TikTok Competitive Analysis 2023 - Business Analysis

Table of Contents

Company Overview

When was TikTok first launched and by which company?

TikTok was launched in September 2016 by ByteDance, a Beijing-based technology company founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming. Originally launched as Douyin in China, TikTok was introduced to the international market the following year. Within a few years, TikTok has experienced massive growth and become one of the most downloaded apps globally.

What is TikTok’s mission statement and core values?

TikTok’s mission is “to inspire creativity and bring joy”. Its core values emphasize creativity, fun, and positivity. TikTok aims to provide an entertaining platform for users to express themselves through short-form videos.

Key elements of TikTok’s mission and values include:

Inspiring creativity in users to produce entertaining short videos
Bringing joy by delivering a fun and engaging experience
Embracing diverse cultures and communities on its platform
Maintaining a positive environment free from hate and negativity
Democratizing content creation by making it easy for anyone to produce videos

Who is the CEO of TikTok and how is the company structured?

The CEO of TikTok is Shouzi Chew, who was appointed in 2021. Previously, Chew served as TikTok’s Chief Financial Officer.

Organizationally, TikTok operates as a business unit within its parent company ByteDance. While ByteDance is headquartered in China, TikTok has offices across the world including in Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

TikTok has a matrix organizational structure with country managers reporting to a global head. The company has functional teams like engineering, product, marketing, operations, sales and more. With rapid growth, TikTok has frequently reorganized its structure.

How many monthly active users does TikTok have globally?

As of January 2023, TikTok has around 1.8 billion monthly active users globally across over 150 countries. This makes it one of the top social media platforms in terms of active user base. About 140 million of TikTok’s users are in the United States.

TikTok has seen exponential growth since 2020. In July 2018, it had about 130 million monthly active users which grew to over 689 million by July 2020 right before it was banned in India. Even after the ban in a key market, TikTok has managed to nearly triple its user base in under 3 years.

External Analysis

What political factors or regulatory concerns impact TikTok’s operations?

Given its Chinese ownership, TikTok faces political pressures in various markets related to data privacy and censorship concerns. In 2020, India permanently banned TikTok over data security issues amid border tensions with China. Political tensions also led to bans in Pakistan, Bangladesh and a threatened ban by the Trump administration in the US.

TikTok has sought to reduce regulatory scrutiny by establishing content moderation centers in various markets to censor inappropriate content. It also stores overseas users’ data outside China. But concerns persist over potential political censorship or foreign government access to TikTok’s user data.

How do economic conditions and consumer spending affect TikTok’s growth?

TikTok thrives on social media marketing spending and consumer use of mobile devices – both closely linked to economic health. Recessions or inflationary pressures reducing consumer discretionary spending may slow TikTok’s user growth and cut into ad revenue.

However, TikTok’s immersive, entertaining user experience has made it resilient to economic fluctuations. During COVID-19 lockdowns, TikTok usage and revenue grew rapidly as consumers spent more time online on mobile devices. TikTok’s appeal relies less on consumer spending power than other sectors like travel or luxury goods.

How has TikTok adapted its platform for different cultures and age demographics?

TikTok continuously optimizes its platform design and algorithm to engage users from different cultures, languages, and age groups. It allows region-specific content discovery and surfaces culturally relevant videos to users in each market.

TikTok also launched edited versions of the app like TikTok for Younger Users to provide a limited, safe experience for pre-teens. It has inserted age gates for content filters to make the platform more minor-friendly. For older users, TikTok tweaked its algorithm to include more diverse, mature content. Hashtags also enable personalized content feeds based on interests.

What emerging technologies or platforms compete with TikTok?

Top emerging competitors include Chinese short-video apps like Kuaishou and Uplive which offer similar video creation tools and social experiences. Triller, Firework, and Vigo Video also compete but with much smaller user bases.

Outside China, TikTok faces growing competition from short-form video features launched by large social media incumbents. Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts allow creators to repackage content from their platforms into short videos optimized for mobile. These pose the greatest threat given their vast existing networks.

How does TikTok manage risks around user data privacy and security?

