Briefly analysed
TikTok is unserious. Often you can hear a statement like this in connection with the chinese video platform. At first glance, you could think they are right, because sometimes very bizarre dance videos are uploaded. However, more and more organizations such as “Wissenschaft im Dialog” – “Science in Dialogue” – and even the german news program “Tagesschau” post on the platform. The target group is 16 to 24-year-olds. Some scientists have also recognized the potential and show or explain something about their work in short videos. TikTok itself also wants to invest more in knowledge and is calling for this with #teiledeinwissen – #shareyourknowledge. It is definitely worth it for science and knowledge communication to invest time in the video platform. The one billion monthly users (2019) should be incentive enough.
Social media With #teiledeinwissen – #shareyourknowledge, TikTok calls on people to share their own knowledge and experience. Does TikTok want to grow up? No, the video platform recognizes its own potential. Science communication should take notice of this if it wants to reach young people as well.
When I think of TikTok, SciComm is the last thing that comes to my mind. On the contrary, I think of young people performing to some song. Is this video portal serious enough for communicating knowledge and science? “Wissenschaft im Dialog” – “Science in Dialog” would probably answer this question with yes. As viral_news_wid, the organization uploads challenges, games and explanatory videos – all on the subject of Covid-19.
TikTok Users want entertainment
The Museum of Natural History Berlin is also on TikTok. The makers use their exhibits to explain interesting facts about animals and nature. The videos are professionally made and accompanied by music. The museum reaches 23.4 thousand followers and shows the younger target group that this place is anything but boring. Good knowledge communication can be entertaining!
TikTok sees itself as an entertainment platform. Users perform to songs or call for challenges. For example, users produced before-and-after videos under #cleansnap. First they showed the dirty place, then the clean one. The one billion monthly active users show that challenges are successful (t3n: November 2019). At the beginning of May 2020, the app had been downloaded over two billion times. That should be reason enough to offer SciComm on this platform.
INFO- Facts about TikTok
- 41% of the users are between 16 and 24 years old (Globalwebindex 2019)
- users spent on average 53 minutes per day on TikTok (BusinessofApps 2019)
- According to Sensor Tower, TikTok was the most downloaded app in the Apple App Store in 2019; then came YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat.
People around the world are enthusiastic about the app. Among other things, because it is easy to use and the videos can be customized with many effects. The 15- to 60-second clips force the creator to be short and concise. This is not a bad thing for knowledge and science communication. It’s good to break down complex findings in an understandable way.
Behind the scenes of science
TikTok definitely offers new possibilities for communication. Some scientists have already discovered TikTok for themselves. Especially popular are diewissenschaftlerin and doc.felix in Germany or chemteacherphil in the english speaking world. Philip Cook shows science experiments. Felix talks about health and Amelie Reigl about biology topics, her work in the lab and the everyday life of a scientist.
Amelie Reigl takes her followers right along with her and gives them the feeling of being part of her everyday life. A nice way to let people look behind the scenes of science. Personal information about her love of plants creates closeness and shows that scientists do not sit in the ivory tower, but have a very normal life.
TikToks are spontaneous and creative
The smartphone has become a constant companion. If research permits, it is easy for scientists to film during an experiment and explain something. In this way, communication is possible without much effort.
The SciComm channels of official organizations such as “Wissenschaft im Dialog” – “Science in Diaolog” or the Natural History Museum Berlin are produced more elaborately. They differ from the TikToks of the young scientists. For example, Quark’s posts explanatory videos that can also be seen on Instagram or YouTube. They are attractively produced.
Entertaining content is necessary
For me, the question is whether this actually reaches 16- to 24-year-olds. Because the videos are produced differently than the usual TikToks, more structured than entertaining. In my opinion TikTok is about entertaining input that could be created by anyone.
To use the similar content like on YouTube or Instagram makes less sense. Each medium demands different formats. If you use TikTok, you have to adapt to the way it is made. The videos should be loose, individual, and contain music. Above all, you should make use of the design options. Users should have fun while watching. Then even young people who are not interested in science at first glance will be reached. Those who manage to process knowledge creatively will be rewarded with followers.
TikTok invests in knowledge
TikTok itslef wants to invest more in knowledge. Under the #teiledeinwissen – #shareyourknowledge – and the motto “We are all experts in something” people are called upon to do so. With #lernenmittiktok – #leanrwithtiktok, the platform is investing around 4.5 million euros in Germany to support creators who upload their short knowledge videos. The learning content should be entertaining and conveyed in a way that is easy to understand. There is demand for knowledge. The platform could make science more attractive among young people. In my view, TikTok therefore offers great potential for knowledge and science communication.
Sources:
Jörn Brien: Social-Network-Rekord: Tiktok brauchte nur drei Jahre bis zur Nutzermilliarde. In: t3n.de. 13. November 2019, abgerufen am 17. März 2020.
Biran Rotter: Das schaffte bisher nur Facebook: Tiktok erreicht 2 Milliarden Downloads. In: t3n.de. 3. Mai 2020, abgerufen am 18. Mai 2020.
https://www.tiktok.com/@diewissenschaftlerin?lang=de-DE&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
https://www.tiktok.com/tag/teiledeinwissen?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
https://www.tiktok.com/@quarks?lang=de-DE&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
https://www.tiktok.com/@mfnberlin?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1