The usual suspects: It’s no secret what those “other” short-form platforms are. If TikTok gets banned, Meta and Google’s video offerings will benefit greatly—which itself is a reason a ban might not happen, since regulators have been battling Meta and Google in recent months.
- If Reels and YouTube Shorts started out as unceremonious TikTok copycats, now they’re becoming significant rivals to the platform. YouTube’s Q1 ad revenues disappointed, but Shorts were a bright spot and hit a viewership landmark. Meta, meanwhile, has bolstered its advertising tools to sweeten its potential as a landing pad.
- The real showdown between short-form apps will take place in early May during Newfronts. Meta, TikTok, and YouTube will all present and attempt to woo advertisers into spending with them. While TikTok’s presentation will have hefty baggage to overcome, Meta and YouTube have a simple proposition: The government doesn’t want to ban us.
Our take: As loud as the clamoring is for a TikTok ban, it’s still unlikely for the US—even with multiple world governments restricting the app to varying degrees. Because of that and TikTok’s popular status with young users, advertisers will likely continue to spend on the app and may only pivot to other platforms as a last resort.