TikTok Looks to Social Features to Compete with Meta in Job Postings

TikTok seems to be taking steps towards transforming its platform into a comprehensive social network. According to Axios, the company has recently advertised job openings that specifically target the development of social networking features and enhanced direct messaging. One of the job listings, titled “Product manager – TikTok social,” states that the company aims to establish significant social bonds among its users.

Job postings are known to be related to the organization’s internal concerns about maintaining and increasing user engagement. “There are concerns within TikTok that users are sharing TikTok videos externally on other social media and messaging apps when they want to discuss them with friends,” Axios reported, citing sources inside the company. Job postings for mobile engineers say applicants will focus on “building a reliable and adaptive platform that allows users to meet and interact seamlessly with their real-life friends on TikTok, encouraging them to share their life moments with each other and stay connected wherever they are.”

Expanding TikTok’s messaging capabilities seems to be a top priority. One of the background technology director’s job listings admits that the company’s communication skills are “in their infancy” according to Axios. The post noted that the hire will “explore and implement diverse social solutions” while referring to post creation as a “distinctive TikTok social solution.”

TikTok made its forte on viral videos — limiting social features to mostly peripheral interactions like likes, comments, and reposts. As competing platforms like Instagram integrate more TikTok-like features, it seems logical that the company would respond by expanding its social capabilities. However, it emphasized that the video remains at the core of its identity while trying new things. A TikTok spokesperson told Axios: “Being an entertainment channel has always been and remains the core of TikTok’s business model, even as we experiment with new features to improve the user experience.”