TikTok: The Most Visited Site of 2021

Since 2020, cloud-infrastructure company Cloudflare has ranked the world’s most visited sites by following global internet traffic patterns, including app usage or when a person visits a site on a web browser. Perhaps not surprisingly, the most visited site in 2020 was Google. But for 2021, Cloudflare has crowned a new champion: TikTok.  

Yes, the addictive app that boasts 1 billion monthly active users skyrocketed to greater heights of popularity in 2021. According to Cloudflare, TikTok first started topping the charts as the most visited site in February 2021. In August, TikTok consistently ranked Number One each month for the rest of the year. The feat is all the more impressive when you consider that TikTok ranked Number 7 in 2020.  

Why Is TikTok So Popular? 

So, is TikTok surging? A number of reasons stand out: 

  • TikTok has catalyzed global interest in short-form video. TikTok didn’t invent short-form video. But the site has become a magnet thanks because TikTok makes it easy to create and embellish video clips and share them with TikTokers everywhere. As a result, the site has attracted both serious influencer/creators who have built massive fan bases as well as everyday people.  
  • TikTok is incredibly viral. Who can forget the story of user Nathan Apodaca, whose simple, chill video of himself skateboarding and lip synching to Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” created a cultural sensation? The moment shed light on how influential TikTok is. Of course, not everyone becomes a star like Nathan Apodaca, but that doesn’t stop TikTokers from avidly participating in TikTok challenges that keep the app buzzy 24/7. 
  • TikTok is a hit with Millennials and Gen Zers. TikTok is especially popular with the surging Millennial and Gen Z populations, who together account for 42 percent of the U.S. population – and that’s just one country we’re looking at here. 

No wonder brands are flocking to TikTok to create their own content. TikTok will become even more popular as it introduces more social shopping features. 

Who Else Did Well in Cloudflare’s Ranking? 

The Top 10 sites for 2021 were: 

  1. TikTok.com 
  2. Google.com 
  3. Facebook.com 
  4. Microsoft.com 
  5. Apple.com 
  6. Amazon.com 
  7. Netflix.com 
  8. YouTube.com 
  9. Twitter.com 
  10. WhatsApp.com 

By Comparison, here are the Top 10 sites for 2020: 

  1. Google.com 
  2. Facebook.com 
  3. Microsoft.com 
  4. Apple.com 
  5. Netflix.com 
  6. Amazon.com 
  7. TikTok.com 
  8. YouTube.com 
  9. Instagram.com 
  10. Twitter.com 

Some observations about the rankings: 

  • Although it might seem surprising to see Google drop out of the Number One spot, Google is doing just fine, and there were many days in 2021 when Google ranked Number One. And, taken together, Google and YouTube, both under the Alphabet umbrella, are formidable. 
  • For all the mud that gets slinged at Facebook, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. A drop in rank from Number Two to Number Three in 2021 probably has more to do with TikTok’s ascendance than a decline in popularity for the world’s largest social network. But the powers that be at Facebook should worry about TikTok: it also dethroned Facebook as the world’s most visited social network. Meanwhile, there may be a disconnect between what people say about Facebook and how they act.  
  • Facebook’s parent, Meta, has reason to be happy and concerned. On the downside, Instagram fell out of the Top 10 and, as noted, Facebook fell a notch in the rankings. But on the upside, Meta’s messaging app, WhatsApp, cracked the Top 10 (pushing Instagram off the list). The ascendance of WhatsApp speaks to the popularity of messaging apps overall. Messaging is pervading apps everywhere, including Google Business Profiles. 
  • Microsoft’s high ranking probably reflects the company’s popularity in the business-to-business space. The Cloudflare rankings count Office 365 and Teams numbers. In addition, Microsoft-owned LinkedIn is the ninth most popular social media domain in Cloudflare’s ranking (although LinkedIn did not crack the Top 10 overall). 

What Brands Should Do 

  • If you rely on Google to amplify your brand’s visibility and consideration (and who doesn’t?), keep doing what you are doing. Google remains critical to any business that wants to build a digital presence. In fact, given how many times Google adds new features (such as messaging) to Google Business Profiles listings, now is a good time to audit your listings and make sure you are capitalizing on all the tools Google offers for your business to be found and considered. 
  • Understand how TikTok fits within your own customer’s journey as well as your recruitment strategies, and learn how to speak the language of TikTok. Blatant ads are out. Playful content that emulates user-generated content is in. Our recently published post, “Why TikTok Is the Reigning Champ Amongst Gen Z,” contains more tips.  
  • Watch for more innovations from competing platforms. Meta’s Facebook and Instagram brands have already launched short-form video content to counter TikTok, an example being Instagram Reels.  
  • Adopt a comprehensive content strategy. No single site dominates. The wide variety of sites in the Top 10 speaks to why brands need to figure out a comprehensive approach to creating content that builds trust with their audiences along the entire customer acquisition journey. The kind of content that resonates on TikTok won’t work for Google Maps.  
  • Make sure your customer acquisition strategy puts your website first. Remember, your website is your home base. Everything you publish on other sites such as TikTok is subject to their own rules. Your content strategy on external sites needs to align with how your build your brand on TikTok