How to Prepare for a Potential TikTok Ban
by Andrew Peter
Dec 18, 2024
Barring a last-minute sale or Supreme Court intervention, we’re about a month away from TikTok being banned in the U.S.
The potential ban has content creators in a panic and millennials having Vine-centric flashbacks.
Here’s how you should prepare for a possible ban, and some context on how these preparations can help even if the app is able to stick around.
These suggestions and insights can apply to content creators, businesses, and nonprofits, so for the purpose of this post “you” applies to whichever aligns with your use of the platform.
Download your content and data
This is your reminder that content should never only live within platforms.
You don’t need to worry about watermarks — you’re now able to download your videos from the TikTok app without a watermark. Use this as an opportunity to build a content database for crossposting and future reference. A streamlined content management system allows you to get more use out of each piece of content and provides support for performance data and testing.
If you’ve spent just a few dollars on TikTok ads, go ahead and download a CSV of all performance data, including metrics that you typically ignore. This data can still be used to inform strategy for other mediums and platforms.
Start moving your audience now
If you have a sizable following on TikTok and/or know that your followers are not engaged with you elsewhere, it’s time to encourage them to migrate. We’ve seen plenty of questions popping up in video comments:
“Where do I find your products if TikTok goes away?”
“Is there somewhere else that I can get the information that you share here?”
We can expect to see Instagram followers and YouTube subscribers continue to increase over the next month as users prepare to lose their go-to app.
This migration, if done right, can be an opportunity to move users down funnel at a very high rate.
Yes, you should let your followers know how to find you on other platforms, but consider the more valuable engagement opportunities. For many businesses and organizations, this opportunity is in email marketing. However, this could also be Patreon, Substack, or other high-value down funnel conversions. Provide the opportunity for them to become more engaged instead of simply shifting them to another top-of-funnel audience.
Take off the hype-driven glasses
When a new platform or trend emerges, the immediate response from most organizations is the to jump on the bandwagon. Sometimes, this works out well. Creators and businesses alike have benefited from following the hype, but most do not.
Use this as an opportunity to assess the true value of TikTok for your business or organization. Are you creating and sharing TikTok content because you feel like you have to? Or does it drive meaningful impact?
If short form video is impactful for you, begin crossposting your TikTok content to Reels and YouTube Shorts if you haven’t already. Keep a close eye on performance, as it’s likely that you might have to adjust your strategy for the different platforms.
A long-form video renaissance
Users are pushing past their short attention spans and engaging with YouTube creators in the same way that they engage with Netflix shows — and YouTube is leaning into it. At Made on YouTube 2024, they announced major updates like the Community hub and “hype.” They also announced that creators will be able to organize their content into seasons and episodes, encouraging the growth of long-form viewership.
So what does this have to do with you? Long-form video is often underutilized as a marketing tactic. When it is used, it’s cold and corporate, but the newfound importance of personal brands is changing that.
Community is key
When discussing TikTok, we’d be remiss not to mention community.
TikTok skyrocketed during the pandemic, helping people find each other in a new way. Users found connection and, in some cases, themselves through the social media app. Community is a core piece of TikTok and what many users are most concerned about losing.
This should be a central consideration when contemplating paths forward after a potential ban. How can you maintain and grow the community established on TikTok? Maybe the answer is chat-based, like Discord. Maybe you’re excited to take advantage of YouTube’s community updates.
Finding the silver lining
Only good can come from taking the time to step back and reassess strategies, and it just so happens that this is the perfect time to do it.