Just three months after its launch, TikTok‘s STEM feed is already showing significant results. According to new data from the app, the science-oriented stream of content has increased viewership on STEM-related hashtags by more than 30%.
TikTok introduced its STEM feed in March. By aggregating content from top science, technology, engineering, and math creators, the app hoped to create a space where viewers could explore those topics. TikTok turned to Common Sense Networks to verify the relevance of the featured videos and enlisted Poynter for fact-checking purposes.
The immediate results of TikTok’s decision have been positive. In addition to the 30% bump on STEM hashtag traffic, viewers have also reported 96% satisfaction with the new feed. One in four viewers who visited TikTok’s scientific hub returned to it the next day.
Subscribe to get the latest creator news
“It’s been exciting to see our community embrace the enriching content within the STEM feed,” a TikTok rep said in a statement. “Our goal at TikTok is to give communities a platform to be seen and heard, and we look forward to surfacing more entertaining and educational content to our users.”
The creators who have been featured on the STEM feed are also celebrating it. When the feature launched in March, the scientific creator known as ChemTeacherPhil expressed excitement about the potential of “building new relationships with others involved in STEM and STEM education.” KatVoltage, an engineering-focused account run by astronaut Kat Echazarretta, has used the feed to reach both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking audiences.
@chemteacherphil Rusting is considered a destructive chemical process, and the rusting of vehicles accounts for $3 billion dollars in related repairs in the US annually! But, that process can actually be used to keep you warm in the winter months! When iron rusts, it combines with oxygen in the air, forming iron (III) oxide, the orange crumbly solid that we know as rust. This process also is exothermic, meaning it releases heat to the environment. So, I decided to use the rusting of steel wool to create a homemade handwarmer! Steel wool works well as it has a large surface area, so it can react rapidly with oxygen in the air to generate heat. #chemistry #chemteacherphil #STEM #STEMTok ♬ original sound – Phillip Cook
As TikTok seeks continued growth for education content, it is giving its viewers new ways to access the STEM feed. For users under the age of 18, the feed will be turned on by default. Adult users can enable the feed by going into their content settings in the TikTok app.
