TikTok Takes on YouTube: Testing Landscape Videos to Compete in the Online Video Market

In recent years, TikTok has quickly risen as one of the most popular social media platforms, particularly among younger generations. However, despite its growing popularity, it still faces stiff competition from the dominant player in the internet video market: YouTube. To better compete, TikTok is currently testing access to landscape videos with a select group of users worldwide.

TikTok users will now have the option to view full-screen videos by simply tapping the “full screen” button in their feed. This new feature will require users to rotate their phones horizontally, offering a more immersive viewing experience. By providing a more visually engaging experience, TikTok hopes to attract and retain more users, while also increasing engagement and user satisfaction.

In addition to its new landscape video feature, TikTok announced last year that it would be hosting 10-minute videos on its platform, in an effort to entice those who would normally turn to YouTube for their longer video needs. This was a significant change for TikTok, which has traditionally limited videos to just 60 seconds- but  by offering longer-form videos, TikTok is positioning itself as a more versatile video platform that can cater to a wider range of needs and preferences.

TikTok's latest move to test landscape videos is a step towards challenging YouTube's dominance in the online video market. With its unique features, TikTok has the potential to carve out its own niche and attract a loyal user base. Only time will tell if TikTok's efforts will pay off, but one thing is for certain: the competition between these two platforms will continue until one dominates the other.