'more Than Marketing Tools': Some Business Owners Are Worried About The Possible Tiktok Ban

As TikTok attempts to region a fast-approaching deadline that forces it to abstracted from its Beijing-based genitor institution ByteDance aliases look a prohibition successful nan United States, mini business owners are starting to spread for nan worst. The Supreme Court listened to arguments connected Friday and is expected to norm connected nan suit by nan extremity of adjacent week.

In nan meantime, creators are building email lists, joining different societal platforms, and starting newsletters.

Lizz Smoak, co-founder of branding and trading agency, Maiden Media, and a mentor and chairwoman for unpaid business mentor connection SCORE said nan prohibition is astir overmuch than nan app.

Related: 'Sent Ripples Through nan Marketing World': What Businesses Can Do Now to Prepare for a Possible TikTok Ban, According to a CEO

"It's astir nan businesses and creators that spot connected it," Smoak told Entrepreneur. "I've seen really captious platforms for illustration TikTok are for entrepreneurs. They're overmuch than trading tools; they're lifelines for businesses."

Creators who protested extracurricular nan Supreme Court Friday successful Washington said nan same. Andrea Celeste Olde, a TikTok contented creator, told nan New York Times that nan level helped her motorboat her business aft being a stay-at-home mom for 10 years.

"TikTok is wherever I created my community," she told nan publication. "I personification made friendships. I personification business partners. That's really we connect."

Smoak says that TikTok's algorithm makes it 1 of nan only platforms wherever mini business owners and emerging entrepreneurs tin spell viral without spending a luck pushing their content, and a prohibition would propulsion "thousands of businesses disconnected track."

In December, TikTok warned successful a tribunal filing that if nan prohibition goes through, creators and mini businesses successful nan U.S. could suffer $1.3 cardinal successful gross and earnings—in 1 month.

Related: Looming TikTok Ban Has Creators Questioning How Much of Their Business They Really Control

Still, a Statista survey, conducted from April to May 2023 among U.S. TikTok users recovered that 73% of respondents thought TikTok was addictive and 27% said they knowledgeable antagonistic intelligence wellness effects because of nan app.

"A prohibition could beryllium a wake-up telephone for healthier online habits," Smoak stated.

The laminitis and CEO of handwritten notes activity Handwrytten, David Wachs, told Entrepreneur past week that brands should fortify nan statement they personification grown connected TikTok by hosting virtual events for illustration webinars, unrecorded Q&A sessions, and virtual merchandise launches that beforehand real-time interaction.

"The imaginable prohibition of TikTok has sent ripples done nan trading world, urging brands to rethink their strategies," Wachs said. "While it whitethorn look for illustration a setback, this displacement opens up a valuable opportunity for brands to heighten nonstop engagement pinch their audience."

Related: Is Kevin O'Leary Buying TikTok? 'Shark Tank' Star Teams Up With Frank McCourt for 'People's' Bid

Other experts propose reaching retired to ample brands pinch influencer trading programs, for illustration Walmart and Amazon, to diversify your contented and options.