When Kendra Womack uploaded a small video of her aunt’s Labrador retriever to TikTok last year, she didn’t expect what would happen next.
The social media app algorithm picked up the clip of the 26-year-old part-time barista throwing a yellow squeeze toy at Daisy, who appeared to devour her in one gulp and promoted her. to users around the world. Overnight, the 12-second clip went viral and garnered hundreds of thousands of views. More than 1.4 million people have seen it since then.
“She was shocked and disbelieving,” Ms. Womack said. “I couldn’t believe how easy it was.”
Ms. Womack and other enterprising smartphone users around the world have turned to TikTok as the preferred platform to deliver an instant shot of fame on the Internet. At a time when a growing number of social media platforms base their business models on celebrity creators and other popular influencers, TikTok emphasizes the idea of turning nobles into viral sensations as it tries to regain momentum after a turbulent 2020.
Some TikTok users, however, get frustrated when the viral fame of a video is hard to replicate with later clips. And TikTok’s short-form video format, which was new when it was released less than five years ago, now faces competition from a host of rivals.