TikTok is eating up rivals. Can it keep users hooked?

Accessibility is key. Evercore ISI analyst Mark Mahaney said part of TikTok's appeal is how intuitive it is, calling it 'fantastically easy to use.' — Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash

If the sun is setting on Facebook, then TikTok is dancing in the moonlight. How long can its short-form video hold consumers' fickle attention?

Just a few years ago, China-based ByteDance's TikTok was an app for kids, with videos of anthropomorphic pets or freakishly talented children dancing. Now it seems like everyone is using it, no matter their age. Its growth has come at the expense of its competition, such that just about every social-media company is now pouring money into copycat products.