TikTok 'Ban' Bill Signed into Law: What It Means for Buffer and How Creators & Marketers Can Prepare
TikTok's parent company must divest the app or face a ban in the U.S. Here's everything we know, plus how to plan ahead.
Head of Communications & Content @ Buffer
If you work in social media, it’s nothing new to adapt and change your strategy based on the ever-changing algorithms and the rise and fall of social networks. (Who else was on Vine? 🙋🏻♀️) But, of course, we wish you didn’t have to.
The latest wave for social media marketers and creators is that TikTok may be banned in the U.S., if the app's Chinese parent company, ByteDance fails to divest by 2025.
On April 24th, 2024, President Joe Biden signed the bill that would ban TikTok if ByteDance fails to sell within nine months (though the president could extend this deadline by another 90 days).
In turn, TikTok promised in a statement (and a TikTok) that they plan to challenge the law in the courts. Under other circumstances, this could delay a potential ban for many more months — though with the U.S. government dubbing this a national security issue, it might speed up legal actions considerably.
@tiktok Response to TikTok Ban Bill
♬ original sound - TikTok
Suffice it to say: it's anyone's guess how soon we'll know if a TikTok ban is actually happening and when.
The short-form video app has become one of the most widely used social media platforms and is credited with impacting trends and cultural shifts.
However, there has been an ongoing battle in the U.S. over privacy concerns for the Chinese-owned company. Now, TikTok’s parent company must sell or face being banned in the United States.
TikTok is a beloved platform by creators and users because anyone can go viral and build an audience without tons of initial followers, unlike other social networks. As of late, most companies have a TikTok strategy, and there is no shortage of examples of TikTok assisting with business growth or skyrocketing someone into a full-time creator.
At Buffer, many folks in our community take advantage of our TikTok scheduling in their social media strategies. So, what would it mean if TikTok were banned in the US, and how can social media marketers prepare? We’ll attempt to answer these questions below.
What does the potential TikTok ban mean for Buffer users in the U.S.?
If ByteDance does not divest TikTok, does it mean the app will immediately disappear from U.S. devices when the deadline rolls around? Probably not — but it will disappear from iOS and Android app stores, meaning no U.S. users will be able to download updates — eventually rendering the app unusable.
There are many unknowns about what it would mean for TikTok to be banned in the U.S., so we’re not entirely sure what it would mean for Buffer, either.
There is no precedent for the U.S. banning an app outright. What will happen to U.S.-based Buffer users’ connected TikTok accounts will depend on any action the U.S. government or TikTok takes. We will keep this blog post updated as we learn more.
How can marketers and creators prepare for a TikTok ban?
There are still many unknowns, but preparing in advance certainly won't hurt. Here are a few steps you can take to start preparing in case TikTok does get banned.
1. Download all your TikTok videos
Regardless of whether or not TikTok is banned, it’s a good idea to back up your content, as you don’t want to lose all of the great videos you’ve created so far. If you used Buffer to post your content to TikTok, then you will have access to all of your content in the Sent Posts tab.
If you want to go the extra step, you can save your videos to your phone's camera roll or upload them to a cloud storage service like Dropbox.
How to download your TikTok videos:
- Click on the video you want to download
- Click on the three dots in the bottom right corner
- Click "Save video"
You’ll see a confirmation that your video is downloading and when it is finished being saved.
Downloading videos also means that you have access to them if you want to repost them to other social channels — a smart social media strategy that we recommend.
2. Tell your audience where else to find you
If TikTok is where you have a majority of your audience, you’ll want to tell them where else they can find you if you or they lose access to the app. Make sure that you’ve shared the top other social networks and owned channels, like your website, link in bio, and newsletter, so they can keep in touch.
Here’s an example from UnderTheDeskNews, who talk about the potential TikTok ban and point their audience to their podcast.
@underthedesknews #tiktok #tiktokban #biden #socialmedia #breakingnews ♬ original sound - UnderTheDeskNews
3. Update your link in bio
Update the link in your bio on your TikTok profile to be an evergreen link. If TikTok is banned, there’s a chance you won’t be able to update this link, but international viewers might still be able to see it and click through, so make sure that’s a link you can leave up on your TikTok account.
We recommend using Start Page as a quick and free link-in-bio tool that you can keep updated.
4. Evolve your social media marketing strategy
If TikTok is part of your overall social media marketing strategy, you’ll need to start making changes if you or your audience can no longer access the app — and there's no better time to start than right now.
The good news is that you've already done most of the work if you've been consistently creating video content for TikTok — our data shows that video is far and away the best type of content on all social media platforms for reach and engagement.
Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are the most similar to TikTok, and Facebook Reels is also a promising channel to explore. LinkedIn, too, is expanding its video features, so you may want to look there as well if it makes sense for your target audience.
TikTok potentially being banned is also an unfriendly reminder of the importance of growing an audience on the platforms and services you have more control over. It’s a good time to keep your website up to date, get set up with a link-in-bio tool, and ensure you’re leveraging your newsletter to its fullest potential.
This situation is still in flux, and we don't know what the outcome will be. For now, the best thing to do is stay informed and prepare for potential changes. We’ll keep this blog post updated as we learn more.
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