Photo By: Visuals

New social media apps come around all the time. Some gain traction and become popular like Instagram did in 2010 but none more extreme than TikTok. When the app hit the market in 2018, it became the most downloaded app in the US and the rest of the world three years in a row (2020, 2021, 2022). The platform embodied the ideas of American society with its high hustle, creative minds, and lack of limits. The irony of this is the company that owns TikTok, ByteDance, is based in China and has become the root cause of the impending ban of the platform. 

Background

The potential ban of TikTok in the US can be attributed to several different issues. The main one is the fear of security breaches. ByteDance, a Chinese tech company that owns TikTok, is on the hot seat. United States representatives are concerned that ByteDance can leak US user data to the Chinese government. The government has a law where these companies can be expected to supply the data gathered and create influential content to support their beliefs. 

At this time, data is king. It is tied to the amount of power you hold causing the situation to be a big deal. It is not only a situation between the US and China as six other countries have a full ban on the platform while twelve have partial bans. A US-owned company or entrepreneur can purchase the platform from ByteDance and avoid the outlaw in this country. 

What Changes?

Businesses

Small and large brands have been able to find their way on TikTok. The ability to promote what they offer while giving us a hint of personality to go along with it has created opportunities. Many have turned their presence on TikTok into a profitable situation. With the loss of TikTok, many businesses will lose their top source of engagement with their community. 

Influencers

Influencers that have garnered their main following on TikTok will be forced to move platforms. While many of them still have a good amount of following on these other platforms, total engagement is almost guaranteed to decrease. It will also drastically affect influencer marketing tactics that businesses use.

Digital Consumption Habits

The most obvious change is how consumers are going to consume digital media. We have seen the surge of short video effectiveness and how it has become the ideal way for people to consume media. With TikTok gone, the preferences will alter. 

Advertising

Similarly to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, we will see platforms come out with their style of short videos. Platforms will use this tactic to increase engagement while enticing creators to switch to their platforms. It will also create an opportunity for businesses to be creative and try to design the next big trend of social media marketing. 

How To Prepare

Whether the ban officially passes or not, it is essential to have a plan for both outcomes. A process that you need to start today is diversifying your audience across different platforms. Create a following and engage with your consumers on all platforms available rather than just a couple. By building your brand’s online presence, you can ensure that your brand continues to grow. 

Opportunities

TikTok has been able to touch millions of people around the world and change many lives for the better. We have never seen growth opportunities for small businesses to be found and connect with people quite like this, until now. Callie Goodwin, a member of the advisory board here at NISM has experienced firsthand the amazing opportunities that come from TikTok. Her company, Sparks of Joy, went viral on TikTok during the pandemic. Her business is spreading joy through writing letters to others which was just what the world needed. TikTok created an opportunity for her to touch over 100 thousand people and spread more joy in the world. This is one example from someone on our team, just imagine how many other people around the country have also had their lives changed for the better.

Could it happen?

I am sure that when we have heard about this topic, it is normally followed up by “But it’s not going to happen”. So what are the chances that it does? In April, ByteDance was given a 9-month period to sell the app with a 3-month grace period. This means that the decision is ultimately up to whoever wins the presidential election at the end of 2024 and whether they will continue with the ban or stop it. At the beginning of August 2024, Nepal lifted its ban on the platform, allowing users in the country to access it freely. This is a big step as it shows once more research is conducted, countries are opening up to the idea of allowing the platform. As for the US, we will see where it lies shortly.

In social media marketing, TikTok may take up a large part of the current market share, but it is only a piece of the puzzle. For social media marketers, the content can be transferable with slight variations that appeal to our audience on other platforms. That is if you made sure to be consistent with your presence across the digital landscape. Solidifying your foundation for how to engage with audiences and appeal to them on other platforms will be put to the test. Each platform has a different demographic so knowing the ins and outs of your consumer data is essential.

 

Author: Joseph Scalzo

Joseph Scalzo is a Social Media Strategist Intern at the National Institute for Social Media. He graduated from California Lutheran University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing. He is currently attending San Francisco State University where he is a student-athlete playing baseball and working towards getting his second Bachelor in Communication Studies. He has also completed many courses in International Relations.