TikTok ban threatens local businesses’ marketing strategies | Homepage

TikTok ban threatens local businesses’ marketing strategies | Homepage

The Supreme Court has ruled that TikTok will be banned in the U.S. if its China-based owner, ByteDance, doesn’t sell its U.S. operation by January 19. This decision will affect 170 million users, including local businesses that rely on the platform for marketing.

Shawn Idom, owner of Hair Science Barber Shop and Barber School, says that TikTok has played a significant role in client acquisition, particularly for his business. He added that the TikTok algorithm has been effective in targeting local customers.

“In the beginning, I bootstrapped everything, I didn’t even have a website. My business cards had Facebook on them,” said Idom. “So social media has always been a thing that has played a part in our marketing. How we get to the people, how we tell them about not only the things that we’re doing on the business side, but also outreach.”

Idom opened his barber shop in 2008, fueled by his passion for the profession. What began as a simple barber shop evolved into a school to help young barbers find their footing. Idom says that social media has always played a part in his business marketing and has helped him effectively reach people, just like it helped Tracey Parrish, owner of APIA Insurance in Anchorage, expand from Alaska to over twenty other states. Parrish has used the platform not only to reach people across the country but also as an affordable way to advertise and make a little extra change on the side.

“It’s allowed me to do a lot of marketing at zero cost,” said Parrish. “And, to where I was able to make a little bit of money, and now that it’s gone, it’s going to make a huge difference.”

According to a LinkedIn survey, 71% of small businesses use social media for marketing and 52% post at least daily. While the loss of TikTok is not ideal, local business owners Parrish and Idom are determined to adapt.

“When I started to grow my business and grow into other states, TikTok was not part of the formula. So I’ll be just fine. I always have a plan B, C, D, and E, and I can go all the way to Z if I have to,” Parrish said.

Idom shared a similar sentiment, saying that you know better than putting all your eggs into one basket as an entrepreneur.

“You always have to be willing to pivot. And that’s just entrepreneurship in a nutshell. So we’ll survive. We’ll be okay,” said Idom.

While both remain steadfast in their commitment to ensuring their businesses continue to grow and move forward, Idom says he still has a little hope that something will happen to secure the app before the deadline.

“I’m hoping in the ninth inning, they come down and hold off on this whole ban thing,” said Idom.

Parrish is also hopeful that something will change, not just for her business but also for the people who will lose their jobs—not just TikTok employees but also the content creators who use the platform to help build their brands.

“This is going to be very difficult because the creativity that it allows and that it promotes and encourages is phenomenal,” said Parrish.

A sale of TikTok’s U.S. operation isn’t imminent. While the app will remain on existing users’ phones, new users won’t be able to download it, and updates won’t be available once the law takes effect on Sunday.

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