TikTok as a Driver of Consumer Behavior: Insights into Social Media Strategies and Their Role in Entrepreneurial Innovation

Abstract

TikTok has emerged as a transformative platform in shaping consumer behavior, influencing how users interact with brands and make purchasing decisions. Its algorithm-driven content, short video format, and interactive features have redefined marketing strategies while generating new challenges for understanding consumption in different contexts. This study aimed to explore how TikTok influences consumption patterns among university students in Honduras, identifying how the platform conditions decision-making processes, perceptions of brands, and ethical reflections related to its use. A qualitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional design was applied, using focus groups as the main data collection method. Transcriptions were analyzed through thematic coding in NVivo 14, complemented by visual tools such as word clouds, heatmaps, and hierarchical clustering to detect conceptual relationships. Findings reveal that students frequently rely on TikTok to discover products, engage with influencers, and participate in trends, often leading to impulsive purchases. While the platform facilitates product discovery and engagement, risks related to misinformation, algorithmic manipulation, and privacy were also identified. The results demonstrate that TikTok functions both as a driver of consumption and as a laboratory for entrepreneurial innovation.