What musicians and creators can do to get ready for the TikTok ‘ban’
Biden signed a bill last month that could leave U.S. consumers and creators TikTok-less nine months from now. Here are some steps you can take to prepare for the worst.
by THE ORCHARD
TikTok has revolutionized the way we consume music. At The Orchard, we amplify and empower independent artists and labels across the platform and believe it’s vital for everyone to be informed on what steps we can all take.
The US Senate has approved a bill that would ban TikTok unless China-based company ByteDance divests from the app within 9 months. US President Joe Biden signed legislation on Wednesday, April 24.
As it stands now, TikTok, “has become the trendsetter in the world of short-form video and is used by 170 million Americans, which is about half of the country. It is where one-third of young people get their news, according to Pew Research Center” (NPR).
When Will the Ban Come Into Effect?
Upon being signed, the bill will give TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, 270 days to sell the app’s US operations, with an option for Biden to extend the timeline by 90 days if he sees “significant progress” toward a sale, says The Guardian and Forbes.
What Can You Do in the Meantime?
TikTok has promised to legally challenge the law that was signed, hoping to reverse action, but leaving its future unclear. Therefore, many music marketers are left wondering how this will affect their campaign strategy. Some steps you can take during this time includes:
- Keep posting on TikTok. As we can already see this road may take twists and turns, so it’s important not to abandon the platform or your current strategy, as TikTok remains a relevant and powerful platform
- Cross-pollinate your audiences and continue to grow them on other social platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X, Snapchat, etc.
- Whether or not this ban comes into effect, this is a good reminder that it’s never good to keep all your eggs in one basket, be it a platform ban, account hack, or deletion of a profile
- Not everyone is on every platform, the goal is to connect with your fans wherever they may be in the digital landscape
- Explore other modes of short-form content i.e. YouTube Shorts and IG Reels
- Have all your content saved, regardless of platform
- As previously mentioned, beyond a ban there are multiple instances in which your content may not be accessible. Always be sure to save your content off-platform as content insurance.
Short-form content is relevant across various platforms and should remain a focal point in your marketing strategy. This includes platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok. Our ultimate recommendation is to continue to meet your audience where they are. For now, we’ll still see you on TikTok!
