Revolutionizing Vertical News on TikTok

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, where audiences navigate a sea of both credible and misleading information, Al Jazeera Digital Newsroom embraced the challenge of bringing its trusted journalism to TikTok. The goal: to craft accurate, engaging news content that stays true to Al Jazeera’s core values while thriving in TikTok’s vibrant, vertical-first format.

This innovative approach has enabled Al Jazeera’s TikTok account (@aljazeera) to redefine traditional TV journalism for mobile-savvy, younger audiences, building a community of over 8 million followers and counting.

Strategy

Our strategy revolved around two key pillars to deliver impactful news on TikTok.

The first focused on crafting exclusive content that stayed true to the core values and journalistic essence of Al Jazeera, while being thoughtfully designed to align with TikTok’s distinctive style and audience preferences.

The second pillar involved the innovative transformation of TV content, seamlessly reimagined into a TikTok-friendly format, ensuring it captivated viewers in the platform’s fast-paced, visually engaging ecosystem.

1- Exclusive TikTok Content

• Explainers with Journalists: We produced authentic, behind-the-scenes content where journalists connected directly with the audience, providing concise explanations of current events.

This is an example of Fast Explainers with Journalists, where Mahmoud Alkan breaks down the types of Iranian missiles used in the unprecedented strike on Israel. | Results: 8.5 million Views

• Analysts and Guests: Interviews with TV channel analysts and guests resonated deeply with the TikTok audience, often garnering millions of views.

What were the military aspects of Iran’s attack on Israel? Major General and strategic expert Fayez Al-Duwairi explains. | Results: 7.6 million Views

• Original Field Stories: Recognizing TikTok’s preference for originality, we created exclusive content from locations such as Gaza, the West Bank, Sudan, and Syria, focusing on humane, compelling stories.

This is a powerful example of Original Field Stories. From Syria, Nouri Hamoud Al-Saray, a former detainee of Saydnaya Prison, shares his harrowing experience of four years filled with hunger, fear, and anguish. The story struck a chord with audiences, garnering over 10.2 million views.

• “Ejaz” Daily News Brief: A special digital news segment built exclusively for TikTok, Ejaz provides daily news updates in a fast, engaging, and TikTok-friendly format tailored to the platform’s unique audience.

This is an example of Ejaz, Al Jazeera’s exclusive daily news brief for TikTok. With over 2.4 million views, this segment delivered concise and engaging coverage, resonating with audiences and showcasing the success of the platform’s tailored format.

2- Smart Digital Repackaging:

• Presenter-Led News: Existing TV content was adapted into trusted, fast-paced vertical formats, building audience trust and engagement.

This is an example of presenter-led news with over 4.8 million views. The segment reports breaking news: “NBC, citing informed sources, reveals that some close to President Biden believe he may announce his withdrawal from the elections.”

• On-Ground Correspondents: We brought field reporters into the digital space, offering real-time, on-the-ground coverage in TikTok-friendly templates.

This is an example of Adham Abu Al-Husam, an Al Jazeera correspondent. With over 14.4 million views, this report highlights the claims of residents about thousands of detainees still held in the lower floors of Sednaya Prison.

• Vertical TV Shows: Shows like Shabakat, which covers trending stories and audience reactions, were reimagined for TikTok and became audience favorites.

This is a clip from Shabakat, featuring Ahmad Fakhoury, with over 14.5 million views. The segment, titled “His plane suddenly turned around and disappeared… Where did Bashar Al-Assad go?” captivated audiences with its intriguing storytelling and engaging format.

Results

In 2024, Al Jazeera’s TikTok account is changing the way news is delivered, becoming a leader in vertical journalism:

• Over 8 million followers
• 3.4 billion total views
• 111.6 million interactions
• 24.7% of the engaged audience in 2024 belonged to the 18–24 age group.

According to TikTok’s analytics, 24.7% of the engaged audience belonged to the 18–24 age group.

This fresh and creative approach shows how traditional media can thrive on new platforms, reaching and engaging the next generation of news consumers like never before.