Before TikTok, there was Triller, but are we prepared for a Social Media Ban?
Saffron Edge
Aug 25, 2020
10 min read


Source- Unsplash
Social media has become an imperative aspect of everyone’s life, it plays a huge part in our personal as well as professional relationships. It is changing everything from how we do business to the way society functions at a breakneck speed. Let’s discuss a few ways it’s changing our world-An imperative aspect of any marketing campaign
Businesses around the globe are adopting the use of social media campaigns to create brand awareness and engage with their customers. According to SocialPubli Influencer Marketing Report, 93% of the marketers use social media influencers and 54% of marketers are willing to spend over $250,000 on influencer marketing. It has become customary for brands to update their social media handles regularly and some are even resorting to using it as a platform for new announcements. Especially during the pandemic, brands have thought of social media marketing (SMM) as a rescuer in promoting their products. Brands are moving out of their formal bounds and are actively engaging in social media banter. Taco Bell has been famously responsive on twitter since early on in this decade. One of their replies in response to Old Spice tweeting “ Why is that “fire sauce” isn’t made with any real fire? Seems like false advertising” is one example of how humorous and engaging social media handles of brands can be. Taco Bell made their comeback with “OldSpice is your deodorant made with really old spices?”.Civic participation
Social media has also allowed citizens to source ideas, plan and initiate movements significant for the betterment of the world. One spectacular example of this is the ‘Black Lives Matter’ Movement which took the US by a storm with people amidst a pandemic coming together to advocate a cause. Social media was flooded with responses from all over the country from celebrities to influencers to brands, educating the masses about the social disparities black people are continuously subjected to. Social media also serves as a platform for people to voice their opinions in response to the actions of governments and leaders. It has increased political engagement to the extent that 38% of social media users promote posts related to politics or social issues as per the Social Media and Political Engagement survey.Disaster management
Who would have thought people would be able to contribute to disaster reliefs from one corner of the world to another? Social media has made it so easy that you can do in just a few clicks. With social media platforms offering numerous options like Facebook’s Safety Check and CrisisMappers Network, it has become easier for people around the globe to help each other out in times of need. Influencers and brands play a key role in motivating the masses to help out with actively engaging in relief programs. Social media has effectively empowered people in ways one could not have fathomed, we are given the power to raise our voice and contribute towards the change.
Source- Unsplash
Now, what will happen if one of these social media platforms is banned in your country? How will the audience recuperate? What should be the next strategy for active users? Let’s walk you through the scenario should any such thing happen.Reasons for the ban
- If our past is any indication then there could be numerous reasons leading up to a social media block. We have witnessed otherwise liberal countries banning the use of a platform for a limited period of time owing to increasing agitation or spread of misinformation among the masses to a complete ban on all global networking sites. In 2011, Bay Area Rapid Transit Police shut down the cell phone service including mobile internet for 3 hours in San Francisco to suppress possible protests erupting against two BART officers who killed Charles Hill. This was soon picked up by international media and resulted in the FCC issuing an Enforcement Advisory banning the use of jammers in the country.
- Another significant reason for the social media block is data and privacy concerns. TikTok has recently come under fire of such allegations, wherein it is suspected that the Chinese government is stealing information and valuable data from the US audience. This has led to Mr. Trump signing an executive order giving TikTok 45 days to find a buyer in the US or it will be banned. It is a very popular app amongst the masses especially millennials and GenZs. TikTok as per its privacy policy collects data including IP address, browsing history, location, and content preference. They have claimed to have no ties to the Chinese government in accordance with sharing information but according to China’s National Intelligence Law of 2017, it is mandatory for any Chinese company to share their information with the government. We are yet to see what becomes of the mass adored app.
Solutions
Social media apps like TikTok have a mass appeal and serve as a creative base for its numerous users. It has also been a platform for advocating political and social issues for millions of them. Big time influencers of the app are now migrating to other apps and appealing their followers in doing the same. It can be very hard and stressful for active users to leave behind their communities and start afresh elsewhere, but one can ease their transition by following these simple steps. And, let’s not forget there is still hope for the lip-syncing app as Microsoft and Twitter have placed their bids already.- Check for alternative platforms- The beauty of the internet is that there are hundreds and thousands of platforms available to the masses, what you need to do is find one that aligns with your goals and needs. In the case of TikTok one can look for other lip-syncing apps like Byte which is basically Vine 2.0 by Twitter, explore the option of Reels introduced by Facebook for Instagram or opt for Triller. Reels has been providing users of TikTok solace since its ban in India, which had the highest number of active users overseas.
- Start building your presence and community on the new platform- By engaging your audience in content similar to your initial platform, you can retain your existing followers and it can help you in amassing more. Users are content-hungry and feeding them with relevant content will help you go a long way. For instance, a lot of TikTokers are now actively urging their followers to migrate with them to other platforms like Bryce Hall has shifted his content to Youtube, Jessica Wang has started using Reels to re-upload her TikTok videos and make more of similar content, and Noah Beck has moved to Triller. Effective community management can contribute significantly in the long-run and will instill trust and faith in your followers.
- Cue in for the migration status of people you follow- You can also look for inspiration from the people you follow and check for the new platform they are using. Moving from one platform to another can be a huge undertaking and mixing up your content to fit the social environment of the new platform can also help you in gaining followers and ease your transition. Many of the famous TikTokers are also using Snapchat to communicate with their audience and making the best of Snapchat’s Discover option.
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