It looks like TikTok has some vital issues about its development momentum, primarily based on its newest efforts to lure new customers.

In accordance with a report this week from The Data, TikTok has been trying to entice new customers within the U.S. by means of a scheme that gives reductions whenever you invite buddies from different apps.

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

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

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

And that might be the case, with numerous studies suggesting that TikTok’s development 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 offered no official replace on its energetic person depend. Exterior studies steered 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 development ever since.

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

Within the U.S, the place TikTok can also be staring down a ban, TikTok at the moment 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 attempt the app, within the hopes of reigniting person curiosity.

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

As you may 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 worry of EU fines. However once more, its very existence carries a touch of desperation, of a platform that’s slowly dropping its grip, and is worried about its ongoing relevance and resonance.

To be clear, TikTok continues to be massively standard, however knowledge privateness issues do appear to be preserving some customers away. Add to that the rising recognition 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 dropping out. And whether it is banned within the U.S., as at the moment appears to be the case, that could possibly be an enormous blow for its development ambitions, and its future in different markets.

The U.S. removing menace additionally signifies that TikTok just isn’t at the moment a steady base for creators, which might be one more reason why they’re staying away. And a $300 Amazon reward 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 may see why it’s rising more and more involved about its alternatives. Its removing within the U.S. would see a heap of its prime creators instantly faraway from the app, which might then see it lose floor in a short time, therefore the necessity to handle it now, earlier than it’s too late.

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

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

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