The social media platform TikTok has become a mainstream method of learning dance moves. And some recipes. And maybe a silly dog video here and there. But what we didn’t expect it to become was a healthcare platform.
No, surgeries aren’t being performed via the application – although we won’t be surprised if and when that happens in this world of oversharing.
With sites like CaringBridge and even GoFundMe acting as channels to deploy information and raise funds, people have shared their stories and their pleas to the public in a way that allows for crowdfunding and dissemination of information in a broad manner. What TikTok has provided is a way to share information visually from patients.
With people at home during the pandemic, TikTok became their creative outlet. And if they still had to go to the hospital for treatment whether it be COVID-19 or cancer, this was one way of staying in touch and bring friends along with them. Perhaps it allowed us to feel less alone when we needed it. While it was already popular pre-pandemic, the app was the most downloaded one in 2020.
And of course, businesses took notice too. Proctor & Gamble engaged with TikTok’s biggest star Charli D’Amelio to get the message out there with her #DistanceDance when they needed to get the public on board with social distancing. Lysol had their own campaign when they used the #healthyhabit6step.
There doesn’t appear to be a decline in usage happening as the world opens up, and in fact, we expect to see many more brands engage with the hope of their own type of news going “viral” – one that is contagious in a good way and only spread through hashtags.
Are you using TikTok to get your brand and messaging out there? We’d love to hear how your experience has been!
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