TikTok is Having a Terrible Moment: What Will Publishing Do?

It's time for publishers to stop relying on other platforms

If you are like me and rely on your body’s circadian rhythm to sleep and wake up, then you know this time change business means there is not enough caffeine in the world right now. In any case, I was up bright and early (it was pitch dark outside), so I thought I’d write something about what’s currently happening with TikTok.

THE WHAT:

The House passed a bill today that would force TikTok’s Chinese owner, Bytedance, to divest (sell) the platform or be banned in the U.S. It is important to note that the bill has strong bipartisan support—a rare thing these days—and takes direct aim at China in an election year. Each party fears misinformation on TikTok could affect the election’s outcome. This is one of several reasons the bill got jammed through the House and is going to the Senate. If the Senate passes it, it will go to President Biden, and he has stated he’d sign off on a bill to ban the app.

WHAT’S AT STAKE, THE BIG PICTURE:

While the creator economy has changed drastically on TikTok, plenty of people still make their living as influencers. Brands have pulled back from traditional digital advertising and instead allocated marketing budgets to influencer outreach. This trend refuses to die, so we are stuck with it, no matter our platform.

If TikTok is banned or under different ownership (which might change the platform’s functionality), influencers who depend on the platform will be left to migrate elsewhere: Instagram Reels. Some people have a complicated relationship with Meta, but it is U.S.-owned, and Mark Zuckerberg is emerging as a “lesser of the evils” tech CEO. Threads and Instagram are primed to welcome orphaned influencers. Brands will pivot their strategies.

WHAT’S AT STAKE FOR BOOK PUBLISHING:

What will publishers do if BookTok disappears? The industry could be better at planning for things once they happen, and this is the same. I don’t think TikTok will be banned, but that doesn’t mean book publishing should continue as if things are status quo. What worries me is the industry’s reliance on TikTok and other platforms for marketing. Publishers depend on other people’s business models, government oversight, and some erratic CEOs to get books in front of consumers. The truth is that no one knows when a social media platform will be sold (look what happened to Twitter) or shut down. Does book publishing have a plan B? I doubt it, and that’s a problem.

Most consumers don’t flock to social media for book posts. TikTok is quickly becoming a de facto replacement for linear television and streaming services. You are likelier to see endless movies and show clips than people dancing. The music industry is having its issues with TikTok. Recently, Universal Music Group pulled all their artists’ music from the platform because payment negotiations broke down. Now, it’s common to see creator videos with no sound. This is why someone like Reesa Teesa had us on the edge of our seats as she detailed, in 50 TikTok videos, how she found out her now ex-husband was a pathological liar. When music isn’t available, storytelling has its moment, but I think it will be short-lived. Either music will return to the platform, or the platform will be banned or put under new ownership. If it is the latter, there’s a chance TikTok won’t operate the same way.

We will watch this play out in real time over the next few weeks.

WHAT BOOK PUBLISHING MUST DO:

Publishing must invest more time and money to make its platforms more interesting. Let’s face it: we are not motivated to visit publishers' websites when there are Goodreads, Amazon, and social media. The industry has been happy to allow readers to visit other platforms. This must change, not because I am panicking about TikTok, but because it is time for publishers to take full ownership of marketing their books and create communities on their platforms. Tor has done a great job of this, and there was a time when a division of Penguin had a robust community platform. Why not try again, but at scale? Why not produce your own podcast if you are a publisher? When traditional promotional methods no longer seem viable, one must pivot. It is something I have yet to see publishers do very much during the digital age.

If you have questions about this column or would like to suggest a topic, please e-mail publishingconfidential@gmail.com

Please note that I cannot answer publishing questions. If you are a free subscriber, consider upgrading to paid so you can post questions on my Book Therapy Friday thread.

If you would like to inquire about my services, please email kathleen@kmspr.com

END NOTES:

What I’m Watching: Recently, I watched “Past Lives.” It is a beautiful movie. I’m still watching The Family Stallone. The next movie I’d like to see is “The Holdovers.”

What I’m Listening to: The Smartless podcast’s episode with John Oliver dropped this week and is fantastic.

What I’m Reading: Women Who Work Too Much by Tamu Thomas (Gee, I wonder why?). I also love reading

Stephanie Land

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