This is an outdated version published on 2024-08-31. Read the most recent version.

Revolutionizing Visual Communication and Digital Creative Engagement: The Game-Changing Impact of TikTok

Authors

Wojciech Kułaga Doctoral School in Social Sciences at the Jagiellonian University, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9220-0151

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8069.20.3.10

Keywords:

TikTok, multimodal analysis, qualitative methodology, social media, visual communication

Abstract

TikTok, a swiftly expanding social media platform, has emerged as a potent catalyst in transforming the realm of visual communication and digital interaction. This paper explores the evolving landscape of TikTok, focusing on its technological advancements, emerging forms of expression, and distinctive features in reshaping visual communication. It delves into the platform’s unique capabilities for audiovisual messages, highlighting its transformative impact on digital culture. Through its unique blend of short-form videos, innovative build-in editing tools, and algorithmic recommendation system, TikTok has democratized content creation and consumption, enabling users worldwide to engage in creative expression and community-building. The aim of this paper is to qualitatively and exploratively delve into the structures of TikTok messages and the forms of visual communication that appear on it. The author employed deep observation and multimodal analysis for this purpose.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Wojciech Kułaga, Doctoral School in Social Sciences at the Jagiellonian University, Poland

M.A., PhD student at the Doctoral School in Social Sciences at the Jagiellonian University, completed Management and Social Communication at the Jagiellonian University. Interested in deep mediatization, social media, and media psychology.

References

Blumer Herbert (1986), Symbolic interactionism: Perspective and method, Berkley–Los Angeles–London: University of California Press.
Google Scholar

Broderick Robert (2019), Forget The Trade War. TikTok Is China’s Most Important Export Right Now, https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanhatesthis/forget-the-trade-war-tiktok-is-chinas-most-important-export [accessed: 29.02.2024].
Google Scholar

Bruns Axel (2019), Are filter bubbles real?, Cambridge: Polity Press.
Google Scholar

Carson Biz (2016), How one small design tweak rocketed this startup to number one in the App Store, https://businessinsider.com.pl/international/how-one-small-design-tweak-rocketed-this-startup-to-number-one-in-the-app-store/lxvyjdl [accessed: 29.02.2024].
Google Scholar

Chandrasekaran Ganesh, Nguyen Ngoc Minh Tuan, Hemanth Jude (2021), Multimodal sentimental analysis for social media applications: A comprehensive review, “Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery”, vol. 11(5), e1415.
Google Scholar

Charmaz Kathy (2009), Teoria ugruntowana. Praktyczny przewodnik po analizie jakościowej, translated by Barbara Komorowska, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
Google Scholar

Constantinou Odysseas (2005), Multimodal discourse analysis: Media, modes and technologies, “Journal of Sociolinguistics”, vol. 9(4), pp. 602–618.
Google Scholar

Creswell J. David, Plano Clark Vicki (2011), Designing and conducting mixed methods research, Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Google Scholar

Dean Brian (2024), TikTok Statistics You Need to Know, https://backlinko.com/tiktok-users [accessed: 29.02.2024].
Google Scholar

Ellis Carolyn, Adams Tony E. (2014), The purposes, practices, and principles of autoethnographic research, [in:] Patricia Leavy (ed.), The Oxford handbook of qualitative research, New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 254–276.
Google Scholar

Faltesek Daniel, Graalum Elizabeth, Breving Bailey, Knudsen Else Lucia, Lucas Jessica, Young Sierra, Varas Zambrano Felix Eduardo (2023), TikTok as Television, “Social Media + Society”, vol. 9(3), https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20563051231194576 [accessed: 13.06.2024].
Google Scholar

Flick Uwe (2018), Designing qualitative research, Londyn: Sage.
Google Scholar

Gold Raymond L. (1958), Roles in Sociological Field Observations, “Social Forces”, vol. 36(3), pp. 217–223.
Google Scholar

Hallanan Lauren (2018), Is Douyin the Right Social Video Platform for Luxury Brands?, https://jingdaily.com/posts/douyin-luxury-brands [accessed: 29.02.2024].
Google Scholar

Halliday Michael, Matthiessen Christian (2013), Halliday’s introduction to functional grammar, Londyn: Routledge.
Google Scholar

Herrman John (2019), How TikTok Is Rewriting the World, “The New York Times”, March 10, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/10/style/what-is-tik-tok.html [accessed: 13.06.2024].
Google Scholar

Iqbal Mansoor (2021), TikTok Revenue and Usage Statistics, “Business of Apps”, https://www.businessofapps.com/data/tik-tok-statistics/ [accessed: 13.06.2024].
Google Scholar

Kamińska Magdalena (2011), Niecne memy. Dwanaście wykładów o kulturze Internetu, Poznań: Galeria Miejska Arsenał.
Google Scholar

Kaye D. Bondy Valdovinos, Chen Xu, Zeng Jing (2021), The co-evolution of two Chinese mobile short video apps: Parallel platformization of Douyin and TikTok, “Mobile Media & Communication”, vol. 9(2), pp. 229–253.
Google Scholar

