Australia, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Indonesia have all instituted bans on it. It’s also banned to some degree in a majority of the 50 states. And, while the final word hasn’t been issued in the U.S., it may eventually be banned here entirely.
TikTok, the popular video-oriented social media application, boasts nearly 2 billion users worldwide by recent estimates. That’s quite a reach, given the bans. All those eyeballs present the potential to translate to a cost-effective, broad-reaching marketing channel for those able to harness it.
So why the bans? Most center around concerns that the Chinese government may use the app for espionage and other unscrupulous purposes. ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, was founded by a Chinese entrepreneur. For universities, this presents a challenge: How can you reach prospective students when a major marketing channel is off-limits?
Impact on Academia
Some university systems in Texas, Florida, and Georgia have already banned TikTok’s use and blocked downloads of the app. Some of these bans extend across campuses while others are specific to equipment owned by the respective university system.
At the other end of the spectrum, some institutions in Ohio and Kentucky are creating significant engagement through their own official TikTok profiles.
Approximately 60% of U.S. TikTok users in 2024 were between the ages of 18 and 34, making the platform ideally suited to reach aspiring undergraduate and graduate students. If college-aged people favor TikTok, but your institution can’t use it, how do you reach that vast market of prospects—especially critical when overall enrollments are down?
How to Strengthen Your Marketing Efforts Without TikTok
Here are some ways to reinforce your institution’s marketing efforts when TikTok is removed from the mix.
Do Your Market Analysis
Strong data should inform all your marketing efforts, and social media is no exception. It’s imperative to know where your target audience spends their time online. Don’t assume that because a platform is popular, it’s the best place to reach prospects for every type of program. Market analysis, including a study of your competitors’ approaches, must be the foundation of your marketing efforts. Otherwise, it’s just guesswork.
Consider Alternate Social Media Platforms
If you haven’t already diversified your social media strategy, the recent volatility surrounding TikTok can provide an ideal opportunity to do so. Instead of focusing on the “biggest” app, consider spreading your efforts across multiple alternatives, including:
- Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat’s Spotlight for short-form video content.
- Neptune for longer-form video content.
- Pinterest to visually showcase programs, faculty, alumni, and other noteworthy features of your institution.
Look Beyond Social Media
While social media is a powerful marketing tool, it’s not your only option. Podcasts remain tremendously popular. While some production expertise is required, most podcasts can be completed with one microphone and a camera or smartphone. The finished product can be shared on your institution’s website, on popular podcast platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or in bite-sized form on social media.
Some schools offer their own university-branded apps and don’t necessarily restrict them to current students. They may also host virtual events on Twitch or Zoom. These touchpoints, in addition to podcasts, present the potential to become wide-reaching and cost-effective branding tools for your institution.
Don’t Sweat the Competition
Remember, whatever the future of TikTok may be in your university system, state, or country, it will likely affect your competitors as well. While restrictive, TikTok bans can help level the playing field for your recruitment and retention efforts.
Recruit a Skilled Partner to Help in Your Marketing Efforts
Apollidon Learning delivers full-scale online education marketing and support services tailored to your unique requirements. Whether you’re introducing your first online program or growing your existing offerings, we offer what you need to achieve your enrollment objectives, including:
- Identifying your target audience through comprehensive market analysis.
- Reaching prospective students with meticulously tailored social media strategies, email campaigns, and other digital marketing initiatives.
- Supporting student engagement and retention through proven practices, data-driven metrics, and expert consulting.
- Facilitating the transition of programs to online formats, providing students with greater flexibility, affordability, and expanded networking opportunities.
- Showcasing institutional advantages such as cost-efficiency, faculty expertise, flexibility, and reputation while emphasizing unique features to enhance your message.
- Highlighting student and alumni achievements to appeal to and motivate prospective students.
- Increasing the visibility of community outreach initiatives to foster trust and brand awareness.
Contact Apollidon today to discover how we can help your institution overcome marketing obstacles to reach its online learning goals. We’re ready to assist you!
Sources:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/these-countries-have-already-banned-tiktok
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiktok-concerns-absolutely-valid-crowdstrike-expert-says/
https://seo.ai/blog/how-many-users-on-tiktok
https://universitybusiness.com/the-catch-22-of-colleges-universities-using-tiktok-on-campus/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-supreme-court-congress/
https://explodingtopics.com/blog/tiktok-demographics