The possible end of TikTok from Sunday in the United States worries the American music industry, which has become addicted to a social network so effective in launching hits.
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In just a few years, the Chinese short vertical video platform has established itself as a vital tool for discovering new artists and carrying out promotional campaigns.
The potential shutdown of TikTok has fueled a feeling of “marketing apocalypse,” warns Tatiana Cirisano, music industry specialist for MIDiA Research. “TikTok was a rallying space where popularity could really turn into a hit,” she adds.
Citing risks of espionage from Beijing, the American Congress gave TikTok’s parent company, the Chinese group ByteDance, until Sunday to sell its jewel if it does not want to see the application banned in the United States.
The law plans to force internet providers and app stores to prevent TikTok from being downloaded after the deadline.
«TikTok march si bien»
In this climate of uncertainty and faced with the fear of a total blockage, creators are rushing to download their videos published on the platform so as not to lose them.
Because, unlike Instagram where the image is central, on TikTok, discoveries are made primarily around sound, recalls Sarah Flanagan, marketing manager in the music industry. “That explains a lot about why TikTok works so well for music,” she explains.
In the event of a black screen on Sunday or Monday, the industry asks itself the question of alternatives. YouTube’s “Shorts” and Instagram’s “Reels”, which operate so closely to TikTok, are the first to be mentioned.
But the latter are different, points out Jahan Karimaghayi of the marketing firm Benchmob. “Instagram is like an art gallery, where you show content to those who follow you. With TikTok, you create content for users who don’t follow you,” he emphasizes.
The success of TikTok comes from its recommendation algorithm, which shows you publications that you might like, without you already following the author.
-Conversely, YouTube’s “Shorts” could work better because the historic video sharing platform has already been used for a long time “like a jukebox”, believes Jahan Karimaghayi.
The Chinese application Xiaohongshu, also called RedNote in English, appears as an alternative and placed itself at the top of downloads on the AppStore on Thursday.
“Pressure to be viral”
A big “phew” of relief, this is also what a – very possible – closure of TikTok could cause. Because some artists experience “the pressure to create content, the pressure to be viral,” says Tatiana Cirisano.
With the explosion of short videos, “artists suddenly had the obligation to create their own format,” rather than working with an entire team, explains Sarah Flanagan.
“No one told them what to do, how to appear cool,” she confirms.
But, TikTok or not, we will have to continue producing for other social networks. They are the ones who lead people to listen to music, “whereas before it was the opposite,” underlines Tatiana Cirisano.
And, since the ban only concerns the United States, marketing strategies will not be affected in other countries around the world. However, some artists could have more difficulty reaching the huge American market if TikTok is shut down.
But “change is sometimes a good thing,” says Sarah Flanagan. According to this marketing manager, “it was very limited in terms of creativity when everyone just wanted to release songs on TikTok”.
The music industry will be able to adapt, Jahan Karimaghayi also hopes: “We have always been at the forefront of technology.”
“It will shake up for a little while,” if TikTok is banned, the consultant predicts, “but people will continue to use the internet.”
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