'Fascinating trends': Data reveals SA's most searched TikTok life hacks

• TikTok is fast becoming the preferred search engine for its users.

• They turn to the app to ask all sorts of questions.

• These are the life hacks that South Africans have been searching for.

Due to its global dominance, Google is the world's foremost search engine. But as online behaviour changes and the world's young population burgeons, TikTok is emerging as the preferred search engine. 

The Oxford Dictionary defines a search engine as a program that searches for and identifies items in a database that correspond to keywords or characters specified by the user. 

Search engines are used primarily for finding particular sites on the World Wide Web, and now, they're being used to find life hacks. 

According to the video platform, food and, more specifically, recipes are the most searched hacks on TikTok, with beauty being the next most popular type of content. Make-up tutorials and hair tutorials drive the beauty content. 

These popular content types also rank alongside life hacks, DIY videos and book and TV series recommendations. 

"We have observed fascinating trends on the platform, with users searching for hacks in various categories. This demonstrates the increasing role of TikTok as a platform for education and information sharing across diverse topics," said Boniswa Sidwaba, Head of Programming for Sub-Saharan Africa. 

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Sidwaba was commenting on TikTok's potential to become an essential search engine for learning in South Africa. 

#TikTokThatsHau

The platform launched the #TikTokThatsHau campaign in June to celebrate these developments. TikTok users have viewed the content under the campaign hashtag more than 74.7 million times within the app since. 

Under the hashtag, South African creators have shared valuable hacks to enhance daily life and navigate challenging times, such as load shedding.

"The platform has also witnessed a growing interest in educational content, with users actively searching for various hacks in different categories, resulting in significant views on topics such as food, beauty, life hacks, DIY and education," said TikTok.  

The campaign aims to redefine learning, entertainment, and connection for South Africans and reinforces the platform's commitment to earning the community's trust. 

TikTok also hopes that the campaign will shift perceptions about the app, which has become synonymous with lip-syncing and dancing and demonstrate the app's utility and relevance for users over the age of 13.

#FoodTok 

South Africans love to eat, so the most popular category on TikTok is #FoodTikTok, with a staggering 159.6 billion views. 

The hashtag serves as a repository of recipes, cooking tutorials, and engaging food content. 

According to TikTok, #FoodTikTok (or #Foodtok) offers a virtual kitchen where aspiring chefs and food enthusiasts can indulge their passion and expand their culinary repertoire. 

From mouthwatering recipes to easy cooking hacks and food tutorials, the #FoodTok community on TikTok transforms how South Africans engage with culinary experiences.

Another hashtag under this category is #TikTokCookBook, and the brand insists that this hashtag further underscores its commitment to education and creativity. 

"With billions of views and thousands of videos created, creators have taken the lead in sharing their recipes and ideas, making cooking accessible to all. TikTok's engaging and visually appealing format offers an innovative way to learn and explore the culinary arts."

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Issued on behalf of TikTok by Eclipse Communications.