If your current TikTok for You page is anything like mine, you can’t scroll past more than one or two videos without clicking on Taylor Swift content. TikTok launched an interactive in-app fan experience in March 2023 that has been encouraging interaction with the world’s biggest singer-songwriters.
As Swift prepares to play the first of eight shows on her Eras tour this week at London’s Wembley Arena, TikTok is launching the next phase of its fan experience. The social media platform encourages Swifties to complete weekly challenges (for each of Swift’s albums) over the next 11 weeks, all of which will earn them themed avatar frames and beads to make their own digital friendship bracelets.
As a video-based platform, TikTok has proven to be an important space for people to connect with new and old music. For young artists making their breakthrough, it’s a chance for them to connect with new audiences, while for established musicians like Swift, TikTok is a forum to meet fans. Fan experiences, like the one TikTok created using Swift, are designed to help fans go deeper than just watching the 5 million Eras Tour-related videos on the platform.
TikTok has had a rough time in the music world this year after failing to reach a deal with Swift’s record label, Universal Music Group. The failure resulted in UMG artists’ tracks being removed from the platform for three months, not returning until May. Swift is the first UMG artist to return to TikTok, with her new album “The Tortured Poets Department” launching in April.
Other new features TikTok is adding to its Taylor Swift fan experience include video highlights for each tour stop and playlists tied to each weekly album theme. To access the experience, fans can click on anchors that appear next to Taylor Swift’s content on TikTok or interact with search banners that pop up on relevant Eras Tour search terms.
