TikTok is available to download on app stores again, about a month after President Donald Trump paused the legislation that banned it in January. But content creators and digital marketing strategists in Missouri are still adjusting to the uncertain future of an app that 170 million Americans use every day.
University of Missouri senior Xander Kerber is one of them. Throughout his time on campus, he's performed stand-up comedy at Mort’s, a restaurant in MU’s Student Center. When he graduates in May, he plans to go to New York to start a career in live performance.
But until then, TikTok has been a place for Kerber to develop his skills and build a following – around 200 thousand followers, to be exact.
He said his live shows don’t build audience the same way TikTok does.
“I love Missouri, but it's just — outside of the Internet, it's very difficult to find opportunities if that's the kind of thing you want to pursue," Kerber said. "So I've found social media to kind of be, in a way, like my saving grace.”
So, when TikTok’s ban briefly took effect in January, it devastated Kerber. Because he doesn’t live on the coasts, he feels TikTok levels the playing field — even in the middle of Missouri, someone can kickstart a career in entertainment.
“I was a little worried that that would go away and sort of this small thing I might be able to use to propel into something larger — in terms of a career in the industry — after graduation was no longer there.”
Connor Clary felt a similar sense of loss when the app was banned.
He graduated from MU a few years ago and recently moved to New Orleans. But while he still lived in Kansas City, he became a TikTok content creator and says earnings from his videos became about a third of his income. The amount varies — some months he makes $500 on the app, and in others, his videos net around $6,000.
“As unpredictable as it is, it's been my full-time job for the last year, and it's paid more than I made in my previous job," Clary said. "So it is a real job, right? It's not just like fun money on the side.”
Even though the TikTok is back — for now — digital marketing companies are advising their clients to diversify their platforms. Brad Stewart is the director of influencer marketing at Division-D, a Columbia digital media partner. He said even before the TikTok ban, he was preaching adaptability to his advertisers.
“We really just advise clients, 'Let's have a backup plan in place,'" Stewart said. "'Let's start considering where else you want to be, how else we can reach your audience for you, what other strategies make sense?'”
Sarah Gerrish is a senior director of influencer and creator marketing at Movers + Shakers, another digital media consultancy. Part of her job involves casting talent for her clients’ social media campaigns. She said even with the existence of other social media platforms, TikTok stands out because of how it compensates its users and the precision of its algorithm.
“At the end of the day, we're only going to be able to go to so many places, right?" Gerrish said. "So, if Gen Z is choosing between Instagram and Tiktok, they're still going to Tiktok over Instagram for the most part. So, it'll be interesting to see if there are new platforms that pop up.”
Clary has adapted, himself. In addition to posting on TikTok, he posts content on Instagram and YouTube, where he makes and sells pottery. But even with these other revenue streams, the political theater surrounding the ban frustrates him.
“And now the politicians are playing hot potato with it, because they realize that it's unpopular and no one wants to be the one to ban it, but someone's going to have to, because the legislation still exists," Clary said.
President Trump’s pause on the TikTok ban is slated to last until April. It’s uncertain if the app’s creator, ByteDance, will divest from Chinese ownership. But Stewart said though the loss of the app could sting, especially for users, for most of his advertisers, TikTok is just one piece of the larger picture.
"They're not necessarily putting all of their eggs into the Tiktok basket,” Stewart said.
In the meantime, Kerber said he’ll continue doing standup until he graduates and tries to build his audience in-person in New York.
