You’ll never believe it, but the world’s most popular website isn’t Google, Facebook, or Amazon.

So what is it?

TikTok! Recent insights from Cloudflare Radar show that TikTok.com was the #1 most popular domain visited in 2021, with Google.com and Facebook.com taking second and third place respectively.

You may be wondering how a social media platform could dethrone a search engine giant like Google after a 15-year reign. After all, TikTok is a relatively new global phenomenon and not one without controversy — the app has dealt with multiple concerns relating to data-mining, app permissions, and even national security. However, none of these issues have proven to be a major risk to users and have hardly prevented the platform from amassing a user base of over 1 billion, a milestone that occurred back in September of 2021.

“TikTok has become a beloved part of life for people around the world because of the creativity and authenticity of our creators. Our global community is remarkable in its ability to reach millions of people, across generations,” the company said in an announcement in September.

But why the reason for the app’s sudden explosion in popularity? While TikTok was first lauded as an entertainment app — a place for creators to post creative short-form videos focused on dance, humor, or skits — it has since expanded. Now, some of the most popular content that can be found on the app is informational: tips, recipes, how-to videos.

This is huge for digital marketers, because it clearly indicates that the way our audiences consume information online is changing. If they’d rather hear from peers via user-generated content than get answers through Google’s SEO-manipulated rankings, that can mean a massive shift in marketing strategy for any brand with a digital presence.

But what does this mean for your brand specifically? A few things:

• If you aren’t on TikTok, it’s time to establish a presence. As a business owner myself, I know how stressful it can feel to expand to a new social platform. But if there’s one place to be right now for maximum visibility and impact, it’s TikTok. So, if you haven’t already, go download the app and create a business account. Then, check out my Ultimate TikTok Marketing Guide to help you get started!

• Post a mix of entertaining and educational content. Contrary to what you may have heard, TikTok is no longer just for teenagers, memes, or dancing videos. You can gain a lot of traction by posting a solid mix of entertaining and educational content that relate back to the solution you are selling. How-to content, demonstrations, and product comparisons are just a few ideas you can use to show your audience why your solution is the go-to choice.

• Utilise influencer marketing on TikTok. Part of the reason consumers are turning to TikTok for information is because they trust user-generated content more than obvious advertisements. Partnering with influencers who align with your brand values and are a great match for your target audience is an incredible way to spread the word about your brand or product and drive sales. To learn more about TikTok influencer marketing, read my blog post on the subject here.

If you’re wanting to set yourself up for success with your TikTok strategy from the start, consider booking a strategy call with me. My 90 minute intensives are perfect for the CEO who wants to develop a winning plan for how to approach social media platform expansion to TikTok. To learn more about what a business strategy coaching entails, click here.