Integrating Technology Acceptance and Uses & Gratifications Frameworks to Expound on the Perceived Popularity of TikTok in Cameroon

Abstract

This study investigates how structural variables like Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) and Perceived Usefulness (PU) combine with socio-psychological gratifications (information, entertainment, education and socialisation) to propel TikTok’s popularity. Using a quantitative survey design, empirical data were collected from 307 TikTok users. Cross-tabulation, simple linear regression, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the impact of tenure, PEOU, PU, and four specific need-gratifications (information, education, socialisation, and entertainment) on usage frequency or popularity. The cross-tabulation revealed a strong habituation effect on TikTok popularity among participants. Specifically, daily engagement rises sharply as user tenure increases, growing from 27.3% among novices (less than 1 year) to 73.3% among established users (3–4 years), with overall daily active usage reaching 51.1%. Furthermore, regression models confirmed that both PEOU (beta = 0.303, p < .001) and PU (beta = 0.284, p < .001) significantly drive platform popularity. PEOU showed a slightly stronger influence, reflecting TikTok’s low-friction, algorithm-driven interface. Among user gratifications, entertainment was the primary driver of usage popularity (B = 0.392, p < .001), whereas education played a secondary role (B = 0.165, p = .041). In contrast, information and socialisation needs failed to significantly predict popularity, despite users reporting moderate satisfaction in these areas. This research recommends that content creators should embed entertainment elements into informational, educational, and socialisation content to maximise audience engagement.