TikTok has implemented several measures to assure users and regulators around privacy:

Localized data storage: User data from outside China is stored on servers in Singapore and the US.
Limited employee access: Only approved employees can access user data required for job functions.
Encryption: Data is encrypted in transit and at rest to prevent unauthorized access.
Code auditing: TikTok systems are audited internally and by third parties to detect vulnerabilities.
Minor safety: Age gating, restricted messaging and downloads for underage users.

However, concerns persist over potential backdoor access for ByteDance in China to private user data. TikTok will need to maintain ongoing vigilance around data security.

What legal or regulatory factors constrain TikTok’s monetization models?

TikTok faces regulatory constraints on areas like advertising policies and practices, especially with regard to minors. As an app popular among teens, TikTok needs to follow child safety rules like COPPA in the US which regulates data collection on under-13 users.

Its ad targeting and disclosures must comply with consumer protection bodies that enforce transparency and ethical standards in digital advertising. Regulations on disclosing paid promotions also impact native advertising on creator content.

As a global platform, TikTok must customize its ad formats, disclosures and age targeting for different jurisdictions based on local laws. For high-risk categories like gambling, pharmaceuticals etc, TikTok has stringent restrictions.

Competitive Landscape (Porter’s Five Forces)

Who are the major players competing in the social media industry?

The social media industry is dominated by large US tech giants like Meta, Snapchat, Twitter and Pinterest who bring in about 75% of global revenue. YouTube, LinkedIn and Reddit are other key players.

Chinese tech giants like Tencent, ByteDance and Baidu compete aggressively in Asia, especially China which blocked the US services. Emerging rivals globally include TikTok, Twitch, Discord and Likee gaining strong youth appeal. Clubhouse pioneered social audio.

What intensity of rivalry exists between TikTok and platforms like Instagram?

Competitive rivalry between TikTok and Instagram is extremely high. After losing Snapchat users, Instagram launched Reels to counter the rising popularity of short videos and TikTok. They fiercely compete for top creators and influencer marketing dollars in the space.

Both aim to be the default platform for short, entertaining videos. They constantly add features to outcompete each other. Instagram leverages its larger ecosystem with cross-posting and remixing on Reels to retain users. But TikTok’s short video algorithms and tools have proven tough to beat.

How easy or difficult is it for new entrants to compete with TikTok?

It is extremely difficult for new entrants to compete directly against TikTok’s network effects and war chest given the large amounts of data, capital and talent required. However, innovative startups like BeReal demonstrate it is possible to gain traction in adjacent spaces like social photography.

Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are the most serious threats since they allow cross-leveraging existing user bases and content creator networks. Both platforms are pouring resources into competing with TikTok. Still, they have found it challenging to recreate intrinsically viral and addictive user experiences.

How much bargaining power do advertisers have in negotiating with TikTok?

Advertiser bargaining power is currently low-to-moderate when negotiating directly with TikTok, but increasing as the social media advertising market consolidates. With meteoric growth in users and data, TikTok now commands premium ad rates compared to Snapchat.

But advertisers can indirectly pressure TikTok by shifting budgets to large platforms like Facebook and Instagram which offer extensive targeting capabilities, measurement and retargeting based on interlinked user IDs across sites. As TikTok grows its suite of advertising products, it may need to offer concessions to attract ad dollars.

What substitute platforms or apps compete for user attention with TikTok?

Leading substitutes vying for user attention include Instagram, especially its Reels and feed videos, along with YouTube Shorts and Snapchat’s Spotlight. Other entertainment apps like Netflix, games like Fortnite and Roblox, and social networks like Discord, Reddit and Tumblr also occupy user time.

But TikTok has proven hard to displace given how its algorithm quickly learns individual interests and preferences to deliver an endless stream of personalized content tailored to each user. The level of customization makes it addictive.

What drives user growth and engagement on social media platforms?

Key factors driving user adoption and engagement on social platforms include:

Strong network effects – Users are drawn to platforms where they can connect with friends or influencers already present.
Entertaining or useful content – Unique, engaging content tailored to user interests keeps users coming back.
Creation and sharing capabilities – Users stay active when they can easily create and share personal content.
Virality and discovery – Features enabling content discovery and viral sharing fuel organic growth.
Personalization – An algorithm that surfaces relevant personalized content offers sticky experiences.
Reinforcing feedback loops – Push notifications, streaks, and other engagement incentives drive habit-forming usage.

What makes a social media platform successful in today’s market?

