How Uncertainty Around TikTok Affects Business and Customer Experience

In our latest update, TikTok has made its return to the United States after a brief shutdown on Saturday night due to a federal law ban. However, despite the platform's restoration, it is still unavailable for download from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The message displayed reads, "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now." The statement also suggests that this absence may be temporary. TikTok credits President elect Donald Trump for suggesting that "he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office," urging users to "stay tuned."

As of January 21, 2025, and according to Forbes, “After signing the executive order Trump told reporters he believes the U.S. is entitled to get 50% of TikTok and warned China against trying to block any deal made by him saying he would consider that an act of “hostility” and “put tariffs of 25, 30, 50%, even 100%.”

However, the current uncertainty surrounding TikTok's availability in the U.S. is shaking up the digital marketing landscape. If the platform were to face further bans or restrictions, businesses would likely experience significant disruptions in their ability to engage with younger audience particularly Generation Z, who form a large portion of TikTok’s user base. Gen Z has become a key demographic for ecommerce brands, and TikTok has been one of the primary channels to connect with them in an organic, relatable way.

Without access to TikTok, companies would need to reallocate marketing budgets and potentially increase investment in other platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or emerging alternatives like BeReal or Threads. While these platforms have established ad models, they don’t offer the same type of viral, community driven content that TikTok does. Businesses may face higher costs to achieve the same levels of engagement and organic reach, especially when trying to replicate TikTok’s ability to generate authentic interactions at scale.

Moreover, TikTok’s loss as a direct sales tool through In-App purchases, shoppable ads, and live streams could severely impact businesses that rely on this feature to drive conversions. TikTok’s “Shop Now” buttons and product links have provided a seamless shopping experience, empowering brands to sell products directly to users without needing to redirect them to an external website. The absence of these features would force companies to adapt their sales strategies, potentially reducing the convenience for customers and lowering the overall conversion rate.

The uncertainty also affects customer experience. TikTok’s real time feedback loop allows businesses to quickly understand how their content resonates with audiences, giving them the ability to pivot quickly and refine their strategies. The loss of this instant communication channel could result in slower customer responses and less dynamic marketing campaigns.

In summary, for businesses that rely heavily on TikTok for customer engagement, the situation may force them to prioritize more traditional forms of advertising or invest more resources into content creation for other platforms. This could limit creativity and authenticity in the brand /consumer relationship, as many brands may feel pressured to create content that fits the conventional formats of other social media platforms.

Follow us for more news or subscribe to our newsletter and digital updates