Though there are orbiting variables that could change the fate of TikTok in the coming days, the current reality is that its “divest or die” congressional act is in effect. As you’ve likely heard by now, it was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday, TikTok went dark on Saturday, followed by President Trump’s Sunday commitment to sign an executive order to delay enforcement of the ban.
As of this writing*, President Trump stated in a Truth Social post, “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect.” So while the app went back up, TikTok and all its users will need to continue to “stay tuned” to see what happens next.
Meanwhile, others are jumping on the opportunity. Meta was quick to act on Friday, adding several new features to Instagram Reels, meant to attract stranded TikTok die-hards. Meta no doubt had these features locked and loaded, pulling the trigger within minutes of the Friday Supreme Court Decision.
TikTok & the Local Landscape: A Conversation with Damian Rollison
Big TikTok Energy
All that aside, our ongoing question is how this will impact a sizable force for TikTok: SMB marketing. Will SMBs on the platform suffer from TikTok’s possible demise or simply channel their efforts elsewhere? Will Instagram and others fill the potential vacuum left by TikTok? How replaceable is it?
These are all open questions and we’ve been polling voices throughout the Localogyverse to weigh in. The latest is Chris Brownlee, VP of product at Yext. On the question of replaceability, he – like many others we’ve talked to – believes all that TikTok energy will be channeled to other social apps.
“If TikTok disappears, Gen Z won’t stop searching,” he told us outright. “They’ll simply look elsewhere.”
Beyond the overall replaceability sentiment, something else is evident in Browlee’s comment. His choice of words is important… particularly “searching.” As he points out to us, and as we’ve examined, TikTok has evolved – through both user behavior and active efforts – as a search engine in its own right.
“TikTok isn’t just a social platform, it’s become a powerful search engine,” specified Brownlee. “In 2023, 40 percent of Gen Z preferred TikTok and Instagram for online searches over Google.”
Forces Beyond TikTok
As for the vacuum we keep referring to, what will fill it? There are of course the usual suspects such as Meta – which is already taking action as noted. But there are several smaller players that will likewise jump on this moment. Altogether, it will be a land grab for a meaningful number of users.
“Apps like RedNote are reporting a surge in downloads, while many users are turning to Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Reddit, and review sites as alternative ways to find information,” said Brownlee. “Not forgetting the growing wave of AI-powered search, from Open AI’s SearchGPT to Google’s Gemini.
Focusing on that last part, the search world is already being upended by forces beyond TikTok. So ban or no ban, market share shifts are already underway. The key for marketers and SMBs is to be primed for all of these consumer touchpoints in terms of having their business details optimized and updated.
“What continues to be most crucial for brands is that wherever and however consumers ‘find’ them, the information on that platform is accurate,” said Brownlee. “It doesn’t matter which social platform wins out for Gen Z in a potential post-TikTok world, they are already looking in so many other avenues for their information. But marketers can turn this massive shift into an opportunity to innovate and benefit from ensuring their strategy doesn’t depend on one channel. Brands need to be able to capitalize and show up authoritatively across the channels of today, and tomorrow.”
*Editor’s note 2/21/25: The executive order referenced and anticipated in this article was activated later in the day on Monday, extending TikTok’s deadline to find a U.S. owner/acquirer by 75 days.
Header image credit: Obi – @pixel9propics on Unsplash
