Under scrutiny from the United States government, TikTok parent company ByteDance faces pressure to sell off the U.S. division, but according to Numerator, not everyone favors the idea.
The market researcher used psychographics data and a May 2024 survey that went out to more than 1,300 in a study that concluded:
- TikTok has relatively broad popularity but is especially popular with young people as 76% of GenZers use it, 40% of Millennials, 36% of Gen Xers, and 18% of Boomers.
- 57% of Gen Z TikTok users said they would be upset should the app be banned.
- The 31% of U.S. adults currently using TikTok make it the fifth-most-popular social media app after Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
- Compared to all consumers, TikTok users are 51% more likely to say that social media is their most influential ad touchpoint, and they are nearly twice as likely to follow celebrities and internet personalities/influencers on social media.
- TikTok users spend more time on mobile devices, with 41% saying they use mobile devices for more than six hours per day compared to 31% of all consumers.
- 69% of TikTok fans use it for comedy and entertainment, then cooking at 53%, life hacks at 46%, beauty and fashion at 36%, and home improvement/DIY at 34%.
- Among TikTok users, 52% are very/extremely familiar with the potential ban versus 40% of all consumers, 41% would be somewhat/very upset should the app be banned versus 17% of all consumers, and 44% believe big tech and social media companies need more oversight versus 57% of all consumers.
- 37% of TikTok users distrust the app, and 38% are neutral, with distrust highest for X (formerly Twitter) users, at 45%.
- Consumers plan to shift to Facebook if TikTok gets banned at 47%, Instagram at 44%, and YouTube at 40%.
Numerator noted that TikTok Shop customers are more likely to be low-income, LGBTQ+ and/or GenZers and spend an average of $28 on the platform three times a year. They are four times more likely to shop at Temu, three times more likely to use DoorDash, two-and-a-half times more likely to use UberEats, and two times more likely to shop online at Ulta, Kohl’s and Target, according to Numerator.
