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What We Can Learn From Trump’s TikTok U-Turn
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What We Can Learn From Trump’s TikTok U-Turn
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About
Trends
20/01/2025
Sophie von Mensenkampff
Content Manager
This past weekend, the US saw the widely-discussed ban of TikTok take effect on Sunday. However, just 12 hours later, the newly-inaugurated President Donald Trump surprised many by reinstating the app. This swift reversal has left social media users questioning whether it was a case of “good timing” or a carefully orchestrated PR stunt by Trump’s team. The decision has sparked a flurry of reactions online, with people speculating on the political motives behind the move and its broader implications for free speech and social media policy. Either way, one thing is certain: once again, Trump’s name dominated social media, capturing the attention of millions across platforms. Using Visibrain, the social listening tool, we’ve been able to track the surge in mentions and engagement, offering a closer look at the social media impact of this surprising turn of events.
STATEMENT FROM TIKTOK:
— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) January 19, 2025
In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170…
The surprise lifting of the ban triggered a surge in posts mentioning Donald Trump on TikTok and X, along with a notable spike in engagement on his Instagram account. It’s important to recognise that the timing of the ban reversal coincided with Trump’s presidential inauguration, which naturally led to an uptick in mentions of his name. However, the numbers speak for themselves: January 19th saw an increase of 3 million mentions on X when compared to January 20th, 2017—the day of his first-term inauguration. The most significant spike in mentions occurred immediately following TikTok’s post on X regarding the lifting of the ban.
The TikTok ban reversal triggered a significant surge in mentions of Donald Trump. On January 19th, over 15 thousand posts mentioning Trump appeared across TikTok, with users quickly sharing their reactions. The topic generated over 11 million likes and with most of the engagement taking place after TikTok's announcement.
On X, Trump soared to over 7 million mentions.
Meanwhile, on Instagram, Trump saw a huge boost in engagement with his latest post generating well over 2 million likes.
The rapid response to the TikTok ban reversal highlights how major events can be leveraged to generate an online buzz. Whether it's a political move, product launch, or breaking news, the key takeaway is that harnessing the momentum of such events can propel your brand into the spotlight. The surge in engagement across TikTok, X, and Instagram serves as a reminder that real-time social listening is crucial to understanding the pulse of public opinion and capitalising on viral moments.
No matter what your political opinions are, there is a lesson on PR woven into this: understanding the dynamics of public attention and using that knowledge to create strategic, timely content is a powerful tool for shaping narratives and driving engagement. Visibrain allows you to stay ahead of the buzz, giving you ample time to respond and harness the conversation.
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