By Chloe Drusendahl
In the past two decades, social media has changed sociocultural norms and communication. Family members will stay in touch using Facebook, consumers will invest in clothing and cosmetic trends on TikTok, and friends will Snapchat back and forth funny moments. Social media has allowed people from all over the world to communicate at record time that no one would have ever thought of decades ago. While social media has become a fun communication medium for everyday people, it has become a business for influencers and celebrities that recognize that social media is another source of revenue. That ability has been reached through sponsorships and collaborations, but this has been made easier with the efforts of Tik Tok.
Tik Tok Taking Over Social Media
Tik Tok has captivated the attention of all groups of people, whether it be corporate-working Gen Z and Millennials, or Retirees. The platform is famously known for short form, straight-to-the-point content. In recent years, it has become the primary platform for those seeking guidance, like how to cook pasta, evaluate your credit score, or even seek political information. Not only is it a fun platform for those seeking a serotonin boost and keeping up with trends, but it’s a platform spilling with information.
Billions of users access the app every single day, which has become a new medium to use for marketers and celebrities looking to push their brand image. With TikTok’s “For You” page, the platform is able to better understand users’ preferences in content. What they tend to watch, like, and interact with more, will determine their For You page. This enables marketers to easily target their niche market easier than paid advertising and for celebrities to expand their fanbases.
Using Tik Tok to an Advantage
Tik Tok is amazing because it poses the ability to reach impressionable audiences and keep them engaged. Using Tik Tok’s “For You” page, audiences can be easily persuaded on the app to keep engaging with content or to purchase something. It’s no wonder why many businesses see it as a valuable tool to use when advertising a product, especially to the younger population.
There is a downfall to this technology, given that this opens the door to vast competition. Although you have a greater chance of getting your content out there, you are competing with hundreds, if not, thousands of other users within the same niche or market. This is why it is important to make sure in your business plan, you’re able to find ways to stand out from the competition.
Dedicated Fanbases
The app has proven over the past few years that with the constant engagement, influencers and celebrities can build incredibly dedicated fanbases. Take for example artists like Tate McRae and Sabrina Carpenter, who have fast-tracked themselves to the top of the music charts. It’s no doubt that they both create incredible music and produce immaculate stage presence at their shows. Tik Tok has allowed musicians, especially them, to push music out at a rapid pace and generate a bigger response to album releases. But what draws people in and allows brands to partner with them?
Personality: Fans of Tate McRae and Sabrina Carpenter can easily see their charismatic and witty personalities through the screen. It is this and authenticity that draws in fans and keeps them coming back to their music. While keeping a professional brand image, Sabrina Carpenter has always been open with her followers about her self-image struggles while also not holding back on her charismatic personality. Tate McRae also shows her followers the behind-the scenes look on how she and her team prepares for her shows and dance rehearsals. It is clear that Tate’s passion for dance and music shows through the screen and on the stage. The platform also opens a whole new avenue for allowing musicians to show their fans the behind the scenes look into their busy lives and every day content. Being able to show an artist’s authenticity outside of the recording and dance studios can draw more fans into the fanbase. This helps fans feel more connected with creators they appreciate and the artists are able to keep professional with their audience while empowering them. This also opens up space for collaboration with brands that also align with their image.
Emotional response: It is scientifically proven that when the brain enjoys a piece of music, it can evoke emotion. It can make those feel excited and upbeat, or more emotional. Sabrina’s music is very catchy, with excitingly moving beats and melodies. On the other hand, Tate’s genre of music is classified as “sad pop” which evokes emotion with her fans but also resonation with her music. Although they make very catchy and melodic music, the songs tend to hold a much deeper meaning.
Overall image: Both Tate and Sabrina are known for their incredible stage presences and brand images, but they vastly differ. They both have different backgrounds; Tate is a former ballerina and professional dancer, and Sabrina was co-star on Disney show “Girl Meets World”. Both images have been carefully curated for the audiences they captivate. Tate McRae’s dance experience has given her the foundation to create sold out shows around the world. There’s no doubt that the talent runs through the girl’s veins, given that she performs every show while dancing and singing, which is no easy task. She is also incredibly well known for her different sense of style, where sporty outfits meet casual. On the other hand, Sabrina’s appearance brings back some classic, old-timey Hollywood features: the blonde pin-up curls, bright blushed cheeks, and elegant outfits. Her music while full of witty charm, is aligned with music videos that encapsulate the viewer into a storyline. “Espresso” takes the viewer back to a vintage summer while “Taste” insinuates a horror movie. Her wardrobe is also carefully curated to envision a glamorous image. During her stage shows, she’s also been able to show her charismatic personality, which draws in fans.
Sneak-Peaks and Teasers: Tate McRae saw instant success after releasing her song “greedy” last year, but how was that achieved. The Tik Tok algorithm heavily favors trending soundtracks as well, when more and more people use and like a soundtrack, Tik Tok will push more videos using it. Last year before the song’s release date, Tate posted multiple videos to this song, wondering if she should actually release it. Many of her fans including users who weren’t her fans instantly fell in love with this song, begging the rising popstar to post it. After weeks of teasing this song, Tate released it in late September of last year, and it was a hit. During 2024, Tate had also been on her THINK LATER world tour, where she had released another single “it’s ok i’m ok”. The song was released and she then performed it for the first time in her Madison Square Garden stop on her tour. The incredible choreography left her fans absolutely stunned, especially since this song had come out days prior to the performance. This song became her next of many breakthrough hits. Sabrina Carpenter had a similar experience releasing her song “Espresso”. She had performed at many shows including Coachella and the Governors Ball this past year. Performing a song that was just newly released days before her performances has also helped her gained more traction.
Concluding Thoughts
Social media platforms have always kept people around the world connected, especially influencers and celebrities to their followers. With the rise of Tik Tok, celebrities have been able to better influence their brand with the short form content. The unique algorithm will continue to let famous celebrities grow their brand and fanbase. Using this app, Tate McRae and Sabrina Carpenter have been able to fast-track their albums by posting sneak-peaks and teasers for their new music. And who knows, maybe new players will enter the scene and captivate people such as Tate and Sabrina have.
References
Tate McRae – The Significance of Performance Image in Music
AMA University of New Hampshire 
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