A TikTok ban challenges e-commerce brands that rely on the platform. Discover how to diversify ad spend, embrace first-party channels, and drive sustainable growth.
Social media platforms are staples in digital advertising and can be great brand awareness and product discovery channels. But TikTok changed the game. The social platform’s algorithm heavily promoted viral content and allowed brands to achieve substantial reach with audiences. Becoming too big for companies to ignore, they soon began throwing ad dollars into the platform and heavily relying on it for sales growth.
But as they say, all good things must come to an end. The on-again, off-again TikTok ban poses significant challenges for ecommerce brands that have relied on it to drive awareness and sales. Whether the ban goes into effect or a new buyer emerges to save the day, ecommerce brands have already been affected, and one thing has become clear: to maintain profitability and growth, businesses need to reassess their relationships with third-party platforms.
Implications of a TikTok ban and what brands can do
Businesses that have invested heavily in building a presence on the platform face the challenge of losing a primary channel for customer engagement and acquisition. Even without enforcement, a TikTok ban will send brands looking for alternatives and planning for the “what if.” As brands scramble to capture the attention of displaced TikTok users, this could lead to increased competition and higher advertising costs on alternative platforms.
Here are two ways brands can put themselves in a position to grow and withstand the impact of a ban.
Evaluate ad spend
Most brands are likely already doing this, but they must evaluate where they spend their ad dollars and how reliant they are on those channels. If they require TikTok to generate new business, they’ll need to find a replacement that maintains the same level of performance. If not, then what?
Ultimately, brands must determine whether to shift those dollars to other social platforms, continue advertising on TikTok—assuming users will use VPNs to access it—increase ad spending on marketplaces like Amazon, or utilize other digital channels.
A recent report by Omnisend examined the correlation between top-selling Amazon products and their virality on TikTok. Many best-selling items across multiple categories also had high virality and reach, suggesting that consumers turned to marketplaces after being persuaded by TikTok. Knowing this behavior, brands could monitor social networks, including TikTok, for viral products and increase ad spend on Amazon to capture searches for similar products.
Also Read: 2025 Ad Trends: AI, Regulation, and Social Media Shifts
Emphasize first-party channels
Brands that want long-term sustainable growth and communication with their customers should prioritize first-party marketing channels, including email and SMS. Unlike third-party channels, which are susceptible to bans, algorithm changes, or any other factor outside of brands’ control, first-party channels don’t face similar pitfalls.
With first-party channels, consumers willingly sign up to receive brands’ messages. In other words, consumers want them. This is why email open and click-to-conversion rates increased in 2024, and brands see an average ROI of 68:1 with email marketing. Bans and algorithm changes don’t affect that, only the individuals do.
Brands should actively focus on growing their lists to emphasize email and SMS marketing channels more. And yes, they can do this in concert with paid advertising. For example, a list-growth website popup for web visitors will help maximize the value of every user who comes to your store, including those from social media platforms.
After the signup, they can utilize behavior-based automated workflows, such as welcome, browse abandonment, and cart abandonment messages, to ensure they send relevant messages to consumers at the highest-intent stages of their shopping journeys. Automated messages generate 37% of email marketing orders from only 2% of sends. Sending these messages ensures every web visitor can be retargeted with high-converting messages at less cost.
First-party channels are not a magic elixir, nor are they the only channels you’ll need, but their consistent year-over-year performance makes them an essential part of growth for ecommerce brands. Ignore it now or risk being ignored later.
From TikTok to the next big thing
While the potential TikTok ban presents challenges for ecommerce brands, it serves as a reminder of the importance of diversifying marketing efforts. Even if TikTok is saved by Microsoft, Mr. Beast, or another buyer, it will still be a platform with regulations and algorithms outside brands’ control. Putting growth in someone else’s hands leaves companies vulnerable.
By investing more heavily in first-party channels like email marketing, brands can maintain direct communication with their customers and insulate themselves from unforeseen market conditions. Remember, just because a social media platform goes away doesn’t mean the customers do. They’re out there. How you continue to communicate with them is up to you.
