The State of TikTok
On January 17, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of shutting down TikTok in the United States, due to international data privacy concerns. Staring January 19th, Americans are facing a significant shift in the social media landscape, as tech giants Apple and Google can no longer offer TikTok within their app stores. ByteDance has also stated they will cease operations in the United States on January 19th too.
With TikTok no longer available for content distribution and audience engagement in key markets, we want to provide an overview of impacts on our strategy and the proactive steps we are taking to ensure our clients remain at the forefront of social media trends.
What This Means for Marketers?
TikTok’s ban has disrupted a major channel for short-form video content, viral trends, and influencer collaborations. While this presents challenges, it also opens new opportunities for brands to adapt and evolve their strategies. Losing access to TikTok means we need to refocus our efforts on alternative platforms and methods of reaching and engaging with consumers.
Strategy Considerations
The Butler/Till Social team has been proactive in preparing for this decision. Steps we have taken:
- Paused any active campaigns on Friday, January 17th, with plans to stay paused and not activate new campaigns until more details emerge on the status of TikTok post-ban.
- Scheduled downloads of all client metrics from TikTok on Saturday, January 18th, as well as paused requests for data from the API connected to TikTok’s servers.
- Actively working on reallocation of media dollars to other platforms that still achieve the goals set forth.
What Does This Mean for Clients?
- The ban is an opportunity to rethink and diversify content strategies.
- At Butler/Till, we are not tied to a single platform; our expertise lies in leveraging multiple channels for maximum reach and impact.
- While the landscape has changed, we are committed to keeping our clients’ brands visible and engaged with their target audiences.
- Prepare for any overturns that may happen. President-elect Trump has stated that he plans to pause the enforcement of the ban for 60-90 days. The law as written grants the President the ability to pause the ban if TikTok shows they are in the process of separating from ByteDance.
Moving Forward
The social media landscape will undoubtedly continue to evolve, and while TikTok’s ban presents a challenge, it also fuels our creativity and forces us to innovate. We will keep tracking new trends, refining our approach, and ensuring that our clients stay ahead of the curve. Stay tuned as we continue to monitor this story and do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.
