TikTok is one of the most popular apps among children and young people. The platform offers users the opportunity to edit and share short videos.
But can TikTok also work as a love booster when looking for a partner?
Many young people use the app to look for potential partners or for the occasional flirt. We take a look at whether the platform is actually suitable for romantic dating and how it compares to other dating apps like Tinder .
TikTok as a winner of the Corona crisis
TikTok emerged from the Corona crisis as a big winner. There was a huge rush on the app during the lockdown, and more and more older users registered on the popular social media platform and funny dance and lip sync videos .
Image source: Freepik
Experts agree: Positive interaction with one another is crucial for the success of the platform. The provider itself emphasizes that they promote each individual's individual expression and do not tolerate any discrimination.
These factors have probably led to TikTok not only being used for dance and comedy videos, but also establishing itself as a dating platform .
According to the operators, the aim of the app is to promote harmonious coexistence. This has now led to a completely new trend. More and more couples are no longer getting to know each other via platforms like Tinder , Bumble and Grindr, but also via TikTok.
TikTok's potential as a new dating platform
TikTok is one of the most used social media apps worldwide and has become particularly popular among teenagers and young adults. The platform offers numerous functions for editing and sharing short videos that can be accompanied by music.
But in addition to the fun factor , many users have also started using a means of finding a romantic partner The “TikTok love boom” has increased significantly in recent years and there are now even separate accounts for couples who share their relationship on the platform.
Image source: Freepik
The average age of TikTok users is between 16 and 24 years old . At this stage of life, many content creators are still exploring their own sexual identity or are having difficulty finding a suitable partner in their environment. This is where TikTok could help.
The “For You” page shows customized videos based on likes, even from users you don’t follow. This way you can discover other TikTokers with similar interests or sexual orientation.
With funny videos and an open approach to your sexuality, it's easier to send messages. This could allow TikTok to establish itself as a potential dating platform.
Numerous stories from young couples who met through this app show that you can actually find a partner on this platform!
TikTok: New Tinder for the LGBTQ+ community?
TikTok is often used to educate about sexual orientation and connect people from around the world. The hashtags #gay or #lesbian not only provide information, but also create connections between users.
Dating via TikTok offers an advantage for the LGBTQ community
This reduces the fear of rejection and makes it easier to approach someone - especially since TikTokers are often between 16 and 24 years old. Not everyone has come out at this age. The platform therefore contributes significantly to openness and promotes the meeting of like-minded people .
TikTok brings people from the LGBTQ+ community together worldwide. Under the hashtags #lesbian , #gay, #single, #dating or #lgbtq you can find like-minded people, solidarity and sometimes even love.
A TikTok video is currently trending in which a girl compliments another girl. One of them carefully asks: “Are you gay?” , to which the other answers: “Yes, I am gay” .
The video illustrates the challenges within the LGBTQ+ community: they often cannot assess what sexual orientation the other person has. For fear of rejection, they often don't dare to approach people and avoid getting to know each other in real life in favor of flirting on their personal page (“For You” page).
Another successful video exposes stereotypes about homosexuals and helps raise awareness. Since many homosexual TikTok users are still very young and coming out is still imminent, this app can help reduce their fears.
, the well-known youth magazine BRAVO celebrates the positive togetherness on this platform and hopes that TikTok will make a major contribution to acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. We'll join in!
Flirting, getting to know each other and finding a partner on TikTok – This is how it works
Image source: vectorjuice, via Freepik
Chance encounters – unexpected love
The truth is that love relationships change as we evolve.
Although romantic encounters à la Hollywood movies where you randomly meet in a library and drop books while watching each other and instantly fall in love may not be the most common way to meet your partner - TikTok offers exactly that.
Imagine scrolling through your For You page, laughing at funny videos, and saving recipes for later. And then suddenly it happens: you are captivated by someone you happened to see in a video.
Meeting someone on TikTok can possibly be the most spontaneous way to come across someone you have a crush on online. Although the social app is not a classic dating platform and not every user expects to meet their future partner there, sometimes it just happens that way.
But how do you even flirt with someone on TikTok if this app isn't actually intended for dating or approaching others?
It's often not possible to send direct messages to other users - apart from those who already follow you, of course - and only if their privacy settings allow it.
So how do you flirt with someone on TikTok? Is it even possible?
Casual getting to know each other and more authenticity when looking for a partner
While we often put ourselves under pressure on dating platforms, the situation is different on TikTok. The app is primarily intended for entertainment purposes and therefore creates a much more relaxed and informal atmosphere.
Although there are no profiles with detailed information like on dating apps, there is a profile full of short videos.
This gives you a lot of information in advance about the person behind the account.
