It looks as if TikTok has some important issues about its progress momentum, primarily based on its newest efforts to lure new customers.

In response to a report this week from The Data, TikTok has been seeking to appeal to new customers within the U.S. by a scheme that provides reductions while you invite mates from different apps.

Creator economic system skilled Lia Haberman has additionally noticed this new promotion within the app, which outlines incentives for inviting YouTube and IG creators with huge followings over to TikTok.

As you possibly can see, this new TikTok incentive program sees customers rewarded with Amazon present playing cards if they will get YouTubers with over 10k followers, and Instagram customers with 100k, to sign-up to TikTok as effectively.

Which appears a bit of determined, and a bit of like TikTok is operating out of concepts for progress, on condition that it’s resorting to money rewards and reductions to get extra customers throughout.

And that might be the case, with numerous reviews suggesting that TikTok’s progress has plateaued, and is even declining in some areas. The short-form video app rocketed to a billion customers again in 2021, however since then, it’s supplied no official replace on its energetic person rely. Exterior reviews advised that TikTok would surpass 1.5 billion customers in 2022, however amid restrictions in sure areas (most notably India) and different challenges, TikTok by no means formally introduced this quantity, and hasn’t reported a lot on its progress ever since.

Although trying on the information that it has reported, it’s pretty clear that it’s misplaced a few of its progress momentum.

Within the U.S, the place TikTok can be staring down a ban, TikTok presently has 170 million customers, rising from the 150 million that it reported in March 2023, whereas in Europe, its DMA disclosures present that TikTok added simply 6 million customers between October 2023 and April 2024.

So TikTok’s meteoric rise has clearly eased, and these new packages would recommend that it’s declining much more over time. Which is logically why it now feels the necessity to pay folks to come back strive the app, within the hopes of reigniting person curiosity.

TikTok has tried related in Europe, with its “TikTok Lite” program providing incentives for ongoing TikTok utilization.

As you possibly can see on this instance, the explainers right here (in French) inform customers that they will earn factors by discovering and liking movies within the app.

TikTok had launched this system in France and Spain on a restricted foundation, earlier than it acquired the eye of EU officers, who raised issues that the scheme might violate the DSA. TikTok has now canceled the initiative, for concern of EU fines. However once more, its very existence carries a touch of desperation, of a platform that’s slowly shedding its grip, and is anxious about its ongoing relevance and resonance.

To be clear, TikTok continues to be vastly widespread, however information privateness issues do appear to be preserving some customers away. Add to that the rising reputation of Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, and its key worth proposition has been diluted considerably, with each apps additionally providing expanded following and engagement choices to incentivize creators.

As such, whereas it does nonetheless have a billion customers, TikTok is liable to shedding out. And whether it is banned within the U.S., as presently appears to be like to be the case, that may very well be an enormous blow for its progress ambitions, and its future in different markets.

The U.S. elimination menace additionally implies that TikTok just isn’t presently a steady base for creators, which might be one more reason why they’re staying away. And a $300 Amazon present card is unlikely to alter that,  which factors to future issues for the platform, once more, if the U.S. dump push does undergo as anticipated.

So whereas TikTok is a key app at current, you possibly can see why it’s rising more and more involved about its alternatives. Its elimination within the U.S. would see a heap of its high creators instantly faraway from the app, which might then see it lose floor in a short time, therefore the necessity to deal with it now, earlier than it’s too late.

However I’m undecided that there’s something that TikTok itself can do right here, apart from problem the U.S. dump invoice (which it’s doing).

Basically, TikTok is in a little bit of a holding sample until we all know for positive whether or not the U.S. sell-off invoice will certainly be enacted. And until then, TikTok’s future will dangle within the steadiness, and never simply within the U.S.

It appears loopy {that a} billion-user platform may very well be at such excessive threat, however a congregation of distinctive elements is clearly heaping strain on the enterprise.