TikTok ban is on. What does it mean for Canadian businesses?

The Supreme Court just confirmed they’re upholding the TikTok ban in the U.S. The app is set to go dark south of the border as early as Sunday, and that’s going to create some interesting ripples for us here in Canada.

Let’s break down what this means for Canadian brands and businesses:

Your TikTok Ad Spend Needs a Reality Check

Look, there’s no sugar-coating it – we’re about to see a massive exodus of content and eyeballs from the platform. If you’re running campaigns targeting U.S. audiences, or even (Canadian ones!), it’s time to hit pause and rethink that strategy.

Where Should Your Money Go Now?

The obvious players are ready to welcome your ad dollars:

• Meta (still going strong)
• YouTube (reliable as ever)
• LinkedIn (which, by the way, is likely to see an influx of #tiktokrefugees, I predict will be come a big B2C player in 2025)
• BlueSky (this is new, uncharted territory, it’s worth testing the water!
• Pinterest (especially for its search capabilities)
• Rednote? Hold off on this one, as it may not be a viable option for very long.

Double Down On Your Owned Media

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: any platform where you don’t own the relationship with your audience is basically rented land. And as we’re seeing now, the landlord can evict you without much notice.

Time to give some serious love to:

• Your email list
• Your website
• Your SMS database
• Any other channel where you’re the boss

Any Silver Linings? Why, yes!

Opportunity for Canadian Creators?

Here’s an interesting angle: with 170M content creators suddenly out of the picture, Canadian creators might actually have a shot at making a bigger splash on the platform. Sometimes chaos creates opportunity… for at least as long as the platform is still allowed in this country.

This Is Hardly Game Over

Let’s be real – there’s too much money on the table for TikTok to vanish into thin air. My bet? We’ll see a serious new owner step up in the coming months, and TikTok 2.0 will emerge. Time will tell. But, I’d be shocked if the platform is gone forever.

Finally, A Word to the TikTokers

To everyone who’s about to lose their reach and income because of this move – this really does suck. Building a following takes blood, sweat, and countless hours of creative energy. I feel for you.