The Latest TikTok Updates: Music, Collaborative Posts, and AI Integration

TikTok has been a hub of innovation and change, constantly evolving to meet the demands of its users and keep up with the latest trends. This year has been no different, with significant updates that impact content creators, businesses, and advertisers alike. Here’s a comprehensive look at the most recent changes you need to know about.

Universal Music Group Returns to TikTok

Earlier this year, TikTok faced a major setback when Universal Music Group (UMG) removed its entire catalogue from the platform, silencing videos that featured popular artists like Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, and Miley Cyrus. This left many creators scrambling to find suitable music alternatives. However, fans can now rejoice as TikTok and UMG have reached a new agreement, reinstating UMG’s music library on the platform. This move restores soundtracks to countless videos and opens up new possibilities for emerging talent to launch their careers on TikTok.

Navigating Music Usage on TikTok

Despite this positive development, you might still be uncertain about which tracks are available for use, especially for commercial purposes. TikTok’s Creator Centre is an excellent resource for this, offering a list of the top 100 tracks currently trending on the platform. Notably, you can filter these to see which are approved for business use. Interestingly, the top track available for business use ranks at number 21, indicating some limitations remain.

In addition to music, there’s a growing trend of using sounds, such as dialogue clips, sound effects, and ASMR, to enhance videos. These alternatives can be just as effective in making your content go viral.

Collaborative Posts on TikTok

Following in Instagram’s footsteps, TikTok has introduced a collaborative post feature. This allows creators to tag up to five others in a post, which will then appear on all tagged users’ profiles. This feature is designed to boost engagement and visibility, making it a valuable tool for influencer partnerships, competitions, and collaborative campaigns. However, note that you can only add collaborators four times a month.

Enhancements in TikTok Advertising

TikTok continues to refine its advertising platform. One of the latest features, Pulse Premiere, allows advertisers to select specific publishers and media content categories for their ads to appear alongside. This offers brands more control over their ad placements, ensuring they align with appropriate and brand-safe content. Categories include lifestyle, sports, entertainment, and education, making it easier to target the right audience.

AI Integration in Search

Search functionality on TikTok has seen significant improvements with the integration of AI. You can now add up to 2,000 characters in captions, enhancing your ability to use SEO keywords effectively. Additionally, TikTok has introduced search ads and AI search highlights, where AI curates search results for specific queries. This feature is currently most effective for searches related to recipes and tech, offering users a more refined and relevant search experience.

As TikTok continues to innovate, these updates highlight the platform’s commitment to enhancing user experience, supporting content creators, and offering robust advertising solutions. Stay tuned for more exciting developments in the world of TikTok.