To succeed today, social platforms need:

Mobile-first, visual communication catering to short user attention spans.
Powerful content recommendation algorithms to distill signal from the noise.
Seamless content creation tools democratizing production.
A vibrant creator ecosystem with influencer-driven virality.
Personalized experiences fueled by usage and analytics.
Integrated entertainment options beyond just socializing.
Safe environments with strong content and community moderation.

Competitor Analysis

Who are TikTok’s main competitors in the social media space?

TikTok’s primary competitors include:

Instagram Reels – Competes directly in short video, powered by Meta’s massive ecosystem.
YouTube Shorts – Leverages YouTube’s 2 billion user base and creator community.
Snapchat Spotlight – Popular for viral challenges. Competes for younger demographics.
Kuaishou – Leading Chinese short video app with over 250 million MAUs.
Facebook Video – Huge supply of video inventory on the Facebook platform.
Twitch – Popular for live streaming gaming and creator content to younger audiences.

What is the market share breakdown between TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube?

According to market share estimates in 2022:

TikTok has around 20% global market share in social media.
Instagram has a roughly 15% share, benefitting from Meta’s ecosystem.
Snapchat follows at about 10% share, popular among teens in the US but weaker penetration globally.
YouTube has circa 20% share of user time spent on social media, giving it comparable scale.
Facebook’s share is now under 20% but still has the largest registered user base.

TikTok and YouTube are mounting the biggest challenges to Instagram and Snapchat in the critical youth demographic in the US and worldwide.

How does TikTok’s user experience and algorithm compare to competitors?

TikTok’s biggest competitive advantage lies in its addictively customized user experience powered by its recommendation algorithm. The algorithm is extremely accurate at determining user interests and preferences to deliver a bottomless stream of personalized short videos.

In comparison, competitors like Instagram and Snapchat still lack hyper-personalized experiences, with recommendations more driven by followers and broad interests. TikTok’s algorithm delivers far more relevant niche content from creators users would never find on their own.

The TikTok interface also makes it frictionless to quickly flip through videos, react, share and create content, contributing to its infectious user experience. Competitors are struggling to replicate these algorithmic and design innovations underpinning TikTok’s distinct appeal and engagement.

What can TikTok learn from Instagram’s success with short-form video content?

While competing intensely, Instagram still offers important lessons for TikTok:

Allowing cross-posting and remixing of Reels with feed videos expanded distribution and lowered friction for creators. TikTok adding similar features could further energize its ecosystem.
Deep integration with the broader Instagram platform gives Reels wider exposure than TikTok for casual users. TikTok may need its own version of Instagram Explore to drive ongoing engagement.
Leveraging the broader Facebook ad network and commerce capabilities strengthened monetization. TikTok could similarly benefit from tapping into the wider Bytedance ecosystem.
Instagram provides expanded creator monetization through tips, subscriptions, badges and shopping. Additional monetization options may help TikTok retain creators long-term.

How does TikTok’s advertising platform and audience data compare to competitors?

TikTok’s self-serve ad platform enables targeted advertising but is still emerging compared to leaders like Facebook and Instagram. TikTok trails in breadth of ad formats like augmented reality and lacks extensive third-party data for custom audience targeting.

However, TikTok has cultivated unique strength in influencer marketing. Its Branded Mission sponsored challenges generate highly engaging branded content. Competitively, TikTok delivers outstanding reach among coveted demographics like Gen Z who spend little time on sites like Facebook.

Over time, TikTok aims to enhance its performance advertising capabilities and develop a unified ad platform with ByteDance properties to rival Meta. Its rapidly growing first-party data on usage, video preferences and shopping intent will also strengthen targeted advertising.

SWOT Analysis

What are TikTok’s core strengths in product, technology, and user experience?

Industry-leading video creation tools and effects democratizing content creation.
Powerful recommendation algorithm delivering the most relevant content to keep users ultra-engaged.
Smooth, fun user experience facilitating discovery and community building.
Capabilities in AI, computer vision, and machine learning for optimizing video experiences.
Leading short-form video app commanding massive Gen Z mindshare.

What weaknesses or deficiencies does TikTok have vs. leading competitors?

