We’ve talked and talked about how the TikTok ban will affect content creators, but an article by the Associated Press (AP) asks another pertinent, yet overlooked question: what about small business owners?
According to the platform (via AP), more than seven million businesses use TikTok, with the app also reporting that, in 2023, small businesses on TikTok drove $15 billion in revenue.
How do small business owners feel?
In conversation with the AP, mobile mechanic Desiree Hill explained how her promotion on TikTok has made a huge impact on her business.
“Every day, I get at least two to three customers that have seen me on TikTok, watched my videos, and wanted to become a customer,” she explained.
Hill then went on to add that she was concerned that there would be “no preparation” if there ended up being a TikTok ban. “It holds such a significant place in regards to my customer base and how I reach customers that if I lose TikTok, I will lose a large part of my business, or I will lose my ability to grow anymore,” she added.
Ultimately, TikTok predicts (via AP) that the app’s banning could cause small businesses to lose $1 billion in revenue — and clearly, the solution isn’t as simple as migrating to a different platform.
