TikTok is quietly snapping up creatives from YouTube and Instagram for a full Africa roll-out

When TikTok first looked at the African market in 2018, it had barely been searched by Africans on Google trends.  Today hits for TikTok top searches for terms like “influencer” in the apps three key markets: Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Facebook has worked tirelessly for the hearts and minds of African users going so far as to offer free data usage for its networks of apps in almost half of the countries in Africa. Over time WhatsApp has become the most popular platform across Africa.

But TikTok is taking a different approach by focusing on understanding the African market and encouraging users to express themselves in the way that they know best. It has been hiring local staff and developing creators in its three key markets (Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa) since 2018, giving the app a competitive advantage in targeting popular creators and gaining a feel for the type of content its users like to see.