After recently being spotted by several users in testing, TikTok has confirmed that it’s currently trying out a new ‘Nearby’ content Feed, in addition to its current and hugely popular ‘For You’ and ‘Following’ tabs.
Twitter use @sofeashra posted this image of the ‘Nearby’ Feed as it currently looks in the app (testing). As the name implies, TikTok’s newest Feed displays content posted by users in your current location. This could enable TikTok to showcase locally relevant updates which relate to your interests.
As TechCrunch explains:
“For example, if your For You page often displays restaurant recommendations or must-see hiking spots, the Nearby feed should show you videos of restaurants and hiking trails that are near you.”
Pretty Near
This would be a big consideration for brands, seeing as how TikTok is the app of the moment. Estimates place TikTok to just be behind Facebook and YouTube in terms of total audience before 2022 ends. A dedicated local Feed could give you access to a huge and engaged nearby group – considering that Google says that almost 40% of young people now refer to TikTok or Instagram instead of Google Search when scouting for a place to eat, that does present a huge promotional opportunity.
Of course, this would ring true, but only if that’s how ‘Nearby’ actually works. Details are still fairly limited at this stage, with the test only being conducted with a small group of users in Southeast Asia. TikTok also recently added a location tagging option for posts, but it’s still not currently clear if posts displayed in the ‘Nearby’ Feed will automatically be added based on where a user’s profile is located. It’s either that or if location tags will need to be added. Even TikTok isn’t sure yet just how things will play out, only noting that:
“We’re always thinking about new ways to bring value to our community and enrich the TikTok experience.”
So, what we do know so far is that the new ‘Nearby’ Feed is both limited and experimental. Though it’ll likely take some time before it reaches its full, tangible form, it could still be a bigger consideration, depending on where TikTok goes next.
The Wrap
It’s highly recommended that you note Google’s comments on this, which also recently made a point of acknowledging TikTok’s rising share of search activity as a competitive threat. If such is a major emerging trend among younger users, then a local Feed could become even more relevant, potentially rivaling even Google in terms of SEO importance. These are mainly speculations for now, but they could soon become real points of contention – all the more reason to consider your TikTok strategy as early as now.
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