TikTok Alternatives
Where will people go if TikTok is finally banned? We analyze the top 3 choices
The words TikTok and ban are very common these days, and while people might not seem as scared as governments are, there are many conversations and questions about where people might go if the app gets banned once and for all. TikTok changed the game for video content and video-sharing platforms, but other apps began launching TikTok-material features and tools to compete with the Chinese company and attract more users to their platforms.
In this post, we take a look at the top 3 TikTok alternatives you should check out to expand your online presence and have a backup in case of a ban.
Is TikTok Really Going To Be Banned?
TikTok’s possible ban has been a hot topic of conversation for a while and is not for the reasons you might believe. The content of TikTok itself is not what plenty of governments are worried about, but rather they suspect the app possesses national security threats, which is why countries like Australia, New Zealand, the U.K, the U.S, Canada, and others have banned TikTok from government-issues devices.
It is believed that ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, could gather information about its users that can get handed to the Chinese government.
People are suspicious about the TikTok ban, thus some users don’t think it will be possible to ban an app in just certain countries, while others are already preparing their social media plan for another platform.
As of 2023, we don’t exactly know if we’ll actually experience a global TikTok ban, but getting ahead of the possible problem can help you be prepared and even gain new followers that come from another app.
If you’re looking for quality TikTok alternatives to expand your online presence, and have a back-up platform if the ban finally happens, the following sections will come in handy.
YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts is one of the best TikTok platform alternatives that people are already using and that will continue to grow over time.
Released in September 2020, Shorts appeared on YouTube very similar to how Reels appeared on Instagram, and it was all about adding similar TikTok features to the platform to encourage users to go back to YouTube.
The short-form video trend that we’ve been experiencing since a bit before the pandemic has changed the rules of platforms forever, and YouTube was not going to get behind it and lose millions of users.
YouTube Shorts has a wide audience of more than a billion active users per month, and if you’re not yet uploading your content on the platform, you’re missing out on something big.
You don’t need to create half-an-hour-long videos like the old YouTube “standard”, because now you can recycle your TikToks or Instagram Reels and share it on the app as well. This is a great way to start building up your profile and letting the platform do its magic while you focus on creating more content.
Pro tip: don’t post all your content on all the apps at the same time, thus your feeds might look identical and can result in people losing interest in following you on all platforms. Instead, keep things alternated and with different cover photos.
Instagram Reels
The next already-expected TikTok dupe is Instagram Reels, which are a bit more used and normalized than YouTube Shorts, according to statistics. The aesthetic platform quickly launched a short-form video feature to keep up with TikTok’s success, and now it has become one of the app’s most used tools.
All of your posts can be Reels if you want them to be, and many creators have ditched sharing perfect pictures for quick. quality and valuable Reels, especially those in the marketing and business fields.
Instagram has various tools for editing your reels in the app and it is very helpful and easy to use. You can add text, cut multiple videos, add overlays, effects, stickers, and more.
When you’re ready to share your Reel, you can add a location, caption, and up to three topics from a list Instagram offers. This helps show your Reel to people who like and consume content on those topics frequently.
There have been many unofficial studies about the performance of Reels made in the Instagram editing suite and those with the TikTok watermark and concluded that those with the TikTok logo are not seen or interacted with as much as the others.
So, if you’re planning on recycling your TikTok videos, make sure to remove the watermark and any text about the platform.
Likee
The last TikTok alternative you should consider in case of a possible ban is Likee. The platform is very similar to TikTik, in terms of the interface and how you use it, but still has some unique features and tools that might catch your attention.
You can add effects, filters, and stickers to your videos to give them life, including the famous face-swapping effect, as well as change your hair color, and more. If you want a platform that allows you to go Live and interact with your followers more often, Likee has a Live tab where you can host your meetings and enjoy others’ Live broadcasts as well.
It still doesn’t have as many active users as TikTok, but the similarity of both platforms makes it a great alternative in case of a ban or a saturation of content.
Final Words
In this post, we talked about some of the top TikTok platform alternatives in case of a possible ban.
Whether you’re looking to get ahead of a possible inconvenience, or you’re just looking for platforms that will improve your online presence, the apps mentioned can help you out.
The short-form video trend will continue for a long time, and with so many things happening in the world, having a backup plan can give you peace of mind, especially if we’re talking about TikTok since it is a main source of views and income for many creators.