RMIT University Media Release
After Donald Trump led a charge to ban TikTok in January 2020, the White House has officially launched its own account on the popular social media app. An RMIT expert explains the reason behind this move and how the Trump administration could use the platform to its advantage.
Dr Kane Koh, Lecturer in Marketing:
“Despite prior attempts to ban the app, the White House’s decision to join TikTok signals a strategic shift in its approach to digital marketing and shows it acknowledges TikTok’s significance as a dominant platform for information dissemination and trend creation. If you can’t beat them, join them, right?
“TikTok skews towards younger audiences, who will be directly impacted by upcoming government policies in the next decade. By engaging with this demographic on its preferred platform, the White House is not just spreading information but also fostering early connections with a critical voter base.
“TikTok differs from Meta-owned platforms in that it is often the origin of viral trends, which only later spill over to Facebook and Instagram. By positioning itself directly at the ‘source’ the White House increases the likelihood of reaching audiences early, more effectively and ensures its messaging remains visible and credible.
“In short, it’s a strategic channel-choice decision: the right message delivered through the right medium to the right people.”
Dr Kane Koh is a Lecturer in Marketing at RMIT that specialises in marketing science methods over range of digital marketing phenomena from online pet adoption to social live streaming services.
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