There are few options and little time for TikTok as a U.S. ban of the social media app looms.
The app could be banished as soon as Jan. 19 — the deadline enacted by a bipartisan American law introduced to address security concerns surrounding TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance.
So what does this mean for the millions of American businesses who use the app, as well as the wider marketing world — particularly other platforms specializing in short-form video?
For some small businesses that heavily relied on the app, the ban could be devastating, wiping out the audience that they’ve worked hard to gain.
But as a digital marketing agency that mainly specializes in Meta social media management, we’re here to reassure you that TikTok is not the entire internet. There is a healthy business community on other social media platforms, and this one-app ban will likely increase activity on these TikTok alternatives.
How Important Is TikTok For Businesses?
To understand how a TikTok ban will affect businesses, let’s compare its popularity to other social media apps.
Since being introduced to the U.S. in 2018, TikTok has grown to become the fifth-largest social media platform in the country, with YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest all ranking above it.
TikTok is particularly popular with young people, but even for those ages 18-29, it still comes in fifth place to almost all of the same platforms that older audiences like.
As for U.S. businesses, seven million use TikTok, reporting $15 billion in revenue in 2023, according to the app’s latest economic report.
For comparison, Instagram says it has 200 million business users worldwide, with court records revealing that those brands generated $32.4 billion in ad revenue in 2021.
All that to say, while TikTok is popular, it is still a relatively young platform with a user base to match. It’s no coincidence that the biggest social media platform in the world is also one of the OGs. Facebook, formed in 2004, has 3 billion users total.
Another thing: If running digital ads is part of your marketing strategy, TikTok is a harder to break into when compared to other platforms like Meta. The minimum ad spend for a TikTok campaign is $500, whereas you don’t have to spend more than $1 a day on Meta. So for businesses with smaller budgets, TikTok was never the place to be.
What Social Media Platform Will TikTok Users Flee To?
There are plenty of options for short-form video lovers if TikTok is banned.
Instagram has Reels, YouTube has Shorts, and even LinkedIn has started to heavily promote a feed that looks, you guessed it, eerily similar to TikTok.
Most experts agree that Instagram and YouTube are strong contenders for attracting the most refugee TikTok users.
Instagram is the first choice for the majority of TikTok users, according to AI research company Vurvey. Their survey found that 71% said they would use the Meta alternative if TikTok was banned. Facebook (where Reels are also available) was second, with 57% saying they would use it, and YouTube was third with 48%.
It’s very unlikely that many TikTok users will disappear from the internet entirely. If you’ve ever spent hours on the app or on Instagram Reels, you know why.
Should Businesses Do Anything To Prepare For A TikTok Ban?
There is an important lesson for businesses in the tale of TikTok. Our takeaway is that you should never rely too heavily on one silo of one platform for all of your marketing needs.
There is a balance to be struck, of course. You don’t need to be on every social media platform in existence. Instead, you should concentrate your efforts where your audience is.
But even if your social media presence is relegated to one platform, you should be implementing other digital marketing strategies. Digital ads, email marketing, and SEO/AEO can be just as important as social media, especially when it comes to lead generation.
But, enough moralizing. What can you do now to prepare for the TikTok ban?
Well, if you don’t have much of a social media presence, this may be a good time to jump in. There will probably be an engagement spike on alternative platforms immediately after a ban goes into effect (if it does).
If you are a business that already has a presence on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube, you’re ahead of the game. Stay where you are and maybe prepare a few extra special Reels in case the ban goes into effect.
And, if your platform is mainly on TikTok, we’d suggest coming up with a plan in the event the app is banned: Which platform will you migrate to? Once you figure that out, you can get started on educating your followers on where they’ll be able to find you. And if this ban fiasco has been a wake-up call for you, you may want to consider setting up shop on the alternate platform you picked out regardless of what happens with the ban
If you need help with social media management on Meta or other platforms, give us a shout. We have experience running pages for national healthcare brands, popular restaurant franchises, and popular liquor brands. We also specialize in running digital ad campaigns on platforms across the internet, including Meta and Google. Remember, diversification is important!
