TikTok's user base is showing significant decline as competitors gain ground, according to MusicWatch's Q4 2024 study. The platform experienced a 5% overall decrease in users, with content creators increasingly favoring Meta's Reels and YouTube's Shorts.

Key findings from the study:

• TikTok's core demographic (ages 13-24) showed the most dramatic shift, with a 9% decline from 51% to 42%
• Users aged 45+ decreased by 4%, while YouTube and Facebook gained those users
• TikTok's music category share dropped 5% year-over-year to 29%
• Meta now holds 36% combined share (Facebook and Instagram)
• YouTube Shorts increased to 26% share, up 2% from previous year

The U.S. social video landscape continues to grow, with over 103 million music listeners active on these platforms - an 80% increase since 2021. Users spend an average of 6.5 hours weekly consuming music content on social video apps.

While TikTok's temporary federal ban may have influenced these shifts, the data suggests a broader trend of users migrating to competing platforms. This change signals that content creators should diversify their social video strategy beyond TikTok to maintain audience reach and engagement.

The platform's declining influence challenges the perceived dominance of TikTok's algorithm, indicating a more competitive and dynamic social video marketplace than previously understood.

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