of the app on government-owned devices due to concerns over data privacy and security. Just this week, TikTok disclosed that its China-based employees have access to some Australian user data, further raising concerns among users and governments.
With its foray into text-only posts, TikTok seeks to diversify its content offerings and lure users who may be looking for an alternative to Twitter. Their latest move comes at a time when rival platforms are increasingly vying for Twitter’s market share, making the social media landscape more competitive than ever before.