{"id":17160,"date":"2019-07-19T22:40:14","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T22:40:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rsoftsolution.com\/blog\/tiktok-tests-an-instagram-style-grid-and-other-changes.html"},"modified":"2019-07-19T22:40:14","modified_gmt":"2019-07-19T22:40:14","slug":"tiktok-tests-an-instagram-style-grid-and-other-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rbsitsoftwaresolution.in\/blog\/tiktok-tests-an-instagram-style-grid-and-other-changes.html","title":{"rendered":"TikTok tests an Instagram-style grid and other changes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Short-form video app TikTok, <\/a> the fourth most downloaded app in the world as of last quarter<\/a>, is working on several new seemingly Instagram-inspired features \u2014 including a Discover page, a grid-style layout similar to Instagram Explore, an Account Switcher and more.<\/p>\n

The features were uncovered this week by reverse-engineering specialist Jane Manchun Wong<\/a>, who published screenshots of these features and others to Twitter.<\/p>\n

A TikTok spokesperson declined to offer further details on the company\u2019s plans, but confirmed the features were things the company is working on.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re always experimenting with new ways to improve the app experience for our community,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

The most notable change uncovered by Wong is one to TikTok\u2019s algorithmically generated \u201cFor You\u201d page. Today, users flip through each video on this page, one by one, in a vertical feed-style format. The updated version instead offers a grid-style layout, which looks more like Instagram\u2019s Explore page. This design would also allow users to tap on the videos they wanted to watch, while more easily bypassing those they don\u2019t. And because it puts more videos on the page, too, the change could quickly increase the amount of input into TikTok\u2019s recommendation engine about a user\u2019s preferences.<\/p>\n

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TikTok is working on grid feed layout.<\/p>\n

It works like Instagram’s Explore feed pic.twitter.com\/gnhaRyiSx2<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) July 18, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Another key change being developed is the addition of a \u201cDiscover\u201d tab to TikTok\u2019s main navigation.<\/p>\n

The new button appears to replace the current Search tab, which today is labeled with a magnifying glass icon. The Search section currently lets you enter keywords, and returns results that can be filtered by users, sounds, hashtags or videos. It also showcases trending hashtags on the main page. The \u201cDiscover\u201d button, meanwhile, has a people icon on it, which hints that it could be helping users find new people to follow on TikTok, rather than just videos and sounds.<\/p>\n

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TikTok is testing “Discover” tab pic.twitter.com\/333WiPCvLn<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) July 18, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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This change, if accurately described and made public, could be a big deal for TikTok creators, as it arrives at a time when the app has gained critical mass and has penetrated the mainstream. The younger generation has been caught up in TikTok, finding the TikTok stars more real and approachable than reigning YouTubers.\u00a0 TikTokers and their fans even swarmed VidCon<\/a> this month, leading some to wonder if a paradigm shift for online video was soon to come.<\/p>\n

A related feature, \u201cSuggested Users,\u201d could also come into play here, in terms of highlighting top talent.<\/p>\n

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TikTok is testing Suggested Users, Sounds and Hashtags in Search page pic.twitter.com\/dQ1iCKUrJl<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) July 18, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Getting on an app\u2019s \u201cSuggested\u201d list is often key to becoming a top creator on the platform. It\u2019s how many Viners<\/a> and Twitter<\/a> users initially grew their follower bases, for instance.<\/p>\n

However, TikTok diverged from Instagram with the testing of two other new features Wong found that focused on popularity metrics. One test shows the \u201cLike\u201d counts on each video on the Sounds and Hashtags pages, and another shows the number of Downloads on the video itself, in addition to the Likes and Shares.<\/p>\n

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TikTok is testing to SHOW like counts on each video on Sound and Hashtag page<\/p>\n

It’s like the opposite of Instagram lol pic.twitter.com\/6LWrEXgj2y<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) July 18, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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TikTok is testing to show number of Downloads on videos \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/hPkBo09pNy<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) July 18, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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This would be an interesting change in light of the competitive nature of social media. And its timing is significant. Instagram is now\u00a0backing away from showing Like counts<\/a>, in a test running in a half dozen countries. The company made the change in response to public pressure regarding the anxiety that using its service causes.<\/p>\n

Of course, in the early days of a social app, Like counts and other metrics are tools that help point users to the breakout, must-follow stars. They also encourage more posting as users try to find content that resonates \u2014 which then, in turn, boosts their online fame in a highly trackable way.<\/p>\n

TikTok is also taking note of how integrations with other social platforms could benefit its service, similar to how the Facebook, Instagram<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a> and Messenger<\/a> apps<\/a> have offered features to drive traffic to one another and otherwise interoperate<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A couple of features Wong found were focused on improving connections with social apps, including one that offered better integration with WhatsApp, and another that would allow users to link their account to Google and Facebook.<\/p>\n

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TikTok is testing “Send to” section on Share UI, allowing sharing videos to individual WhatsApp friends pic.twitter.com\/lBWRH6trcP<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) July 18, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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A few other changes being tested included an Instagram-like Account switcher interface, a \u201cLiked by Creator\u201d comment badge and a downgrade to the TikCode (QR code), which moves from the user profile in the app\u2019s settings.<\/p>\n

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TikTok is testing Account Switcher pic.twitter.com\/8F7YIeKCr7<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) July 18, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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TikTok is testing “Liked by creator” comment badge pic.twitter.com\/u76L8btLXw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) July 18, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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TikTok is testing to move the TikCode button from Profile to Settings pic.twitter.com\/TkAnV8BI5K<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) July 18, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Of course, one big caveat here with all of this is that just because a feature is spotted in the app\u2019s code, that doesn\u2019t mean it will launch to the public. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Some of these changes may be tested privately, then scrapped entirely, or are still just works in progress. But being able to see a collection of experiments at one time like this \u2014 something that\u2019s not possible without the sort of reverse engineering that Wong does \u2014 helps to paint a larger picture of the direction an app may be headed. In TikTok\u2019s case, it seems to understand its potential, as well as when to borrow successful ideas from others who have come before it, and when to go its own direction.<\/p>\n

Article source: http:\/\/feedproxy.google.com\/~r\/techcrunch\/social\/~3\/9bh-2nCNahk\/<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Short-form video app TikTok, the fourth most downloaded app in the world as of last quarter, is working on several new seemingly Instagram-inspired features \u2014 including a Discover page, a <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[10,7,14,15,6,12,11],"class_list":["post-17160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-update","tag-computer-news","tag-downloads","tag-microsoft-download-news","tag-networking-updates","tag-technology-update","tag-wordpress-plugin-download","tag-wordpress-theme-download"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t