TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform, has rapidly gained popularity worldwide in the past few years, becoming the most downloaded app in 2022 for the third year in a row. However, the app has faced bans in countries like India and Hong Kong due to security concerns. The United States government has also considered banning the app. This article explores the impact of TikTok bans on advertisers, businesses, and users and discusses alternative platforms that could fill the void.
Impact on Advertisers and Businesses
India’s ban on TikTok in 2020 led to 200 million users being disconnected and put marketers and brands in a tough spot- they had to reallocate their budgets to achieve the same goals without access to a significant marketing channel. Needless to say, it was an immense challenge for them. Pinaki Bhattacharya, Wunderman Thompson India’s Chief Strategy Officer, observed a wide-reaching effect since many agencies serviced brands that had invested heavily in the platform.
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Instead of regarding the ban on TikTok in Hong Kong as a failure, ad agencies saw it as an opportunity to innovate and look for alternative solutions for their clients. Lately, various alternate platforms like Instagram, YouTube Shorts & Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese version) are becoming more popular amongst users in different countries.
The potential ban of TikTok in the United States could impact the five million businesses in the country that use TikTok as a marketing tool. However, Tim Durgan, VP of strategy and insights for APAC at Assembly, says that it’s not about what channels could replace TikTok, but what channels audiences would keep using. He believes that alternative platforms will replicate the features of successful competitors, and we’re already seeing similar content on Instagram stories and YouTube shorts.
Alternative Platforms
After India banned TikTok, several short-form video apps emerged, such as Moj, Josh, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. These platforms allowed marketers to effectively reach audiences, and many major brands introduced their short-form video tools. For example, Spotify launched a video feed featuring recommended music and similar content.
Partha Sharma, associate director of growth India at M&C Saatchi Performance, states that both Moj and Josh have more than 160 million monthly active users and their ad-serving technologies are quite successful in delivering region-specific advertisements. Advertising agencies have been exploring these channels for a range of industries, such as gaming, e-commerce and luxury lifestyle brands. The outcomes have been quite positive & encouraging.
Also Read: The TikTok Fashion Revolution: How the App is Shaping the Industry
Instagram is by far the most liked social media platform in Hong Kong. Maggie Wong, CEO of Hong Kong Wunderman Thompson has mentioned that though locals have access to Douyin, it has not been widely used in the region. This goes especially for its younger audiences. In the wake of the TikTok ban, many creators & viewers shifted to other video-sharing platforms such as Instagram Reels, Moj, Josh and Takatak. Despite the change in platform, these content creators continued to produce amazing content that is still highly engaging.
In Conclusion, TikTok bans have shown that users, businesses, advertisers, and influencers can adapt and move on to alternative platforms. The potential ban of TikTok in the United States could impact businesses that use TikTok as a marketing tool. However, alternative platforms like Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and other short-form video apps have gained popularity in countries where TikTok is banned. As Tim Durgan suggests, it’s not about finding channels to replace TikTok, but finding channels that audiences will keep using.
