How to Prepare for the TikTok Ban as a Small Business Owner
In recent months, the debate surrounding a potential TikTok ban in the United States has captured the attention of millions of Americans, especially among small business owners.
TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to create and share short-form videos, typically ranging from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. The app has achieved global success, with 1.04 billion monthly active users worldwide just in the fourth quarter of 2024, of which 170 million users that come from the United States. Among these users, 7 million are small business owners who have embraced TikTok as a vital tool for marketing and reaching their audiences, making a potential ban create challenges for countless companies.
If TikTok is your go-to platform, don't worry—we've got you covered with ideas to help you keep your business strong on social media. This guide provides ideas on preparing for the ban, real-life examples from users who have already dealt with removing TikTok, the differences between TikTok and the Meta algorithm, and advice on how to shift away from TikTok Shop.
What are Some Key Takeaways from the Indian TikTok Ban?
First, let's analyze a similar case: the TikTok Ban in India.
The United States is not the first country to consider a TikTok ban. India, for instance, had various debates surrounding the app's restrictions, ultimately leading to its complete ban. TikTok debuted in India in 2016 and quickly captured the attention of millions, becoming a cultural phenomenon across the country. By providing creator-driven trends and a faster algorithm, TikTok attracted users from all parts of the country, establishing India as one of its largest and most active markets. However, this rise abruptly stopped in 2020 when the Indian government banned the app, citing data privacy and national security concerns. This decision marked the end of TikTok's thriving presence in the country, leaving a significant gap in digital entertainment and impacting creators who relied on the platform for their livelihood and business sales.
What happened next?
According to Meghan Bobrowsky, WSJ Technology reporter, the people who kept the app could still use it; nevertheless, they didn't have access to new updates. This decreased the video quality and opened the door to security risks, eventually leading users to delete their apps. Furthermore, web hosting providers blocked TikTok's IP address due to glitches in the content, making the app unable to be used on any computer or device.
The repercussions on the people in India who still own the app and how it deteriorated with time can help us foreshadow the potential result of the TikTok ban nationwide and its influence on future sales and audience reach.
TikTok Algorithm vs. Meta Algorithm Analysis
What will happen once TikTok disappears from the Apple and Android stores?
If TikTok faces a national ban, then the number of its previous subscribers will move to other platforms. Most likely among them is Meta. This is the parent company of several popular social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and more. While both TikTok and Meta platforms include a content algorithm, they share key differences when analyzing data and showing content to their viewers. Here is a list of the main differences between the Tiktok and the Meta algorithm and how they can affect your business:
AI and Personalization
After TikTok became a global phenomenon, it focused on perfecting its algorithm. It currently has what is known as an “intuitive” algorithm, which understands the user's preferences instantly and presents content that matches the viewer's interests. TikTok's success lies in its ability to capture attention authentically and organically, which small businesses can harness to their advantage by crafting compelling, relatable content. This also presents a unique opportunity for small business owners to target the right audience and create content that resonates with potential customers, driving brand awareness and engagement.
Meta, conversely, needs more analysis on how a user chooses which content to watch. Still, it invests in more AI research and development to match TikTok's more personalized algorithm. As these changes roll out, small business owners may find new opportunities to reach their target audience with greater precision, mainly as Meta works to improve its algorithm and content discovery features. Staying informed of the next steps of Meta after the potential TikTok ban can help small businesses adjust their strategies and continue to engage with customers in a way that feels both relevant and personal.
Content Discovery vs. User Connections Content
Now, this is where the two platforms clash.
TikTok's algorithm doesn't narrow the viewer to only its followers but shows an array of options related to the topics you are experiencing. It also allows the user to submit a small stitch of an opinion of a video, which creates a sense of community and leads to high engagement rates and access to viral trends.
On the other hand, Meta benefits exclusively from its apps' established user base. While TikTok promotes new content, Meta focuses mainly on the community you've created. This means it will only stick to the everyday creators you follow and the brands and people you usually pursue. Although this narrows your viewing options, Meta compensates by using more engagement tools since it provides Facebook marketplaces and Instagram events, allowing users to sell their products to a market based on their user connections.
How Does Influencer Marketing Work in TikTok and Meta?
Following Miles Morales' words in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, “Anyone can wear the mask," which also applies to TikTok!