Still lacks breadth of advertising formats and third-party data targeting compared to Meta and YouTube.
Smaller total addressable audience relative to social media giants.
Limited monetization options for creators compared to established platforms like YouTube.
Concerns around content moderation and platform governance persist.
Scrutiny over data practices due to Chinese ownership.

What potential growth opportunities exist for TikTok to expand its platform?

Further growth in emerging international markets, especially India if regulatory hurdles are resolved.
Launching augmented reality, e-commerce and livestream shopping features.
New entertainment experiences beyond socializing like gaming and streaming.
Integration with other ByteDance apps to cross-leverage user bases.
Growing creator monetization and tools to incentivize professional content.

What threats from competitors, regulators, or economic conditions impact TikTok?

Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts competing aggressively for talent and users.
Expanding content moderation and data regulation adding compliance costs.
Economic downturn shrinking ad budgets and consumer spend.
Strained trade relations between US and China increasing political tensions.
Maturing platform seeing declining growth among oldest cohort of users.

Internal Analysis

How profitable is TikTok based on margins, revenue growth and other financial metrics?

As a private company, TikTok does not disclose detailed financials. Recent leaks estimate TikTok generated around $5 billion in global revenue in 2021, likely exceeding Instagram. Estimates peg year-over-year revenue growth above 200%.

TikTok’s exponential user growth and early steps into advertising point to extremely high profit margins, likely above 50%. Profitability is boosted by ByteDance’s technical infrastructure minimizing TikTok’s operating costs. TikTok ranks among the world’s most valuable private technology companies.

How does TikTok’s financial performance compare to competitors like Snapchat?

Snapchat offers the most relevant public comparable as a large mobile-first social app. In 2021, Snapchat posted $4.1 billion in revenue with 72% annual growth. However, it remained unprofitable with -$487 million in losses.

In contrast, TikTok likely generated over $5 billion in revenue with substantially higher growth and strong profitability. While less mature in monetization, TikTok’s financial performance appears to be industry-leading based on user retention and ability to capitalize on its engaged audience.

How does TikTok price and monetize user data through advertising?

Unlike platforms like Facebook which offer extensive self-serve advertising, TikTok currently emphasizes managed and exclusive ad partnerships. This allows it to flexibly price sponsorships based on campaign scale, audience quality and product fit rather than automated auctions.

For premium branded content and activations, TikTok is said to command CPM rates ranging from $8-12, significantly above competitors. It monetizes data by pitching audience scale, granular interests, intent and favorability of demographics like Gen Z to brands. As its self-serve platform matures, TikTok is likely blending programmatic and reserved media buying.

What tactics does TikTok use to promote its app and attract influencers?

TikTok employs various tactics to drive user acquisition and build its influencer base:

Viral hashtag challenges to incentivize content creation around branded campaigns, holidays, etc. This helps attract creators.
Influencer marketing by seeding product placement, sponsorships and affiliation to top creators to build buzz.
Leveraging existing celebs and seeding verified profiles to develop an elite influencer tier on the platform.
Social sharing and referral promotions rewarding current users for getting friends to download the app.
Buying install ads across leading mobile ad networks, social media sites, and streaming services to target key demographics.
Public relations spotlighting TikTok pop culture moments to position it as a trendsetting platform.
TikTok houses and meetups to foster influencer relationships.
Creator funds subsidizing top talent and promoting educational content.

How does TikTok distribute its app and gain new users across markets?

TikTok’s app distribution and user acquisition strategies include:

Pre-installing TikTok on Android devices via partnerships with phone OEMs like Samsung.
Offering the app on major app stores like Google Play and Apple App Store.
Promoted listings on app marketplaces to drive visibility and downloads.
Paid user acquisition through performance marketing channels like Facebook mobile ads.
Building sharing and account linking capabilities to drive organic social sharing.
Localizing content and running region-specific marketing campaigns with influencers tailored for each market.
Partnerships with telcos to bundle or make TikTok usage free for subscribers in emerging markets.
Leveraging install attribution platforms to optimize user acquisition spending across channels.

How much does TikTok invest in research and development?

As a private company, TikTok does not disclose its full R&D budget. However, its parent ByteDance spent about $3 billion on R&D in 2021. Given TikTok’s rapid growth, it likely represents ByteDance’s single largest area of tech investment.

