TikTok is the current darling of social media. Engagement rates are 15% higher than on other platforms, and a successful TikTok presence actually sells. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There have been rumblings for a while now about TikTok’s ownership and its potential status as spyware. Of course, that hasn’t stopped the platform from massive growth – at last report the platform had 750 million users.
But TikTok’s future in the US is in question. US lawmakers are targeting the app as a potential cybersecurity threat, and have begun a slow-moving ban on everyone’s favorite short-form video platform. Basically, at this stage nothing will change unless you’re in the military or a fed worker – it’s now banned from devices issued by the US military and federal agencies (and a few state ones, too).
So what’s the play here, you’re asking. Do I need to jump ship before the platform gets raided and shut down?
I personally think that the ban isn’t going to go anywhere – the platform is pretty mature, with a ton of reach and uptake, and there’s nothing quite like it out there right now. But it is a good reminder of the following:
Diversify your outreach!
Don’t go putting all your eggs in one basket. We’ve seen with Twitter how quickly things can change in social media land, and the potential for a major overnight shift is there with TikTok as well. Make sure you’re building your following across platforms – especially on those you actually own (ahem, newsletter!!) And totally create content you can repurpose for other platforms if needed.
Connect those digital dots!
Yep, TikTok has killer engagement and is great for conversions. But your goal isn’t to be a TikTok star (probably.) It’s to funnel people from TikTok and your other social channels to your mailing lists, landing pages and contact forms. Those are the key metrics you should be chasing (more on that here.) Because the US government ain’t gonna shut down your mailing list overnight, friends!
Mind your Ps and Qs!
The big concern with TikTok is privacy (and also influence.) But we need to be mindful of privacy – and hackability – across the whole internet. Check your device settings to see what permissions you’re sharing, update passwords and admin accounts, and be mindful what info you’re putting out there. The flipside applies, too: if you’re gathering data from potential clients or customers, do it securely! This is ESPECIALLY true if you’re dealing with EU or California residents, because you don’t want to fall afoul of their data privacy laws!
Late to TikTok and need some help getting up to speed? A TikTok pro looking to shore up your engagement-to-conversion pipeline? I got you. Sign up for Content in a Snap – and take the guesswork out of your social media strategy!