Don’t Panic About TikTok’s Uncertain Future. Do: Be Prepared

March 13, 2024—Marketers don't need to panic about a TikTok ban yet. But "don't panic" doesn't mean "don't be prepared." Here are 4 things marketers should do now:

1️⃣ Determine where your TikTok audience will go.

The logical destinations are Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Of the two, I think users would gravitate more toward Reels, and marketers should follow.

Reels was already on a $10 billion worldwide revenue run rate as of a couple quarter ago (according to Meta's earnings conference call), and we could see Reels' US revenue increase substantially if TikTok were banned.

2️⃣ Shorten ad commitments and ensure that ad creative is able to work seamlessly on other platforms.

As was the case a year ago, when talk of a ban was similarly ramping up, now is not the time to commit to any TikTok-focused ad campaigns that would start in the second half of this year. Marketers should incorporate other platforms where their target audience is active.

3️⃣ Broaden creator partnerships beyond TikTok.

TikTok has been a huge reason for the growth in influencer marketing, and partnering with creators is still a key part of most marketing campaigns on the platform. But the prospect of a ban means that marketers should make sure their marketing efforts incorporate creators on Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.

4️⃣ Extend social shopping activities into other platforms.

TikTok Shop is a growing platform for China-based advertisers looking to sell low-cost goods. Some US companies have also found success on TikTok Shop. If a ban were to take effect, these companies should consider moving their sales activities toward Instagram and putting more emphasis on Amazon.

If some of these sound familiar, that's because it's the same advice I and Jasmine Enberg gave in an eMarketer report that was published almost exactly a year ago.

Just like last year, this year's push to ban TikTok is a good reminder to never put your social media marketing eggs in one basket.