04/10/2025

SATURDAY | OCT 4, 2025

3 Do not concentrate on one platform, TikTok users told

App poses lifeline and gamble for young entrepreneurs PETALING JAYA: For young entrepreneurs like Muhammad Rizqan,25, TikTok is both a lifeline and a gamble – a platform that promises fast money but demands constant time, content and risk-taking. What began as a lockdown pastime has turned into a sideline through TikTok’s affiliate programme, in which users earn commissions from product sales. His account, @iturizlah, averages 300 to 500 views per post, with income tied directly to clicks on TikTok Shop. “I only began taking it seriously in 2023. The campaigns promise you can earn thousands if you go full time. But in reality, it’s slow and tough, especially without a marketing background. “To get more sales, you often have to spend money boosting content on TikTok Shop. It takes a lot of time, which is why only some can do it full time,” he said. Despite the challenges, he said he would continue creating content even if TikTok’s rules tightened or reach declined. “You can’t just depend on TikTok. Shopee, YouTube and Facebook also allow affiliate links. If TikTok becomes harder, I’ll switch to other platforms. Many people already have,” he said. For 26-year-old illustrator Nazeerah Zaini, TikTok offered something else: visibility. Her account, @artnosorous, showcases her digital artwork and custom designs. “I chose TikTok because its algorithm helps new creators get exposure even if they don’t have many followers. “The short video format also makes it easier to show the creative process and final results in an engaging way,” she said. But reach does not always translate into sales. “It’s mixed. People enjoy art content, but converting that into paying customers requires consistent storytelling and closer engagement with followers.” For Nurin Afiqah Zainol, 21, who manages @yinyonshop, TikTok’s promise of overnight success was the main draw. With more than 3,000 followers and one post hitting nearly 900,000 views, she said the platform’s organic reach is unmatched. “If you make a creative video, the potential to get on the ‘For You Page’ is huge, even for a new account,” she said. But she admitted she worries about what would happen if that reach dropped. The experiences of these creators underscore a gap between expert advice and everyday practice. For them, TikTok is not just a marketing tool but an entry point into entrepreneurship, one that could either build careers or collapse without warning. – By FAIZ RUZMAN

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

o Entrepreneurs must diversify into other digital channels to safeguard businesses as app stability uncertain, say experts

cannot be ignored. Lawmakers in Washington have pressed TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest its US operations, while India banned the app outright in 2020, and Indonesia briefly blocked TikTok Shop last year. Vox Group digital lead Dashwini Ravi said TikTok had “collapsed the traditional marketing funnel”. “Customer journeys that used to take weeks now take hours. Viral moments can convert to sales almost instantly,” she said. She added that about 60% of her clients use TikTok for brand discovery, while 40% focus heavily on TikTok shop and live-selling. “Some SME dedicate up to 80% of their digital budgets to TikTok. “This can create vulnerability to platform shifts. No single channel should exceed 60% of digital spend,” she cautioned Skribble CEO and Strategic Asia Marketing Alliance president Teng Chan Leong agreed that TikTok’s rise had been striking, describing it as “a very powerful social media and social commerce platform”. “For most consumer brands, TikTok is a natural priority since it has the most diverse reach and is currently fast growing,” he said. However, he also said it would be a wise move for SME to focus some of their marketing efforts on other platforms. “SME are prioritising TikTok, but I don’t think they are overly reliant. Most still distribute their presence on Xiao Hong Shu, Instagram, Facebook and sometimes even LinkedIn. “Meta and Google still hold a big share of advertising budgets, but the marketing spend is now stretched to include TikTok, affiliates and live-selling,” he said. Although TikTok’s meteoric rise has made it a launchpad for Malaysian small businesses, experts agree its dominance should be embraced with caution because if the platform stumbles, so could the thousands of entrepreneurs who depend on it.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s digital economy is currently riding mostly on TikTok, but experts warn the country would be dangerously exposed if the platform falters. With more than 28 million local users spending an average of 39 hours a month on the app, TikTok has overtaken Facebook and YouTube in usage, transforming itself into a marketplace, marketing tool and entertainment hub rolled into one. Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia (4As) president Tan Kien Eng said TikTok has positioned itself as an essential tool for small and medium enterprises (SME). “For many small businesses and

