In the years since its debut, TikTok has almost single-handedly upended the way content platforms function. Thanks to the 2016 breakout app, short-form video content now rules the internet.
It seems like there are few social media companies functioning online that haven't adapted to TikTok's influence in some way. Meta's META response to this social media revolution came swiftly as short-form "Reels" on Instagram and Facebook.
Alphabet's (GOOGL) is paying attention to the new social format's growth, too. Google Product Manager Danielle Marshak said on an episode of the Search Off The Record podcast that the company is looking to utilize TikTok and other short video content more in user search results. And Google's sister platform YouTube has also made space for the kind of quick-bite content TikTok pioneered in the form of YouTube Shorts.
The social media sensation has succeeded in connecting users with all kinds of content, from education to comedy to music. And now users might be able to navigate directly from their favorite TikTok videos to events and concerts. Ticketmaster is the latest company that's finding creative ways to use TikTok's internet takeover to launch it into the next age of entertainment.
Is TikTok The Next Big Name In Music Streaming?
Ticketmaster recently announced an in-app feature for TikTok that helps users find local events and purchase tickets directly from the app.
With the addition of the Ticketmaster TikTok tool, performers will be able to add links to their content directing viewers to the ticket sale service. Initially, this service will only be available to a limited number of creators -- stars like Demi Lovato, One Republic, The Backstreet Boys, and WWE have already signed on to give the service a go. If this Ticket-Tok function is successful, it will likely roll out to a larger number of performers.
This past May, TikTok's parent company ByteDance also filed patent for "TikTok Music". If successful, the app's newest function aims to dethrone Spotify (SPOT) as the biggest player in the music streaming space. Musicians and performers flocked to the app during the covid-19 lockdown, many pivoting from paid live shows to streaming performances for fans everywhere to see.
For the last few years, interactive social media apps like Instagram and TikTok became a lifeline for many creators. Now, approximately 75 million people all over the world have discovered new music thanks to TikTok, so moving into the music and performance market feels like the natural evolution of the service.
Ticketmaster Wants To Reach a Bigger Audience
Social media outreach isn't new to Ticketmaster, a subsidiary of Live Nation Entertainment (LYV). In February, the company announced plans for concert discovery features on Snapchat, and the service has been a part of YouTube since 2017. The idea is to put the Ticketmaster brand and service in front of a younger generation of concert-goers.
The plan could result in a boost to Ticketmaster's visibility. It could also help to revitalize a live music and events industry still recovering from the damage done by covid. However, Ticketmaster has seen its fair share of accessibility controversy. The company was recently roasted online for the exorbitant fees it tacked on to Bruce Springsteen tickets. Once Ticketmaster has established itself on TikTok, it could still be on the receiving end of comedic ire and call-outs from creators.
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