Areas where TikTok invests heavily in R&D include:

Core algorithm – recommendation engine using artificial intelligence.
Video creation tools – effects, editing, captions, sound integration.
Infrastructure – bandwidth, servers, streaming for video platform.
Ad tech – more ad formats, performance, targeting, bidding.
Computer vision – face filters, body tracking, scene understanding.
User security – encryption, access controls, moderation.

TikTok’s ability to keep innovating and enhancing its uniquely addictive experience hinges on sustained high R&D spending, even as overall revenue grows.

How does TikTok recruit talent and maintain its company culture?

TikTok uses the following strategies to attract top talent and nurture its culture as it scales globally:

Emphasizing a fun, creative, inclusive environment in recruiting that aligns with its brand.
Offering competitive compensation including salaries, equity and bonuses for in-demand roles.
Running university programs to hire and develop graduating students.
Providing opportunities for rapid growth, leadership and international mobility given its growth.
Fostering work-life balance with flexible hours and generous leave policies.
Investing in continuous learning, development programs and mentoring.
Building a sense of community via events, affinity networks and bonding experiences.
Embracing transparency and two-way feedback to maintain open culture amid hypergrowth.

What technology infrastructure powers TikTok’s platforms and analytics?

TikTok leverages parent company ByteDance’s extensive technology infrastructure to power its platforms globally:

ByteDance’s private distributed cloud hosts TikTok’s petabyte-scale video storage and CDN distribution demands.
Datacenters across US, Singapore, China enable low-latency experiences.

-Recommender system built on Tensorflow, Kubernetes, Docker stack optimized for machine learning.

Spark, Flink, Kafka handle billions of data events for analytics pipelines.
Proprietary monitoring and troubleshooting tech manages uptime, bottlenecks.
Hadoop big data environment informs algorithmic feeds with usage analytics.
Hive, Presto, Elasticsearch for rapid SQL querying at massive scale.

ByteDance’s infrastructure investments over the last decade provided TikTok an unmatched foundation to quickly scale globally.

How does TikTok manage its brand reputation and public image?

TikTok employs the following brand management strategies:

Proactive PR and public affairs outreach to regulators, policy groups to address concerns.
Strict community guidelines and content moderation to avoid PR crises.
Emphasizing its fun, inclusive brand identity and distancing itself from controversies regarding its ownership.
Promoting its platform as a creative outlet and economic engine for users.
Transparency reports around enforcement, data practices and ad policies to build trust.
Censoring and restricting content in line with local laws and norms in international markets.
Partnering with independent research organizations to study its societal impact.
Rapid crisis response team to mitigate emerging brand threats.
Ongoing marketing campaigns highlighting TikTok success stories.

Does TikTok pursue a cost leadership or differentiation strategy?

TikTok pursues a clear product differentiation strategy in social media. It laser focuses on delivering the most relevant and addictive short video experience rather than competing on cost.

Key elements of its differentiation include:

Best-in-class video creation tools and effects for creators.
Superior recommendation algorithm keeping users engaged for hours.
Frictionless UX with endless, effortless discovery.
Democratized content and stardom allowing any creator to go viral.
Targeting coveted demographics like Gen Z tough for competitors to reach.

While the TikTok app itself is free, its product and brand differentiation allows it to command premium ad pricing and attract a breadth of advertising partners.

Competitive Positioning

What are TikTok’s core competencies in video creation tools and algorithms?

TikTok has world-class strengths in user-friendly short video creation tools and its personalized recommendation algorithms.

Its creative tools empower anyone to produce compelling videos via effects, editing functions and sound integration. And its For You recommendation algorithm is unrivaled in serving content aligned with each user’s taste.

These core competencies in democratizing video production and hyper-personalizing discovery underpin TikTok’s uniquely sticky user experience. Competitors have struggled to replicate tools with the same viral appeal and algorithms delivering such tailored relevance.

Does TikTok have any sustainable competitive advantages?

TikTok’s most sustainable advantage is the network effects generated by over a billion highly engaged users. Competitors face immense difficulty in gaining share once a platform achieves massive scale.

It also benefits from leveraging the technology of its parent company ByteDance which provides TikTok proprietary infrastructure at lower costs than competitors.

However, rivals like Instagram and YouTube have network effects and infrastructure advantages of their own. TikTok must keep innovating in product and personalization to defend its position.

