As national ban looms, 45% admit app likely spies on users–but 75% still plan to increase spend in the coming year

As a potential TikTok ban looms over the U.S., brands are anxious to see how limitations will impact their marketing strategy, yet many remain steadfast in their investment on the app. Capterra's latest survey of over 300 marketers at businesses in the U.S. that use TikTok for marketing or advertising initiatives reveals that 3 in 4 expect to increase spending on TikTok in the next 12 months despite security and brand safety concerns.

Marketers acknowledge there are drawbacks and ambiguity surrounding TikTok:

• 60% agree that concerns over TikTok's data privacy and national security are justified.
• 47% agree that TikTok’s algorithm is not transparent.
• 45% believe that TikTok spies on U.S. users.
• 31% rate brand safety concerns as a top challenge of using TikTok.

Despite these concerns and heightened scrutiny from legislative bodies, most marketers believe a national ban is unlikely:

• 56% say it is highly or somewhat unlikely that the federal government will ban or prevent TikTok from operating in the U.S.
• 52% believe it is highly or somewhat unlikely that their state or local government will ban or prevent TikTok from operating.
• 87% believe that TikTok is a viable platform for long-term marketing strategies.

A national TikTok ban would undoubtedly impact business. Marketers say they’d diversify their digital marketing strategy if a ban was enforced:

• 82% believe that a TikTok ban would have a moderate to significant impact on achieving their company’s social media marketing or advertising objectives.
• 70% think their company should expand their presence in other digital media channels excluding social media (e.g., email, video, etc.) if TikTok were to be banned.
• Facebook (80%) and YouTube (79%) are rated as the most popular social media platforms marketers say they’d use as alternate platforms.

The app’s future in the U.S. and potential implications for marketers are expected to come to light following the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee congressional hearing set for Thursday, March 23, 2023.

Visit Capterra.com to gather more insights about the latest marketing and technology trends.

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