Here’s a guide for what marketers can do now with the back-and-forth of TikTok

But for marketers, this limbo doesn’t mean their prep work was for nothing. While the immediate storm may have passed, the effort was far from wasted — it’s just on pause. If anything, the real takeaway here is to embrace uncertainty: preparation isn’t optional, it’s essential. Plan for the worst-case scenario, but an eye out for the best.

The lesson: use the time wisely; prepare for the worst, hope for the best. 

Here’s how. 

First, catch up

Sunday (Jan. 19) was D-day for TikTok, and the official date of the U.S. ban. Here’s how it played out:

The Supreme Court upheld the law last Friday, Jan. 17, which banned TikTok outright from the U.S. unless it divests to a U.S. entity. However, during the platform’s final oral arguments session in front of the Supreme Court on Jan. 10, TikTok’s lawyer, Noel J. Francisco said that if the Supreme Court did not vote in favor of what TikTok wanted, the app would go dark on Jan. 19, regardless.

The night before the ban was to take effect, the app flickered a message to U.S. users who tried to log in that the app was working with Trump to restore service. On Sunday, Trump vowed to issue an executive order to retain the app.

OK, so what would TikTok going dark actually mean?

If TikTok was just abiding by the law, then from Jan. 19, TikTok would no longer be available to download from any app store in the U.S. from this date onwards. TikTok going dark, however, goes a step further. It means no U.S. user can use the app anymore, and no new users can join it. It’s finito, shut off completely. On Sunday, service had been restored to U.S. orders though the app had been removed from app stores for new downloads.

Right. So should marketers be in panic mode?

Well, the likelihood is, this isn’t any marketer’s first rodeo. Whether you think back to the Facebook boycott in 2020, Twitter’s mass exodus of advertisers in 2022, or even the fact that this threat of a U.S. TikTok ban has lingered for the last six years. By now, marketers are well versed in making contingency plans, remaining nimble, and pivoting platforms when necessary.

Andrew Fingerman, CEO of digital asset management and content distribution business PhotoShelter, summed it up. He pointed out, the TikTok ban is a wake up call for marketers to take a hard look at where their strategies are too dependent on any single platform.

“This is a moment not just for contingency planning, but for rethinking how to approach audience engagement,” he said. “This is also a big reminder that marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Build systems and processes that allow for flexibility, so you’re not just reacting to the current situation but are prepared for the next curveball. The key is creating marketing strategies that can adapt and flow as consumer behaviors evolve.”

Sure. So what should marketers be doing?

Some marketers like Margot Dukes Eddy, partner and head of social at Acadia, have already been planning for TikTok to go dark and are subsequently backing up campaign data, reports, videos and audience demographic information ahead of the Jan. 19 deadline.

“I think back to 12 a.m. before the world shut down over Covid and I was changing every clients’ social strategy overnight so when the world woke up we’d be saying the right thing,” she said. “This [TikTok ban] is actually much better. We have time to prepare and plan for the worst and all of the tools at our disposal.”

Bottom line: it’s time to put those hypothetical contingency plans into action if marketers haven’t already done so. After all, it was reported last week that with TikTok’s plan to go dark, the platform would automatically pause ad spend from Jan. 19, unless it got a last minute lifeline. 

Though for marketers who had been offered a refund option for upfront 2025 deals made already, it might be wise to see what options are available to them if that cash has already been committed. And while it was reported that TikTok’s U.S. employees are “safe” at least for the time being, it is no longer clear if they have the ability behind the scenes to support advertisers with any questions, queries or concerns.

What should marketers consider now?

The first few days will likely feel uncertain but will reveal a lot, including where the TikTok crowds are flocking in its absence. 

While many marketers have suggested Meta and YouTube in particular will be hot contenders to win those TikTok dollars, Fingerman advises marketers not to ignore smaller platforms or niche communities. 

“Use social tracking tools to stay nimble and be ready to test content in new spaces quickly,” he said.

For now, it’s all about patience and preparation. Wait. Watch. Wonder.

“All we can do right now is contingency plan, scenario plan, and understand and examine the role that Tiktok plays in our overall media mix and and then seek out and identify alternatives [platforms],” said Erich Parker, svp of integrated media at Chicago-based agency Blue Chip.

What should marketers consider if President Trump can somehow offer TikTok a 60 / 90 / 270-day extension?

An extension of that size might feel like a lifeline, but in reality, it’s just kicking the can down the road. Unless the U.S. ban is overturned or ByteDance miraculously agrees to sell TikTok in a U.S. entity, marketers must decide: stay the course as they did in 2024 or treat this extension as a grace period to prepare for the inevitable. 

Eddy’s team offers a smart blueprint: They’ve already started their blackout plan but are using the extra time to fine-tune their strategy. 

“We’re inviting our followers to follow us on Instagram and YouTube,” she said. “We’re now posting at a much lower cadence, keeping ad spend in (watch what the numbers say) and doing  a lot more proactive community management to learn where our followers/influential people are going.” 

But even with an extension, the landscape remains uncertain. As Parker explained, the deal could accelerate a natural shift away from TikTok. He added: “You could have consumers who have decided that this is a foregone conclusion, the ban is just going to happen later on now, and figure they might as well start exploring their other options.”

Which is to say, an extension isn’t a chance to coast — it’s a window to act. Marketers should continue running TikTok campaigns while testing new platforms, refining their contingency plans and preparing for a post-TikTok reality. Think of it as a December and January on repeat — strategic, proactive and focused on the next move.

OK, but what if TikTok goes dark because the ban happens, but the bill is overturned with the new presidential administration or TikTok has a U.S. buyer? Or Trump follows through with his executive order?

While not the first outcome, any of these scenarios is still possible, however big (or small) the chances are. As Eddy noted, this scenario is still so unclear, with so many caveats and moving parts, her team is still going to implement the plan they have for a straightforward 60 / 90 / 270-day extension, as the situation stands.