You’re scrolling through TikTok at 11 PM. Suddenly, you see a new button. It’s right there at the top of your screen, sitting quietly next to "Following" and "For You." It says "What Its Like." If you haven't seen it yet, you probably will soon, or you’ve at least heard the chatter in the comments sections of viral videos. This isn't just another random UI tweak by ByteDance. It’s a massive shift in how the algorithm categorizes human experience.
Social media used to be about what people were doing. Now, it's about the visceral reality of being them.
The Reality Behind the What Its Like Tab
Basically, the What Its Like tab is a dedicated feed designed to aggregate first-person perspectives on specific life experiences. Think of it as a search engine for empathy. Instead of seeing a polished travel vlog about Paris, you might find a video filed under this tab titled "What it’s actually like to live in a 100-square-foot studio in the 11th Arrondissement." It’s raw. It’s usually unedited. Honestly, it feels like the early days of YouTube but with the hyper-velocity of TikTok’s delivery system.
The "What Its Like" ecosystem thrives on niche relatability.
You’ll find content creators documenting the mundane and the extraordinary with equal intensity. One minute you're watching a "Day in the Life" of a deep-sea welder working in the Gulf of Mexico, and the next, you’re seeing someone explain the sensory overload of grocery shopping with ADHD. It’s weirdly addictive. Why? Because humans are inherently nosy, and this tab gives us permission to peer into lives we will never lead.
How the Algorithm Decides What Fits
TikTok doesn’t just guess. It uses advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) to scan captions, on-screen text, and even the audio transcripts of videos to identify "experiential" content. If a video starts with the hook "People always ask me what it's like to..." the algorithm flags it.
The Metadata Secret
It’s not just about the hashtag. TikTok looks for specific markers:
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- Long-form narration (usually over 60 seconds).
- High engagement in the "Save" category—people save these videos because they are informative, not just entertaining.
- Visual cues that suggest "POV" (Point of View) filming styles.
According to various tech analysts who track ByteDance’s patent filings, the goal here is to keep users on the app longer by fulfilling an informational need that was previously handled by Reddit or Quora. Why read a 2,000-word thread on "What it's like to go through a divorce" when you can watch three people talk about it while they do their makeup?
Why This Matters for Creators
If you’re a creator, the What Its Like tab is a goldmine. Or a minefield. It depends on how you look at it.
In the past, you had to fight the "For You" feed, which is notoriously fickle. One day you’re a star; the next, you’re getting 200 views. But this new tab creates a more stable "interest-based" shelf life for content. It means your video about being a third-shift nurse might continue to get views for months because it’s categorized under a specific life experience rather than just being a "trending" clip.
It’s about authority. You don’t need 1 million followers to land in this tab. You just need a unique, authentic story. Honestly, the "unpolished" look works better here. If a video looks too much like a commercial, the "What Its Like" audience sniffs it out and scrolls past. They want the grit. They want the truth.
The Psychological Hook
Why are we obsessed?
Psychologists often point to "narrative transport." This is the feeling of being so lost in a story that you lose track of your own reality. The What Its Like tab is a high-speed delivery vehicle for narrative transport. When someone explains the specific smell of a professional kitchen at 5 AM or the silence of a library in a remote village, your brain processes that sensory information almost as if you were there.
It bridges the gap between "us" and "them."
Common Misconceptions About the Feature
A lot of people think this is just a rebranding of the "POV" trend. It's not.
"POV" was often used for fictional skits or jokes. The What Its Like tab is strictly focused on non-fiction. TikTok has been under pressure to improve the "educational" value of its platform to satisfy regulators in the US and EU. This is their answer. It’s an attempt to categorize the platform as a place for "learning and discovery" rather than just "distraction."
Another misconception is that it’s only for "heavy" topics. While you will see videos about grief or illness, a huge chunk of the tab is just... weirdly specific stuff. What it’s like to own a pet raccoon. What it’s like to work at a high-end luxury watch store. What it’s like to be the only person in a movie theater.
Navigating the Tab Safely
Look, let’s be real: not everything in this tab is 100% true.
Just because someone says "this is what it’s like to be a millionaire" doesn’t mean they aren't renting that Lamborghini for the afternoon. The "What Its Like" tag is a powerful tool for building trust, which means it’s also a tool for scammers.
Red Flags to Watch For:
- Overly scripted dialogue that sounds like a sales pitch.
- Constant cuts that hide the actual environment.
- Lack of specific, boring details (real life is usually a bit boring).
If someone is talking about a profession but can’t explain the frustrating parts of the paperwork, they might be faking it for the clout. Authentic "What Its Like" content almost always includes the downsides.
The Global Impact of Shared Experience
What's really fascinating is how this breaks down geographic barriers. You might see a creator in Lagos, Nigeria, explaining what it’s like to navigate the local markets, and five minutes later, you’re watching someone in rural Alaska explain how they get mail delivered via bush plane.
This isn't just "content." It’s a digital archive of the human condition in the mid-2020s.
Years from now, historians might look at the What Its Like tab to understand what regular life was actually like during this era, far better than they could from watching polished news broadcasts or reading official records. It’s history from the bottom up.
Making the Most of the Experience
If you want to actually use this feature to learn something, you have to engage with it differently than the standard feed.
Stop scrolling every three seconds.
The value of this content is in the nuances. Listen to the background noise. Look at the lighting. Pay attention to the comments—often, other people in the same situation will chime in to verify or add their own experiences. This turns a single video into a community forum. It’s where the real "magic" of the tab happens.
Moving Forward With Intent
The "What Its Like" tab isn't going anywhere. In fact, it's likely to become the centerpiece of how TikTok competes with YouTube’s long-form dominance.
To get the most out of this new way of consuming media, start by being intentional. Follow the creators who provide genuine "behind the scenes" looks into their worlds, rather than those who just chase the latest viral sound. If you're a creator yourself, stop trying to be "perfect" and start being specific.
Tell the story of the one weird thing that happens in your job every Tuesday. Explain the specific way your hobby makes your hands feel. That’s the content that wins in this new era.
- Check your app version: Ensure you are running the latest update to see the newest tab configurations.
- Use specific search terms: If you don't see the tab yet, type "What it's like" into the search bar to trigger the algorithm to show you more of this content.
- Verify before you buy: If a "What Its Like" video is recommending a product or a lifestyle change, cross-reference it with independent reviews or forums like Reddit.
- Contribute your own: Don't be afraid to post your own perspective; the most "boring" parts of your life are often the most fascinating to someone else.
- Monitor your screen time: Because these videos are more narrative-driven, they can be significantly more "sticky" than short-form comedy clips.