Introduction videos are particularly popular with singles because they can show the person's age, interests and even their complete appearance.
Helpful features for interaction
What makes TikTok a unique dating alternative ? There are discrete features you can use to make yourself noticed.
Of course, you can also create videos yourself, upload them and add appropriate hashtags to address other singles.
Alternatively, you can subtly show your interest in a single by giving likes, commenting on posts or saving them.
Creators have recently been able to see which users have saved their videos - this will help you get noticed. Comment on the videos and come into contact with the singles whose content appeals to you.
Follow someone you like and once you follow each other you can also use the messaging function.
Case studies: Individual users’ experiences with love via TikTok
As part of our research, we found numerous testimonials from people who met through TikTok and are now in happy relationships.
Some even report that they were able to build their relationships through editing collaborative videos and sharing musical content.
Although there are some critics who claim that these relationships are staged or not real, our study shows that it is actually possible to find your life partner via TikTok.
Hannah Moreno , 28, a young woman who frequently flirts with people on TikTok, explained how to do it in an interview with HuffPost — and it seems easier than she thought.
It's definitely possible to flirt on TikTok. In fact, it's one of the best places for me to flirt because I'm bisexual and have found it easier to find women there than anywhere else,"
she said.
I gave up Hinge and now only use TikTok to meet women. Also, I would say that TikTok is already a kind of dating app for gay/bisexual girls, especially for Generation Z.”
In Moreno's opinion, TikTok's algorithm favors someone when it comes to finding potential flirt partners:
Tiktok's algorithm will show videos from other queer women in your feed without you having to search for them. They just come to you like that. I’ve seen a lot of relationships come from people getting to know each other through Tik Tok.”
Unlike traditional dating apps, the video-sharing aspect of this platform allows users to get a glimpse into a person's personality before having to make a decision based on their appearance, which Moreno believes makes dating easier and more authentic.
Success tips from an experienced flirt user
According to Moreno, there are essentially two ways to flirt on TikTok .
The first step is to go to someone's page and like . If that person then visits your site and does the same thing, that basically means they are interested.
In the profile section of the app, you can see when someone has visited your profile by your profile view history . This may make flirting easier.
Additionally, Moreno explains: If the person you want to flirt with also visits your profile and likes some of your posts, you can continue the flirting by following the person and leaving a comment that shows you are interested.
If possible, you could even send them a private message directly within the app.
The second method is just as easy as the first. This technique consists of commenting on a video and waiting to see if the person in question reacts to it.
Moreno even reports a situation in which she directly asked someone to do something in his video - they then responded to her laughing via direct messages (DMs).
This technique even works when flirting with content creators, influencers and people who already have a large following within the app.
According to Moreno , another way to flirt on TikTok is to join the livestream of the person you have a crush on.
This can be an advantage since not everyone goes live on TikTok. So if your crush is live, you should take advantage of this opportunity.
In an interview with HuffPost, Moreno talks about how she was invited on a date using this method.
[A YouTuber] made a live LGBTQIA+ dating show and had four randomly selected queer people take part in it. [The YouTuber] asked each participant questions and they talked about themselves – that’s how they got to know each other.”
she said. Moreno had never participated in another person's livestream before, but she wanted to meet more queer people and thought this would be a great chance to do so.
She goes on to describe this experience:
In the end it was really fun and I got along well with the host. Funnily enough, I also went on my own TikTok Live afterwards and she joined and asked me in the comments - that's how we ended up dating because we met through the LGBTQIA+ live dating show."
The disadvantages: TikTok is bad for finding a partner in 2 points
Unlike dating apps that require you to provide your location and only allow you to meet people nearby, the “For You” feature on TikTok typically doesn’t take location into account.
The algorithm occasionally shows content from users in the area, but it also suggests videos from people who live far away. It focuses primarily on your interests and presents you with the most popular videos that might be of interest to you, regardless of location.
The second major disadvantage to flirting on TikTok is that most people there are not primarily interested in it.
While on dating apps everyone is willing to flirt with others and basically get involved, that's not necessarily the case with this social video clip app. It can happen that you flirt with someone you really like and they don't feel like flirting at the moment.
It is important to be aware of this and deal with it respectfully. If someone doesn't respond positively to your first attempt at flirting, you should back off and leave them alone.
Remember, even though TikTok is a great place to meet people and flirt, not everyone is looking for a relationship on the app - and that's okay.
Another thing to keep in mind is that although you can learn a lot about a person on TikTok through videos, it is also possible for some users to put on a show or create a fictional personality for the app.
Not everything is as it seems - just because you've seen her videos doesn't mean you really know her.
So be careful when online dating before trusting someone blindly, because until you know them well enough, they will simply remain a stranger on the Internet.
