On Thursday 18 April, TikTok quietly launched its latest app, TikTok Notes, in Australia and Canada for testing. So what can we expect when the app officially launches in the UK? Let’s take a look 👀
On X, TikTok announced that they were in the early stages of experimenting with a “dedicated space for photo and text content.” The spokesperson added:
“Whether documenting adventures, expressing creativity, or simply sharing snapshots of one's day, the TikTok Notes experience is designed for those who would like to share and engage through photo content.”
Sounds familiar doesn’t it? 🤔
Notes is apparently going to be the latest rival to Instagram, which makes sense after Instagram launched its copycat ‘Reels’ following the success of TikTok back in 2020.
No, if you already have an account with TikTok, Notes will let you use your existing account. This was teased earlier in the month, when users received notifications within the TikTok app that said “Your photo posts will be shown on TikTok notes”.
The alert explained that future public TikTok photos will be displayed within the new app, along with the option for users to opt out of TikTok Notes if they would rather their photos stay just on TikTok.
Based on the screenshots provided in TikTok’s posts on X, it looks like TikTok Notes will have a For You page much like Instagram’s Explore page. Its layout is also comparable to Pinterest’s home feed, which displays multiple posts at once in two columns from users across the platform.
However, like the original TikTok app, there will also be a tab that allows you to see only the content from those you are following.
The posts themselves are very much like those on Instagram, with the option to upload multiple photos as a carousel and add a caption. Other users can like, comment and save these posts.
While TikTok have introduced the new platform as a place to document adventures, express creativity and share snapshots of one's day, the app currently looks more focused on useful content, rather than aesthetic.
This has always been the pull of TikTok since it first skyrocketed during the pandemic, when people were over the overly polished and filtered posts on Instagram and sought something more authentic.
Much like the video platform, TikTok Notes has a focus on helpful and useful content, such as how-tos, fashion inspo, travel guides, DIY and life hacks. However, we should also expect to see a sprinkling of everyday photos throughout the feed.
So far there are no updates on when TikTok notes will be available to download in the UK or US. It’s not yet clear why Australia and Canada were the first to launch, however it’s not uncommon for tech companies to roll out features in similar western countries with smaller populations for testing before releasing them in places like the UK and US, or in the EU where app regulation is much stricter.
When you start using TikTok Notes, you’ll be prompted to continue with your existing TikTok account. This will then automatically sync your settings, including your privacy preferences.
If you have a public TikTok account but would prefer to keep your TikTok Notes content private, this is something you will need to manually change within the Notes app.
As a social media manager or creator, you’re likely highly anticipating the launch of TikTok Notes as yet another platform to have to learn and understand.
To prepare, it may be worth repurposing some content from LinkedIn or Instagram over on TikTok as photos. That way, you’ll already have content live on your profile when the app becomes available in your region.
Last year, TikTok introduced Lemon8, an eCommerce app that mirrored the visual appeal of Pinterest’s feed, enabling users to shop products directly from photos.
While the concept garnered interest, it didn't achieve the level of success TikTok might have hoped for.
This could be one reason why they have opted to launch TikTok Notes without an initial focus on products. Instead, TikTok Notes seems to concentrate on fostering engagement through photo and text content, echoing the interactive essence of the main TikTok platform.
However, this doesn't rule out the possibility of eCommerce features being integrated into TikTok Notes in the future. As the platform evolves, it’s likely that TikTok Shopping will be incorporated into Notes, blending creative content with commerce in a way that enhances user experience and opens new avenues for monetisation.
Currently it doesn’t look as though TikTok Notes will have Stories. However, as the Stories feature already exists on the original TikTok app, the same feature may be integrated across both apps later down the line.
Instagram has a history of copying its competitors' features, such as Snapchat’s stories to TikTok’s short-from videos– all of which have been successful for the company and its growth.
Last year, Instagram overtook TikTok in app downloads and although Insta has 400M more active users, data shows that TikTok users spend 33 minutes more per day on the app than Instagram users.
It’s not yet clear whether TikTok will have the same success when the app launches globally. Only time will tell!
From the soft launch across Canada and Australia, TikTok Notes doesn’t currently have a shopping feature like TikTok, though this may be a feature that is introduced later down the line.
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