With the recent momentum around TikTok being banned in the U.S. (I still don’t think it’ll happen, but you never know!), I got curious: How many Minnesota-based companies are really ON TikTok? In other words: How many companies would this potential ban really affect if TikTok went dark in the U.S.?

For the last few years, we’ve heard a steady drumbeat of advice from social media experts encouraging brands to hop on TikTok. However, I’ve always thought that was foolish advice–at least broadly speaking–for a couple key reasons.

First, legal. We’re seeing this right now with the banning conversation. Many legal teams with big companies simply won’t allow it due to security risks. So, the conversation never even gets started at these organizations.

Second–the time issue. Social media teams are so stretched, asking them to add another platform, especially a time-consuming one like TikTok, is next to impossible. Right now, for most social teams, this just isn’t realistic. A lot would have to come off these teams’ plates for TikTok to become a viable channel.

So, given that backdrop, I went to researching which Minnesota-based companies were truly active on TikTok. What I found didn’t really surprise me. Only 22% of Minnesota-based companies (only really counting mid-sized to large companies based on a list I found on Wikipedia) have active TikTok accounts.17% had accounts but rarely, or never, posted. And, a full 55% of Minnesota-based companies have no TikTok account at all.

Here’s the full list of companies I researched.

I think the takeaway here is pretty clear. If you don’t have an active TikTok account, you’re not alone. The majority of businesses do not. And, I also don’t think that’s a terrible thing–considering the two factors we talked about above.

Don’t let the “experts” dictate your social media strategy. You know your audience. You know where they show up. And you also know your company and the resources available to you. You can’t be everywhere–and in many cases, you don’t want to be. And clearly, most companies in Minnesota have said: TikTok isn’t somewhere we need to be (or can’t be).

Minnesota companies that don’t have a TikTok account at all (55%; 43 total accounts)

• 3M
• Allina Health
• Ameripride Services
• Ameriprise Financial
• Arctic Cat
• Cambria
• Carlson Companies
• Cargill
• Ceridian
• CHS
• Deluxe
• Digi
• Digital River
• Donaldson Company
• Econofoods
• Edina Realty
• Entrust Datacard
• Hazelden
• HealthEast
• Hennepin County Medical Center
• Hutchinson Technology
• Jamf
• Jefferson Lines
• Life Time
• Lifetouch
• M Health Fairview
• Mosaic
• Old Dutch Foods
• Patterson
• Pearson Candy
• Polaris
• Post Consumer Brands (or any of their cereals)
• Quality Bicycle Products
• Regions Hospital
• Regis Corp
• Schwan’s
• Securian
• Surly Bikes
• Thrivent
• Toro
• United Health Group
• Watkins
• Xcel Energy

Minnesota companies with a TikTok account but no, or very few, posts (17%; 13 total accounts)

• CH Robinson – 64 followers, 0 videos
• Cub Foods – 129 followers, 0 videos
• Ecolab – 78 followers, 0 videos
• Federated Mutual Insurance Company
• HealthPartners – 9 followers, 1 video
• Hormel – 84 followers, 0 videos
• Lunds & Byerlys, 33 followers, 0 videos
• Mayo Clinic, 1,056 followers, 0 videos
• Medtronic (although Medtronic Diabetes does have an account)
• Radisson Hotels, 67 followers, 0 videos
• Sleep Number – 108 followers, 0 videos
• Sun Country – 129 followers, 0 videos
• US Bank – 375 followers, 0 videos

Minnesota companies with an active TikTok account (28%, 22 total accounts)

• Andersen Windows & Doors – 1,512 followers, 153,000 likes
• Aveda – 8,246 followers, 10,700 likes
• Anytime Fitness – 5,223 followers, 19,500 likes
• Best Buy – 15,000 followers, 25,900 likes
• Caribou Coffee – 4,100 followers, 78,200 likes
• Dairy Queen – 273,300 followers, 679,600 likes
• Duluth Pack – 311 followers, 792 likes
• Endeavor Air – 12,300 followers, 448,600 likes
• Famous Dave’s – 181 followers, 382 likes
• Graco – 132,700 followers, 640,400 likes
• Great Clips – 1,501 followers, 9,480 likes
• Holiday Stationstores – 57 followers, 223 likes
• Jostens – 1,105 followers, 1,698 likes
• Land O Lakes – 433 followers, 502 likes
• Nordic Ware – 4,253 followers, 23,000 likes
• Red Wing Shoes – 1,149 followers, 538 likes
• Slumberland Furniture – 9 followers, 404 likes
• Summit Brewing – 1,033 followers, 3,649 likes
• Supercuts – 124 followers, 415 likes
• Surly Brewing – 1,029 followers, 47 likes
• Target – 2,200,000 followers, 11,900,000 likes
• Wings Financial Credit Union – 37 followers, 56 likes