Likewise, the Martin Agency advises clients to wait until the Supreme Court makes a final decision. Customers are also advised to generally pause social media posting from Jan. 19 to Jan. 21 to avoid “getting lost in content surrounding Inauguration Day,” Davis and Wuelfrath said.

Nevertheless, emergency plans are in the works. A&G ensures that content created for TikTok can be easily used across platforms, while Acadia and Martin encourage customers to back up their data and store all content and reports while keeping a close eye on performance.

A unique piece Emptiness

While the status of the ban is still uncertain, agencies are already looking at Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snap Commercials and Reddit Takeovers as potential alternatives to TikTok.

“We are exploring where we can redirect customer funds to benefit from similar audiences, communities and creative advertising products,” said Darren D’Altorio, vice president of paid social at independent media agency Wpromote.

Still, a TikTok ban would leave “a unique gap” in the market that would disrupt the broader media landscape. “The end game would be a wholesale rebalancing of attention and media consumption in the U.S. that will have significant impacts across the entire ecosystem,” he said.

Pivoting is not as easy as it sounds. TikTok’s algorithm and different advertising products provide unique power levers, so it’s not a simple apple-to-apples transition.

“We delve into the nuances of each platform to understand how we can maintain performance and achieve our customers’ full-funnel business goals,” said D’Altorio.

Martins Marshall and Wülfrath agreed that there will be pressure from customers to adjust spending and platform performance. “If TikTok disappears, brands and creators will (in some cases) lose a mission-critical marketing tool due to TikTok’s unique algorithm and powerful organic reach capabilities that not even Instagram or YouTube can match,” they said.

Will Trowbridge, CEO and founder of entertainment marketing agency Saylor, noted TikTok’s unique cultural value. He noted that many internet trends originate there before moving elsewhere, adding that it will be harder for new creators to gain a foothold on other platforms.

“If (TikTok) eventually shuts down, it will be much harder for you and me to create something great and for the world to see it,” he said.