TIK TOK UPDATES: A NEW SEARCH ENGINE AND A MUSIC CUT

TikTok as a Search Engine

Nowadays, TikTok has become incredibly famous, emerging as the go-to platform for the majority of GenZ. TikTok, a platform for short-form videos that have captured millions of views, is not only a source of entertainment but also the next big search engine for younger people.

According to Adobe’s research, 65% of GenZ are using TikTok as a search engine. Because of its unique storytelling format, which allows users to see actual experiences, tutorials and products’ reviews, TikTok is becoming a more trusted source of information.

Google and TikTok's Partnership: Elevating User Experience

TikTok and Google are currently exploring a new partnership. TikTok users have noticed a button that integrates Google search results into TikTok’s own search results and possibly, at some stage, into TikTok’s own search stream.

Google has started sourcing TikTok videos in some of its featured snippets, reflecting a cross-platform integration strategy to attract younger users.

What does this mean for SEO?

With TikTok videos being short form snippets of information, and attention spans shrinking, businesses will face a new challenge in grabbing and holding user's attention.

However, this shift towards TikTok as a search engine brings with it concerns about misinformation, as more people turn to TikTok for info. Recognising a reliable website is typically easier than evaluating the credibility of a TikTok account, which emphasises the importance of fact-checking and responsible content creation.

Deal Expired: UMG Music no longer on TikTok

The largest record company in the world, Universal Music Group NV (UMG), and TikTok were unable to come to a licensing arrangement, leading UMG to remove its artists' music from the social media platform. The music from renowned artists like Drake, Taylor Swift, and Bob Dylan, will no longer be accessible on TikTok.

Music firms have persistently criticised the platform for not paying artists fairly for their work. Despite ByteDance’s impressive $110 billion in sales last year, UMG's revenue from TikTok was barely 1% of the total. Even though music rights holders are paid by TikTok, it does not share the profits.

UMG publicly disclosed the breakdown in discussions through an open letter. The dispute centred on issues such as equitable compensation for songwriters and artists, protection against artificial intelligence methods, and user safety on TikTok. TikTok responded by claiming that UMG had prioritised its business interests over those of its clients.

Since the licence expired on January 31st, TikTok has begun muting every video playing UMG songs. Now that TikTok is formally unlicensed, it faces the challenge of adopting a stricter stance on copyright compliance or risking legal action from UMG.

What’s Next for TikTok Users?

This development raises questions about the songs featured in TikTok videos. TikTok users can choose from its library, which consists of songs from independent musicians and record labels that have granted permission, or submit their music and allow others to use it. The fate of videos with personal audio—even if the music belongs to UMG—remains uncertain.

Record labels heavily rely on TikTok to discover new artists, as the app has become one of the most influential platforms in the music industry. TikTok itself argued that the social media helps songs to reach a wider audience. With the cut of UMG artists, songs will lose viral exposure.

TikTok users are sharing their reactions, initially dismissing it as a bluff and commenting on the apparent lack of variety in the music library. Some see this as an opportunity for independent music creators to shine on TikTok.

Despite the changes, TikTok's distinctive humour persists, with users creating videos that play on the fun aspects of the situation.

The question that remains is whether the TikTok community will take this episode to invent hacks for featuring UMG music on the platform.