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It’s no secret that TikTok has changed the way we consume content, but the extent to which it creates fan communities is nothing short of monumental.
Powered by user-generated content, the free online platform has given new life to long-running franchises and programs (hello, Dancing with the stars) and united users around the world around common interests spanning fashion, fitness, TV, gaming, and more. Thanks to its non-stop format, fast-paced content, and free nature, TikTok inherently makes media moments more accessible than ever.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in September 2025, Dancing with the stars pro (and social media star) Rylee Arnold explained how much — and precisely why — TikTok has had an impact on the 34-season show.
“I think TikTok is literally part of Dancing with the stars“, says Arnold exclusively THR. “I think it’s a perfect way to show who these partnerships are, what our relationships are like, what this show is about and the BTS of it all. Because it’s hard to only see a show once a week and engage with it. But because we have TikTok, people can come into our lives to see how everything is going. And I think [TikTok is] This is such a cool way to share this.
When Arnold first turned professional in 2023 for the show’s 32nd season, she remembers filming and posting the videos on social media “just for fun.” Two years later, every pro from Season 34 is not only active, but massive, on TikTok, with millions of collective followers (and the official manager) among them. DWTS TikTok account with 5.4 million followers alone). Through posting and commenting (by crushing Mark Ballas), celebrity dancers are able to interact with their fans in a whole new way, more intimate than ever before.
And even though entertainment industry leaders worry that TikTok streams will draw eyes away from TV screens, the ‘case study’ of Dancing with the stars certainly proves the opposite. The surrounding TikTok fandom DWTS only skyrocketed the show’s viewership — especially among adults ages 18 to 49 — with its Oct. 21 episode that made TV ratings history.
So now the question arises: how will other programs leverage TikTok to their advantage?
