The Diffusion of Innovations Theory

Throughout technological innovations, we see patterns of popularities within each innovation. These patterns are used within the Diffusion of Innovations Theory to determine how an idea, behavior, or product spreads throughout a specific population or social system. 

Five Categories of the Diffusion of Innovations Theory

The Diffusion of Innovations Theory consists of five stages, all of which describe the characteristics of the target population that is attracted product. 

1- Innovators are the consumers who want to be the first to try the innovation and very little needs to be done to attract this group. This group makes up the people who are highly impressed with innovations and are eager to try out products when they are first announced. 

2- Early Adopters are characterized as embracing change opportunities to try the new innovation, they do not need to be convinced however, they do enjoy adopting new ideas. These people are comfortable with new ideas and often embrace the new ideas with other populations. 

3- Early Majority is the population that adapt before the average person but are not the first; they need evidence and some convincing that this innovation is worth it. Examples of ways to convince these people would be success stories, and effectiveness of the innovation to prove that it is convenient. 

4- The Late Majority is the group of people that are skeptical of change and do not have much intention of trying new things; they require a lot of convincing on why this innovation is beneficial. Strategies to appeal this group include others personal experiences with the innovation. 

5- The last group is known as Laggards, these people require a lot of convincing with statistics and reasoning as they are very traditional. 

As we see a growth in the convince of smart phones, people demand accessibility to advancements and applications that make day to day life easier. This diffusions of innovations theory is reflected within these demands because it shows the different groups of people who benefit from these innovations and even those who are more tradition and don't want to rely on a phone for everything.

Social media apps are extremely popular among todays society. There are the people who are the first to try and experiment it with no questions asked. On the other hand, the people who are comfortable with the communication that they're used to that they don't want to try the new innovation. For social media marketing, it is important to have those innovators and early adopters to promote the innovation to the other populations like the late majority and laggards.

TikTok has become a globally recognized social media platform that has most likely been used among all 5 of these population groups. TikTok started as a very limited platform where people, typically teens and young adults, could make videos to song and add cool edits to post for their friends to see. With the growth of TikTok as well as the diversity of creators using the platform, the innovators, early adopters, and early majority have convinced and proven TikTok to be fun and educational to the late majority and even those in the laggard group. 

I would consider myself to be an early adopter for TikTok and my parents to be the late majority. My parents can easily be overwhelmed with technology and not open to trying out new platforms, however just last year both of them are actively using TikTok for entertainment as well as life hacks, recipes, and home projects.