TikTok, the star of social media apps, is known for allowing users to create short-looping videos.
With the platform benefiting from the masses of users, and already having more than one billion app downloads on both Apple App Store and Google Play Store, it is adding improvements to leverage is existing advantages.
And that is by adding GIF integration.
Because GIF is known to provide animations, it should quickly make a comfortable home at TikTok.
According to its blog post announcing the news, TikTok is partnering with GIPHY, the popular GIF platform, to start allowing users to import GIPHY's GIFs, specifically its animated Stickers, into their posts.
And at the same time, users can also create their own new GIFs for GIPHY, based on their interaction with TikTok.
According to TikTok's spokesperson:
For GIPHY, the platform has previously partnered with numerous other services, including Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitch, Slack, Quip and others. And TikTok here, is adding to that list.
TikTok, the platform operated by China's ByteDance, has also partnered with numerous third-parties, including music labels and publishers. But its partnership with GIPHY marks the first time for TikTok to integrate third-party GIF/Sticker content into its platform.
And to showcase this partnership and feature, TikTok is putting the GIPHY integration front and center.
This way, any TikTok users can quickly and easily add Stickers to their post, by tapping on the dedicated GIPHY button. TikTok said that it worked with GIPHY Studios to create stickers that reflect some of the more popular memes and hashtags on the platform.
Leveraging GIPHY's massive usage, according to TikTok, most popular stickers based on TikTok memes can get surfaced on GIPHY itself, which in turn can also be shown wherever it is integrated. Users can find these Stickers by searching GIPHY using #TikTok.
However, this privilege is only available for verified users.
TikTok has proven itself capable of filling the gap left by the now-defunct Vine, and occupying the spots where Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others failed to fill.
For the 1-year-old platform, this is indeed a great achievement.
The platform shows how it became the massively popular place for people to share fun and sometimes, some sentimental short videos and music. And considering that TikTok is the highlight of the social media sphere, ByteDance acknowledges that the market is in its favor.
The GIPHY integration simply provides a whole new level of creative capacity, and in turn, can further hurt competitors' share..
This is where TikTok is looking forward for improve user experience and engagement. And knowing that the integration brings more capabilities, TikTok can use GIPHY to propel itself forward, helping it turn its monetization efforts to full throttle.
Stickers have indeed became the ways for many social media users to bring in more interactions. For TikTok, this should translate to more brands and businesses in willing to use its platform for reach.
Read How ByteDance Wants To Dominate, By Surpassing Facebook, Instagram And YouTube