The Meaning and Usage of ‘IB’

“IB” on TikTok stands for ‘Inspired By‘.

It’s a widely used acronym to acknowledge someone who inspired a TikTok user to create their content.

“IB’ followed by the username of the user who originally developed the content can be used when someone creates a video or posts something inspired by another user’s content.

For example, a TikTok user might include “IB: @username” in the caption or comment section if their dance video was inspired by another user’s dance video.

The acronym is a means of recognizing and acknowledging a person’s talent and inventiveness.

In addition, it is a means of fostering a sense of community and meeting people with like interests.

TikTok is not the only social network that allows you to name the content creator (credit). Other platforms also have similar features, such as “RT” (Retweet) on Twitter and “RP” (Repost) on Instagram.

Moreover, it is not only the two letters “IB” that exclusively mean “Inspired By”. The letters can change when the app is accessed by different demographics.

For example, ‘IC’ (Inspirado en) may be used instead of ‘IB’ in Spanish-speaking countries. These expressions have the same function of recognizing and praising a person’s ideas and ingenuity.

The Origin of ‘IB’

“IB’ has its roots in the early days of social networking, when users often shared things they found inspiring or exciting.

Crediting the creator feature (Repost) was first used mainly on Instagram.

The use of “IB” to recognize and reward the original content producer increased with the popularity of social media sites. Today, it is commonly used on TikTok and various other social media platforms

In addition, “IB” is often used in situations other than recognition of inspiration for creative achievements, such as marketing goods or businesses.

Younger generations, especially Generation Z, use this feature “IB” more frequently, as it is a means to attract the creator’s audience to your channel as well.

As a result, a large and diverse community on social media uses this term frequently.

How to Use ‘IB’ in Content Creation

When you use # IB in one of your TikTok videos, you honor the creator of the original video and also show your originality and truthfulness to someone else’s content.

When creating your TikTok content, you can follow these usage rules for “IB”:

Be precise

Be sure to include the author’s full username when using # IB in a caption to ensure others can quickly find their contribution.

This shows that you are properly attributing the work to its creator.

Add a special touch

Even if your work was inspired by another person, you should try to add your own touch to it.

This will improve the quality of the information you create and will allow you to show your ingenuity.

Make use of it to form connections with others

You may also demonstrate your ties to the TikTok community by recognizing and crediting other creators. 

Making connections with other followers and creators who have comparable interests can be pivotal in increasing your own influence.

Increasing engagement

As mentioned earlier, by using the hashtag “IB” in your captions and videos and mentioning the original author, you can help their followers view and engage with your content as well.

The following examples show how ‘IB’ has been used in various well-known posts or captions on TikTok:

• This trending video related to nature is inspired by mahoganyskyy, and the creator has given credit to her in the content. 
• Addison Rae, a very popular TikTok personality, employs “IB” in several of her videos to acknowledge the source where she first discovered the video that she is imitating.

Some users are reluctant to use “IB” because they are afraid that it might have a negative impact on their popularity, but that is not the case at all.

Using “IB” is a win-win tactic that can help you grow your fan base and protect you from plagiarism bans at the same time.

Conclusion

If you want to increase the level and impact of your material on TikTok, you should experiment with the word “IB” in your descriptions and videos.

It’s also morally helpful to appropriately credit the original author of the content and foster a sense of community on the platform.

Including ‘IB’ in your work shows your content’s authenticity and reliability.

It also makes it easier to connect with other content creators and followers with similar interests.

Check out our other tips on using other acronyms on TikTok and other social media platforms, such as our article on “What does “CF” mean on Instagram?“