In recent years, TikTok has exploded in popularity, making it a compelling platform for digital advertising. With its algorithmic prowess and ability to capture users’ attention through short, engaging videos, it’s no wonder brands are flocking to the app. However, as tempting as it is to invest heavily in TikTok advertising alone, relying solely on a single platform is risky. In the constantly evolving world of digital advertising, it’s essential to build a future-proof strategy that can weather changes, trends, and disruptions.

Here are 4 reasons why TikTok alone won’t cut it—and what you should be doing to ensure long-term success in your digital marketing efforts. 

1. Platform dependency: a risky move

No social media platform stays dominant forever. Remember Vine? At its peak, it was a hub for short-form video content, but it disappeared almost overnight. Platforms like TikTok are subject to market forces, government regulations, and shifts in consumer behavior that can alter their fate quickly. The legal scrutiny surrounding TikTok in various countries has raised concerns about its long-term viability in certain markets. India banned TikTok in 2020, eliminating the app’s biggest market at the time, and it could face a ban in the United States in 2025. Currently, several US colleges and universities already block TikTok on their campus WiFi and school devices. 

Building your entire digital strategy on TikTok means putting all your eggs in one basket, making your brand vulnerable to shifts beyond your control. Diversifying your approach across multiple platforms will help mitigate risk and ensure you aren’t left scrambling if TikTok’s reach declines.

2. Audience fragmentation

TikTok’s user base skews younger, with Gen Z dominating the platform. While this is a valuable demographic for many brands, it’s important to remember that they are just one part of your target audience. Relying solely on TikTok means missing out on engaging with other key demographics.

Likewise, relying solely on only social media platforms means narrowing down your customer pool. While most marketers spend most of their budget within the walled gardens, most consumers spend the majority of their time on the open web. You can and should be reaching different demographics where they are most active—watching TV, researching on the web, reading articles, listening to a podcast, or in their favorite app. 

Demand-side platforms (DSPs), like the Quantcast Advertising Platform, make it easy to take an omnichannel approach, so you can connect with your audience wherever they are.

3. Organic reach isn’t guaranteed

TikTok's algorithm can be a powerful tool for brands looking to go viral, but organic reach on any social media platform can be unpredictable. Over time, as more brands compete for space on TikTok, the platform could reduce organic reach, forcing businesses to spend more on paid advertising just to maintain visibility—similar to what has happened with Facebook and Instagram over the years.

Instead of relying solely on organic reach or viral content, consider building a robust paid strategy across multiple platforms. By diversifying your spend, you can ensure consistent visibility for your brand without being over-reliant on the whims of one platform’s algorithm.

4. Ad fatigue and brand consistency

With so many brands creating content on TikTok, users can easily experience ad fatigue. As the platform becomes more saturated with sponsored content, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out. Furthermore, TikTok’s fast-paced, trend-driven environment might not always align with your brand’s identity and messaging.

To ensure long-term brand consistency, it’s important to create cohesive campaigns across multiple platforms and channels. Timing is also important. Scrolling through videos on TikTok, a user might become familiar with a brand, but they may not be in shopping mode. By targeting your audience with a mix of display, video, CTV, mobile, and in-app ads, on top of your social media advertising, you can follow them throughout their customer journey and remain top-of-mind for when they are ready to make a purchase. A mixed media approach more than doubles your brand impact and increases ROI by 35-65%.

Don’t stop with TikTok

No single channel should dominate your digital marketing efforts. To future-proof your strategy, you need a diverse, omnichannel approach. At Quantcast, we can help you expand your audience and reach across the open web to drive consumer intent all the way through to conversion. The customer journey spans multiple channels and touchpoints, and so should your advertising. 

Try out our self-serve platform that makes it easy for you to diversify your ad mix and contact us if you’d like to learn more about our omnichannel programmatic advertising.

See omnichannel advertising in action

Read how Ga.Ma, a global leader in hair and beard care technology, adopted a multi-channel strategy to expand into the US that resulted in a 53% brand lift and 1.4x higher site visit rate.