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TikTok Notes just launched in Australia – should you download it?

WORDS Elyssa Kostopoulos    PHOTOGRAPHY Instagram    PUBLISHED Thu, 18 Apr 2024 - 12:27 pm

Another day, another social media app that content teams need to learn how to use (if you find us in the fetal position at any point today, no you didn't). If you missed the news, TikTok has officially launched a new app, called TikTok Notes, and the consensus is that it's here to rival Meta's Instagram. Perfect, just perfect.

I first became aware of the new app in early April, when while scrolling on TikTok, a pop-up notification appeared that read: "TikTok Notes, a new app for photo posts, is coming soon! Your existing and future public TikTok photo posts will be shown on TikTok Notes." It was clear from the get-go that the increasingly growing platform was spreading its wings into more stagnant content, and with the rise of photo-first content on the existing TikTok platform, it makes complete sense.

What countries allow you to download TikTok Notes?

Like most new social media apps, the new offering is being trialled first in a select number of countries. In this instance, Australia and Canada are currently the only two countries where the app can be accessed (a major win for Australia as we tend to always be last with these things). TikTok announced the news on X earlier today, sharing that the app is available to both iOS and Android users, and that you can login using your existing TikTok account – similar to Meta's strategy with Instagram and Threads.

There is no update as yet on when the app will be available in other countries.

 

How do you use the app?

As I already mentioned, TikTok Notes revolves around the sharing of photos, rather than TikTok's usual video-first approach.

“We hope that the TikTok community will use TikTok Notes to continue sharing their moments through photo posts. Whether documenting adventures, expressing creativity, or simply sharing snapshots of one’s day, the TikTok Notes experience is designed for those who would like to share and engage through photo content,” read the company's X post.

So far, there are limited details on the functionality of the app, but I have noticed some key features that differentiate the platform from Instagram.

Similar to TikTok, your feed is divided into two streams – content from people that you follow, and another tab that operates like your 'For You' page. The main difference is the platform's 'grid' or 'feed' format. Unlike its competitor, TikTok Notes allows you to view multiple posts at a time, almost similar to Pinterest's format, but more streamlined.

You are also able to include headlines on your posts, which appear above your normal captions, which is a feature that isn't available on Instagram.

For the most part, however, there are a lot of shared features, including photo carousels, chronological and algorithmic feeds, comment controls, and more.

 

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Image: Instagram

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