Recently we talked about the potential TikTok ban. We focused on what it means for Clapper, but we were left wondering what a post-TikTok social media space would look like. The platform only blew up a few years ago, but it’s already impossible to imagine a world without. And, while we might not have a cyrstal ball or a way to directly see the future, we have an idea of what that world might look like…

Here are five things to expect if a TikTok ban goes through.

A Rise of Alternatives 📈

We’ve already seen this in the conversations about where creators are going to start posting if the ban goes through. Social media will see a rise in TikTok alternatives, including some new alternatives developed to fill the sudden gap for creators. Those of us on TikTok during the 2023 trial will remember the rise of Lemon8, another lifestyle app focused on photos and videos. Creators will be looking for a place where they feel their content resonates, and where they feel they fit with the community.

Clapper is one of these alternatives, but we’ve been around since 2020! Our founder noticed that there was a lack of short-video apps specifically for adults. Clapper was developed to give creators 17+ a place to build communities, create content, and monetize. As we wait for a TikTok ban, we’ll see a surge of similar apps attempting to fill in the space left.

Innovation 🤓

As apps rush to fill in the space left by a TikTok ban, they’ll be trying to fit as many features as they can into their app. Right now TikTok is home to an expansive community of video creators, livestream hosts, shop owners, and more. Some apps will have to develop replacements for this, but we’ll see others, like Instagram, Clapper, and Facebook, innovating.

Apps that have been around for a while and already compete with TikTok will start releasing cutting-edge features. They’ll be working to create exciting new tools and catch the attention of potential users. And while they’re pushing the social media envelope, other platforms will catch on and develop their own version of the groundbreaking features. Creators on all platforms at all levels will benefit from this innovation!

A Community Shift 👯‍♀️

This doesn’t just mean a big jump to a new app. TikTok is its own huge community, made up of a variety of smaller niches. But there are times when you really can’t tell: the average viewer gets snippets of content from all across the app. Most people’s FYPs will dip in and out of communities, or may not even be in one specific niche. One of the biggest changes following a TikTok ban will be that kind of engagement.

Everyone from TikTok will be shuffling around, trying to find the alternative that works the best for them. We do think this will lead to some divergence (gamers may go here, fashion creators here, etc) but eventually, there will be one mega-app everyone uses. The appeal of TikTok is that users have a variety of communities at their fingertips and can connect with each other. We don’t see that going away.

Even in a TikTok-free world, we still see something like TikTok taking center stage. A place with a variety of communities connecting with each other. That’s a novelty we’ve gotten used to and won’t be going away.

Changes in Advertising 🧾

Let’s be honest, we’ve all bought something from TikTok. Whether you saw it on the TikTok shop (which came out at least a year after ours, if I may say!) or found it on your feed, you’ve seen something on your FYP you couldn’t live without. Small businesses will need to find a new way to reach their audience or potential buyers. We’ll likely also see platforms developing new ways for business owners to connect with their customers.

One thing we think sellers will miss is the algorithm. It led their content to creators with similar interests, and it was much easier for them to reach new customers. The shop feature also made selling easier; the viewer is hooked and can immediately go grab the item they love from the seller’s shop. In the immediate post-TikTok days, a lot of sellers will be looking for apps with similar features. And apps will be running to develop those features.

Impact on Content Creators 💥

TikTok is home to thousands, if not millions of content creators. Thousands of people make a living on TikTok and content creation in the US alone. If the ban goes through, there will be some kind of effect. We all hope it will be for the better, but we do have to brace ourselves for a negative backlash. Full-time creators could be without a place to post for a while, reducing or completely halting their income.

Will those creators find a new home? We think so! The full-time creators will do their research and find a new app to create on. It may not be the same as TikTok and their may be an adjustment period, but they will find a new platform. The creators who post for fun or just to be silly might not want to post elsewhere. There are a number of reasons for that, but the short of it is: they don’t want to post where people know them, and they may not find a community they like.

So, while we may not know what the impact will look like, we do know there will be one.

Our Clapper Predictions 🔮

Like we said up top, Clapper’s been around since 2020! Our equal opportunity algorithm means every creator’s video has the same chance to gain traction on the FYP. We had our Shop feature before TikTok or Instagram, so we know a thing or two about helping small businesses. And, since we already have hundreds of communities on the platform, we’ve already seen users leave TikTok to join our platform.

Which is exciting! We’re looking forward to welcoming new users to our platform and making them part of the Clapper fam. We know that, if the TikTok ban goes through, we’ll see an influx of creators joining Clapper to see if it’s the right fit for them. To learn more (and see if we might be the right platform for you) check out What is Clapper?