Over the past few years, brands have embraced TikTok. From working with influencers to create earned and sponsored content, to developing their own channels and personalities, TikTok has created a fun and authentic way for companies to connect with their audiences and reach new ones.
Will this all end with a TikTok ban? No.
Well, probably not.
The TikTok story is long and complicated. It brings together all of the sensational headlines that serve as click bait across our social feeds: China, national security, Biden, Trump, etc.
Security concerns aside, TikTok has made an instrumental impact on our media landscape. It has flipped the idea of “social” media upside down, as users consume content from people they don’t know based on shared affinity, rather than their social circle that they initially connected with on Facebook and Instagram. Countless businesses use TikTok to drive growth, and influencers on the channel have built careers. And TikTok is still in its infancy.
As long as it is available, TikTok will continue to set trends, create viral moments, and serve as a platform for discovery. And for companies that want to build an audience or create affinity, TikTok is one of the places they need to be – especially if they want to reach that always important 18–35-year-old age group.
Of course, the big question still remains: Will TikTok be banned? I believe that the answer to that question was clear when TikTok credited President Trump in a message all users saw when TikTok came back online after a brief hiatus. And don’t forget that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew attended the inauguration the following day. The bottom line: They’re ready to make a deal with the U.S.
As of today, brands should assume TikTok is here to stay and should continue to invest resources on the platform. Content tailored to the TikTok audience will continue to be relevant and important, no matter where it’s published. If something changes, that content can be repurposed for Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
But for now? Bet on TikTok.