Which parts of TikTok’s value chain add the most value?

The most value in TikTok’s business model comes from:

Its algorithm – To personalize content and user experiences at unparalleled levels.
Creator tools – Empowering any user to produce great short videos.
User acquisition – Adding hundreds of millions of new users efficiently through viral loops.
Advertising technology – Building robust targeting and creative ad formats tailored to the platform.
Content moderation – Maintaining brand safety and appeal for users and advertisers.
Infrastructure management – Powering seamless video delivery.

Maximizing value from these critical areas underpins TikTok’s meteoric rise and lucrative monetization.

Competitor Benchmarking

How does TikTok’s user growth rate compare to major competitors?

Among top social platforms, TikTok has the highest user growth rate by far. During 2021, TikTok’s MAUs increased by over 45% year-over-year.

In comparison, platforms like Facebook and Snapchat grew in the single digits. Instagram expanded MAUs by about 20%. YouTube still leads in overall users but has matured with less than 10% growth.

TikTok’s user base is growing multiples faster than incumbents. But sustaining this trajectory gets harder as its base expands.

Does TikTok have better user engagement metrics than Instagram Reels?

Both TikTok and Instagram Reels tout strong engagement metrics. However, TikTok still appears to deliver greater levels of user addiction and retention:

Over 50% of TikTok sessions last more than 10 minutes, compared to 30% for Reels.
The ratio of posts liked or shared to video views is nearly 3x higher on TikTok.
Comments per video average around 70% higher on TikTok.
TikTok’s follower and influencer network effects currently surpass Reels.
TikTok’s monthly user churn is estimated to be about 15% lower than Reels.

TikTok’s algorithm and immersive UX keeps users glued to their feeds longer and coming back more often than competitors.

How does TikTok’s advertising CPM and inventory compare to YouTube?

YouTube remains the leader in overall digital video advertising. But among social video platforms:

TikTok commands 50-100% higher CPMs than YouTube for vertical mobile feed videos.
TikTok offers brands more control over placements and exclusivity in sponsored content.
YouTube still has vastly larger video ad inventory and suite of ad products.
TikTok is growing video ad supply rapidly but remains far smaller than YouTube.
Both platforms deliver strong reach and engagement for coveted young audiences.

TikTok’s scarcity allows it to charge premium CPMs for in-feed social video ads targeted to Gen Z and Millennials.

Conclusions & Recommendations

What are the key takeaways from TikTok’s competitive analysis?

Key takeaways include:

TikTok’s product and algorithm have made it the leader in addictive short video.
It faces rising competition from tech giants adding short video features.
TikTok needs to expand creator monetization and its ad platform capabilities.
Maintaining its culture and innovation pace will be an ongoing challenge.
Compliance and public scrutiny remain issues surrounding its ownership.
No competing app has managed to replicate its core user experience strengths at scale yet.

Where should TikTok focus to enhance its competitive positioning?

To strengthen its position, TikTok should focus on:

Winning top creators by expanding monetization options beyond advertising.
Investing heavily in recommendation algorithms, effects, and creation tools.
Targeting emerging social video monetization models like tipping and livestream e-commerce.
Establishing TikTok as the de facto platform for influencer marketing and sponsorships.
Building out its self-serve ad platform with diverse formats, bidding and targeting capabilities.

What strategies are recommended for TikTok to grow market share?

Strategies to grow TikTok’s market share include:

Expanding the breadth of content and creators beyond pop culture into more niches.
Launching new entertainment experiences beyond social video, like mobile games.
Creating more monetization and distribution opportunities for creators.
Leveraging cross-app synergies with other ByteDance properties.
Forming strategic partnerships with complementary platforms.
Increasing marketing and user acquisition investments in emerging markets.
Continuing to improve content moderation and platform governance.
Rolling out e-commerce capabilities to unlock shopping revenues.

How can TikTok leverage its strengths and opportunities to improve?

TikTok should double down on its core strengths in user experience while expanding use cases:

Invest relentlessly in recommendation algorithms and personalization technology.
Expand viral entertainment experiences, like adding mini-games.
Build out creator monetization models to further incentivize professional content.
Partner with retailers and brands around shoppable video and influencer commerce.
Create more network effects via integrations with other ByteDance apps in local markets.