Klug Daniel, Qin Yiluo, Evans Morgan, Kaufman Geoff (2021), Trick and please. A mixed-method study on user assumptions about the TikTok algorithm, Proceedings of the 13th ACM Web Science Conference 2021, University of Southampton, Southampton, pp. 84–92.
Google Scholar

Konecki Krzysztof (2000), Studia z metodologii badań jakościowych. Teoria ugruntowana, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
Google Scholar

Kozinets Robert V. (2015), Netnography: redefined, London: Sage.
Google Scholar

Kułaga Wojciech (2024a), Od demotywatorów do wideo memów na TikToku. Ewolucja memów internetowych, Gdańsk: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego.
Google Scholar

Kułaga Wojciech (2024b), Kampanie lokalne 2.0. Potencjał strategii komunikacyjnych samorządów terytorialnych na TikToku, https://frdl.org.pl/opinie-frdl/kampanie-lokalne-20-potencjal-strategii-komunikacyjnych-samorzadow-terytorialnych-na-tiktoku [accessed: 1.03.2024].
Google Scholar

Le Roux Cheryl S. (2017), Exploring rigour in autoethnographic research, “International Journal of Social Research Methodology”, vol. 20(2), pp. 195–207.
Google Scholar

Lisowska-Magdziarz Małgorzata (2018), Badanie wielomodalnych przekazów w mediach masowych: od teorii do schematu analitycznego, [in:] Agnieszka Szymańska, Małgorzata Lisowska-Magdziarz, Agnieszka Hess (eds.), Metody badań medioznawczych i ich zastosowanie, Kraków: Instytut Dziennikarstwa, Mediów i Komunikacji Społecznej Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, s. 143–165.
Google Scholar

Literat Ioana, Kligler-Vilenchik Neta (2023), TikTok as a Key Platform for Youth Political Expression: Reflecting on the Opportunities and Stakes Involved, “Social Media + Society”, vol. 9(1), pp. 1988–2009.
Google Scholar

Martinez Ryan J., Brammer Sydney E., Punyanunt-Carter Narissra M. (2023), ‘I Can Spend Forever on It Without Getting Bored’: Analyzing What College Students Like and Dislike About TikTok. Media Watch, New Delhi: Sage India.
Google Scholar

Montag Christian, Yang Haibo, Elhai Jon D. (2021), On the psychology of TikTok use: A first glimpse from empirical findings, “Frontiers in Public Health”, no. 9, 641673.
Google Scholar

Nguyen Thi C. (2020), Echo chambers and epistemic bubbles, “Episteme”, vol. 17(2), pp. 141–161.
Google Scholar

O’Halloran Kay (2011), Multimodal discourse analysis. Companion to Discourse, London–New York: Continuum.
Google Scholar

O’Halloran Kay (2013), Multimodal analysis and digital technology, [in:] Elena Montagna (ed.), Readings in Intersemiosis and Multimedia, Israel: IBIS Editions, pp. 35–53.
Google Scholar

Shifman Limor (2014), Memes in digital culture, London: MIT Press.
Google Scholar

Trevino Linda, L engel Robert H., Daft Richard L. (1987), Media symbolism, media richness, and media choice in organizations: A symbolic interactionist perspective, “Communication Research”, vol. 14(5), pp. 553–574.
Google Scholar

Vaterlaus J. Mitchell, Winter Madison (2021), TikTok: an exploratory study of young adults’ uses and gratifications, “The Social Science Journal”, pp. 1–20.
Google Scholar

Weimann Gabriel, Masri Natalie (2023), Research note: Spreading hate on TikTok, “Studies in Conflict & Terrorism”, vol. 46(5), pp. 752–765.
Google Scholar

Wójcicka Marta (2020), Mem internetowy jako multimodalny gatunek pamięci zbiorowej, Lublin: Uniwersytet Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej w Lublinie.
Google Scholar

Zeng Jing, Abidin Crystal (2021), ‘#OkBoomer, time to meet the Zoomers’: Studying the memefication of intergenerational politics on TikTok, “Information, Communication & Society”, vol. 24(16), pp. 2459–2481.
Google Scholar

Zhao Zhengwei (2021), Analysis on the “Douyin (Tiktok) Mania” phenomenon based on recommendation algorithms, [in:] E3S Web of Conferences, vol. 235, https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/abs/2021/11/e3sconf_netid2021_03029/e3sconf_netid2021_03029.html [accessed: 13.06.2024].
Google Scholar

Zulli Diana, Zulli David James (2022), Extending the Internet meme: Conceptualizing technological mimesis and imitation publics on the TikTok platform, “New Media & Society”, vol. 24(8), pp. 1872–1890.
Google Scholar

Downloads

Published

2024-08-31

Versions

2024-10-14 (2)
2024-08-31 (1)

How to Cite

Kułaga, W. (2024). Revolutionizing Visual Communication and Digital Creative Engagement: The Game-Changing Impact of TikTok. Przegląd Socjologii Jakościowej, 20(3), 212–235. https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8069.20.3.10