As the possibility of a TikTok ban looms, it could significantly impact the vast number of small businesses that rely on this short-video platform for their growth and marketing efforts.

Desiree Hill, who owns Crown’s Corner Mechanic in Conyers, Georgia, began her enterprise as a mobile mechanic. By utilizing TikTok to showcase her work, she attracted a substantial audience, which ultimately allowed her to expand into a 9,000-square-foot physical shop with five employees just 18 months ago.

“Every day, I have at least two or three customers who find me on TikTok, watch my content, and decide to come in,” Hill explained.

Despite TikTok being launched only in 2016, small business owners have adopted the platform for various purposes, including expanding their reach, advertising, marketing, and even selling products directly.

According to TikTok’s estimates, if banned, small businesses using the app could potentially lose over $1 billion in revenue within a month.

The U.S. Justice Department has mandated TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, based in China, to either sell the app or face a ban by January 19, 2024, due to security concerns. The Supreme Court is scheduled to review this situation in January, and President-elect Donald Trump has requested a postponement from the court.

In the event of a ban, small businesses will need to transition to other social media platforms to reach their customers, with Instagram Reels, Snapchat, and YouTube Shorts being some alternatives. However, many brands have already established their presence on these platforms, but they may struggle to engage the younger audience that prefers TikTok.

Another option for businesses is to create a robust database of customers willing to provide their emails or phone numbers. This would facilitate direct outreach for promotions and marketing communications.

However, Hill expressed concern about other platforms not matching TikTok’s reach. Although she is active on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, she feels they do not serve the same purpose. “I worry because there is no backup for this,” she stated. “TikTok is crucial for my customer base and my growth, so losing it will impact my business deeply.”

Crystal Lister, who runs Mommy and Me: The Listers in Cypress, Texas, a business providing STEM education workshops, is considering shifting her focus to YouTube for video content and using Instagram Reels to create teasers. However, she acknowledges that TikTok offers unmatched ease-of-use.

“If TikTok is banned, it will be a setback as it combines multiple desired functionalities — video creation and social media outreach — all in one platform,” she noted. “We will have to rely on various other platforms to achieve what TikTok managed to do seamlessly.”