TikTok for Museums
TikTok success for museums
Was I surprised to learn about the TikTok fame of the UK’s Black Country Museum! This article in MuseumNext alerted me to it. Having taken a look myself at the Black Country Museum’s TikTok videos, it was easy to understand the enthusiasm. The posts seem to have gone into hibernation for now – perhaps a new campaign is in the planning?
The Uffizi Galleries in Florence also have a very active and fun TikTok channel. This post thematizes the Monday blues using objects in the collection and an irresistible soundtrack. Brilliant! It does make me wonder about music copyrights, though.
TikTok has a potentially large reach, which is certainly appealing. I’m curious about the overall effect of TikTok for museums: what are they trying to accomplish through TikTok videos, and are they reaching those goals? Are they hoping to increase the recognizability of their institution among the TikTok user demographics? Seeking to increase foot traffic in the museum itself? Ideally they are conducting studies on this so that we can find out!
TikTok's hidden agenda
However, TikTok has a dark side. This is worth considering before using it as a means of communication and representation for an institution like a museum.
Like many big businesses, TikTok is political. And not just because is being used in Russia to organize millions of people in protests against actions by the government (article in German) and mobilized by K-Pop fans in the USA to sabotage a rally by then-president Donald Trump.
No, the dark side is in TikTok’s own politics. TikTok has been found by researchers to suppress certain posts and hashtags, particularly those related to LBGTQ people and topics. This is certainly not an agenda that a museum in Europe or the USA should want to support.
There are some alternative apps to TikTok, but none has exactly this constellation of creative elements, nor the sheer public recognition. Yet considering TikTok’s dark side, I would rather avoid it however possible.
What museums do you know with a good presence on TikTok? Let me know in the comments below!