This app is known for virality since it allows anyone to become an influencer overnight. Any business or user can build a name for themselves in TikTok, no matter what they sell or present to the audience. This has opened the world of opportunities for many users to pass from a small business owner to a large franchise just by submitting videos in this app! Some common examples include Desiree Hill, who owns Crown's Corner Mechanics in Conyers, Georgia, and thanks to TikTok, she has passed her business from a mobile mechanic to a 9,000-square-foot store with five employees. Another example is Angela Jasmina, who thanks to TikTok, expanded her business and opened a community that helps small businesses and embroidery fanatics surpass themselves!
Meanwhile, becoming viral on Meta platforms can be more challenging than TikTok due to the need for a more significant, expansive audience presence. Nevertheless, Meta offers small business owners a considerable advantage over its competitors: a wider variety of influencers who can target virtually any niche audience. This diverse pool of influencers allows business owners to select partners who align closely with their brand values and target demographic, whether through micro-influencers with a more loyal, engaged following or more prominent influencers with an extensive reach.
What's Going to Happen to the TikTok Shop?
Getting traffic to a website is not easy, but TikTok Shop has simplified it and made it easier for small business owners to sell merchandise. TikTok Shop is a feature within the TikTok app that allows businesses and creators to sell products directly to clients through video, live streams, and product links. This feature is perfect for business owners because TikTok's algorithm targets the people who need the product. Meanwhile, other platforms like Etsy do the same but put your products next to their competitors so their audience has more options.
The potential TikTok ban can create uncertainty among TikTok Shop's U.S. sellers, who may encounter substantial challenges if enacted. For this reason, we've organized a list of tips that analyze the chronological order of solutions to help your store not lose reach and help your business transition smoothly to other platforms.
Prioritize Your Email Subscriber List
As TikTok Shop's future unfolds, businesses should focus on building and nurturing their email subscriber lists. While TikTok offers a dynamic platform for reaching new customers, email marketing remains one of the most reliable ways to engage with your audience and convert them into loyal buyers. By prioritizing your email subscriber list, email marketing allows you to stay in touch with your customers, regardless of external changes or the potential app ban. When using something as an Email Service Provider (ESP), you can send personalized messages explaining the next steps the business will take and providing more information on websites and other platforms to find their companies.
Try Going Live on TikTok as Much As Possible
Before the app disappears, try going live on the platform to explain to your users how your business will transition from TikTok Shop. This will also provide real-time customer interactions, answer related questions, and address concerns. Angela Jasmina, a small business owner on TikTok, explains how she and many creators are going on the live stream to explain what will happen and provide a personal explanation and opinions of the new transition. Additionally, going live will create a sense of urgency and awareness that certain products cannot be acquired on TikTok anymore. The immediacy of live content can encourage viewers to take action on the spot.
Prepare for The Predictable YouTube and Instagram Rush
After the TikTok ban, creators and users will be heavily directed to other platforms, and the apps that will most likely gain those interactions will be YouTube and Instagram. This will generate a massive influx of content on these two platforms since the demand for content and entertainers will increase. This will cause creators to start posting the same or increased number of videos that they used to post on TikTok, and as a result, there will be a struggle to get attention to your videos. This happens because when you post a video, the YouTube and Instagram algorithms will show it with videos of the same topic, and, as a result, you will get fewer interactions every time. Therefore, due to increased content supply, you may see low reach and interactions during the first few weeks after the TikTok ban.
Focus on Building an Organic Strategy Before Considering Ads
Since TikTok is disappearing, many businesses will lose their primary marketing tool. This will trigger many companies to switch marketing strategies to platforms like Facebook and Instagram since they provide sales options. However, Meta platforms typically calculate a company's audience based on interactions, where people must spend money initially to analyze which users they want to target. The more money you invest in ads, the more accurate the data will be.
Nevertheless, do not start with this strategy at the beginning of the TikTok ban; instead, focus on building organic engagement and understanding your audience on these platforms first. Take the time to create compelling content that resonates with your new target demographic, using similar tools like Reels and carousels. Once you've understood what works and established a baseline audience, gradually incorporate paid ads to increase your reach. By starting organically, you'll ensure your ad budget is used more effectively and aligned with strategies that genuinely connect with your audience, minimizing unnecessary spending and maximizing ROI.
How Small Businesses Can Overcome the TikTok Ban
The potential TikTok ban poses a significant challenge for small business owners who rely on the platform's intuitive algorithm and their current audience. At this time, building organic connections and understanding new audience behaviors in other apps would be essential to transitioning from this app. With the right strategies, your business can turn this challenge into an opportunity to expand its reach and diversify its marketing efforts, ensuring long-term success in the evolving digital landscape.
