What does the future of TikTok Now look like?
Recently, TikTok launched a new feature on the app called Now. Users are prompted to take a picture at a random time of the day from their front and back cameras. Much like the French app BeReal, TikTok Now encourages users to post at an unexpected time and more authentically show what they are doing.
Depending on your region, some people might be able to access a separate app, but for now, TikTok Now is integrated into the bottom navigation banner.
Many are calling TikTok Now a clone of BeReal. After seeing the success of BeReal, it makes sense that TikTok would follow suit and create its own rendition of the growing social media platform. Creating a new feature that mimics other popular apps isn’t a new idea, though.
If you’ve been on social media for a while, you’ll know about Instagram’s addition to the short video craze. Instagram Reels was launched in 2020 after seeing the popularity of TikTok. Recently, Instagram has made short-form videos more of a priority, claiming they are no longer just a photo-based app.
As we know now, short-form videos are increasingly popular, with Facebook introducing its own feed of short-form videos on the “Watch” tab in 2021. Meta owns both social media sites, so it makes sense that they would both move toward video.
Social media functions in this way. When one feature becomes increasingly popular, other social media sites are prompted to introduce similar features. Like the short-form video available on nearly every app, the “authentic video capture” might become a new trend across other apps.
If the random video-capturing feature is a new addition to many apps, there is a better chance that influencer marketing might have a more defined role. TikTok Now allows creators to control who can see their content by altering their privacy settings. For the time being, users can only share their content with those in their immediate community through their contact list or proximity, but that could change.
If TikTok enables users to share their Now content with their following, there will undoubtedly be opportunities for creators to monetize their spontaneous photos, as they do with their video content on TikTok. TikTok is still testing out its Now feature, but there are a couple of opportunities for brands and creators to use their TikTok and BeReal experience to their advantage.
For now, the best idea is for creators to use Now and BeReal in their personal life. By being well-versed in Now, they will be ready for available opportunities if the time comes for partnerships through the app.
