TikTok has quietly added new topic feeds to its homepage alongside its current “Following” and “For You” feeds. Some users are now seeing new video feeds dedicated to “Sports,” “Fashion,” “Gaming” and “Food.” Swiping between the feeds shows you content for each category without having to specifically search for it.
With this redesign, TikTok appears to be looking to make it easier for people to find exactly what sort of content they want to watch or stay up to date with. The app’s current Following and For You feeds aren’t organized, and instead show you a range of different types of content within minutes. For instance, you could come across a funny cat video and then see a video right after it about a sad story. With these new categories, you can select the type of content you want to see in that moment.
If you’re looking for fashion inspiration, you can look through the Fashion feed. If you’re looking for dinner ideas, you can browse through the Food feed. Of course, you can always just search for these things within the app, but the new feeds offer a seamless way to watch specific types of content.
The change could be a welcome addition for users who want more organization within the app along with the ability to watch what they’re in the mood for. On the other hand, some users may not be fond of the change, as it somewhat overcrowds the app’s homepage, which already features a lot of different things.
With this latest update, TikTok is likely hoping to reach a more defined audience with the new categories. It could also be a way for the company to better align itself with its competitors. For instance, YouTube has had topic categories at the top of its homepage for quite some time now, allowing users to find content that they’re particularly interested in, whether that’s music, gaming or podcasts.
It’s unknown if TikTok plans to stick with these four categories or if it will roll out more in the future. It wouldn’t be surprising if the app introduces more categories for things like books and movies.