TikTok is Gen Z’s version of “keeping up with the Joneses”.
A new survey by business intelligence company Morning Consult found that TikTok is driving consumption patterns for women in their 20s.
Three-quarters of Gen Z women use the app regularly, which is more than their male counterparts (62%).
These younger women are both creating and watching content that is shaping spending and purchasing trends.
“TikTok is a Gen Z women-centric app, and it is setting the tone and the narrative for what is ‘hot’ online”, says Morning Consult’s brand analyst Ellyn Briggs.
A variety of content formats are resonating with viewers but ‘haul’ videos are among the most influential.
These videos feature both ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ creators showing off new branded products.
Morning Consult’s research found young women are most likely to buy beauty products (53%) and clothes (49%) featured in TikTok clips.
Other fashion accessories and home decor products also feature heavily in the ‘aspirational’ content that influencers publish on TikTok.
The consumption trends on social media are encouraging for marketers.
The #tiktokmademebuyit hashtag has a staggering 8bn views, which highlights how tapping into the right audience can be transformative for a brand.
There is a darker side, though.
Morning Consult says women can feel pressured into spending beyond their means to keep up with the latest trends.
The business intelligence company has warned TikTok audiences about the danger of trying to replicate expensive lifestyles.
It says the wealth displayed in videos can often be misleading.
What is clear is that TikTok will continue to have a major impact on “digital and real lives” in 2024, according to Briggs.
She adds: “TikTok is driving consumption patterns in a very real way.”
