Initially spotted by social media trend spotter Matt Navarra, the feature was quietly being tested on a few users who went to twitter to clarify their doubts.
TikTok has since confirmed that they are testing a new feature that will enable users to view and display shared content based on what’s near their current location. Still in its initial phase of testing, users part of the “Nearby” feed experiment will see the feed appear next to their “Following” and “For You” tabs.
Tiktok hopes to launch this new feature alongside options for content creators to add location tags to their videos. This will enable growth for community-driven content, regional trend forecasting as well as function as a new search optimization tool to discover local brands and businesses.
Although TikTok isn’t the first social platform to introduce tools to support local content discovery, it’s as the saying goes; “better late than never”. Snapchat’s Snap Map was the pioneer of live location visibility in 2017 that enabled users to view their friends’ location. TikTok came months after Instagram who earlier this year announced the launch of its searchable map.
But who would benefit the most out of this new feature?
This latest update comes as numbers continue to indicate that Gen Z users prefer to use apps like TikTok and Instagram as new search engines, instead of referring to outdated trend giants such as Google.
Location-based recommendations, search options and content displays, especially when combined with TikTok’s powerful algorithm, would allow the platform to add another dimension of personalised content options to their users’ already highly curated feeds. Meaning the ‘Nearby’ feature would not only be a game changer for local creators to gain quicker exposure and community following but would have a significant impact on local business that target regional customers through TikTok’s digital marketing.
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