adding that businesses must diversify into multiple platforms, including AI-powered tools. However, he dismissed immediate fears that the ongoing United States-China dispute over TikTok’s ownership and algorithms would hurt Malaysian users. “Any change to TikTok’s algorithm in America is limited to the American audience only. Therefore, there is no cause for concern here in Malaysia,” he said. However, industry observers caution that global uncertainty

entrepreneurs, it has become nothing short of a lifeline. “Agencies also now regularly include it as part of their clients’ customer journey,” he said. But he cautioned against putting all eggs in one basket. “Micro and small enterprises often concentrate on one platform. But medium and large enterprises cannot depend on only one channel. “Digital is broad. What is available on conventional media is also available digitally,” he said,

Teng said for most consumer brands, TikTok is a natural priority since it has the most diverse reach and is fast growing. – MASRY CHE ANI/THESUN

Ownership change could disrupt visibility and income, says academic PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s small businesses may be thriving on TikTok but academics warn the country is at the mercy of global power struggles that could upend the platform overnight. While Washington pressures 2020. Overnight, thousands of sellers lost their sales channels,” she told theSun. Norsafinas said Malaysia faces a “sovereignty paradox”, in which its massive user base gives TikTok reach and profits, but little influence over how the platform evolves. better data portability, so SMEs are not locked into one gatekeeper.” Norsafinas added that lessons from abroad show the need for both regulatory foresight and SME capacity-building. solution was not to build another large local platform, but to strengthen SME adaptability. “The government and industry bodies should support SMEs through capacity building – teaching them how to communicate across different platforms, adapt their marketing and use data effectively. emphasise paid advertising, SMEs could quickly lose customers.” Mohd Azul said TikTok’s strength lay in its mix of entertainment and e-commerce, giving SMEs low-cost access to millions through its For You Page.

Universiti Teknologi Mara mass communication expert Assoc Prof Dr Tengku Elena Tengku Mahamad echoed the warning, saying SMEs must understand that TikTok’s fast reach comes with hidden risks. “SMEs choose TikTok because it gives fast visibility, but if the rules or ownership change, they could lose that overnight. “The safer approach is to use TikTok for reach while also telling their stories and connecting with customers on other platforms,” she said. Tengku Elena stressed that the

“SMEs must build their own assets – websites, customer email databases, direct channels – so they are not entirely at the mercy of a single platform. “Malaysia should develop an algorithm oversight framework to regulate how platforms promote SME businesses. “Rules should ensure SMEs get advance notice before algorithm changes are implemented to protect them from sudden shocks,” he said. – By FAIZ RUZMAN

TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest its US operations, experts said the standoff underlines a hard truth – Malaysian entrepreneurs are building their livelihoods on a platform the country cannot control. Universiti Utara Malaysia international entrepreneurship specialist Dr Norsafinas Md Saad said the lesson was clear – dependency equals vulnerability. “We saw this when Indonesia temporarily banned TikTok Shop in 2023 and when India banned TikTok in

“Malaysia, despite being a major user base, has limited influence. A change in TikTok’s algorithm or ownership triggered by foreign intervention could sharply disrupt how local businesses gain visibility and income,” she said. She urged policymakers to treat platform dependence as a structural risk. “Diversification must mean more than just trying other apps. It requires incentives, cross-platform tools and

“When global platforms shift their algorithms, they also shift which stories, businesses and communities get visibility,” she said. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia media and communication researcher Dr Mohd Azul Mohama Salleh said many SMEs and young entrepreneurs in Malaysia were not digitally mature enough to survive sudden disruptions. “If TikTok changes its algorithm to