TikTok is one of the best platforms for influencers to get discovered by brands and other content creators. However, TikTok has been under fire for its lack of responsibility in preventing malicious content from being posted on its platform—and with users under the age of 13 reportedly making up more than 60 percent of its audience, it’s no wonder that TikTok is on the verge of going away. If you’re an influencer who relies on TikTok to grow your audience and make money through sponsorships and partnerships, this may seem like a scary proposition. However, don’t panic just yet! Here are some tips for how to prepare for a potential ban:
- Build a following on other social media platforms: Creators should explore other social media platforms where they can grow their audience and continue to engage with their fans. Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Triller are some of the platforms that have emerged as potential alternatives to TikTok, and creators should consider building their following on these platforms as well.
- Diversify income streams: Creators who rely heavily on income generated through TikTok should diversify their income streams to ensure financial stability in the event of a ban. This can include exploring other revenue streams such as sponsored posts on other social media platforms, affiliate marketing, or merchandise sales.
- Keep creating content: Even if TikTok were to be banned in the US, creators should continue to create content and engage with their audience. This will help them stay top of mind and maintain their brand presence.
If you’re a content creator, don’t panic.
TikTok is not the only social app for influencers. There are plenty of other apps out there that allow for similar monetization strategies and offer different opportunities for engagement with their audiences. If you’ve built up a large following on TikTok and have been making money from it, there’s no reason why the same cannot be done elsewhere.
You can also build up your own website or YouTube channel and sell products directly through those channels; this is often more lucrative than relying on advertisements posted by brands on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram (which take 30% of all ad revenue). Or perhaps you want to start making appearances at events where people will recognize your face? In these cases too, there are options for leveraging your likeliness as an internet personality.
Define your brand.
Before you can start to plan for a potential TikTok ban, it’s important to define your brand. This is where many influencers fail–they don’t take the time to figure out who they are or what they stand for as an influencer. If you’re not clear on your brand’s mission and voice, then there’s no way that anyone else will be either!
A good place to start is by asking yourself questions like: What is my mission? What do I want people who follow me on TikTok (or any other platform) know about me and my work? Am I an entertainer who wants them laughing at my jokes or am I an expert in X field who wants them learning from me? How can I convey this information through both text posts as well as video content in order to reach all types of users without alienating any one particular group of people?
Find ways other than TikTok to grow your audience.
If you’re an influencer and you rely on TikTok to grow your audience, it’s time to consider other options. You can still use other platforms like Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter to reach new people and grow your following.
You may also want to look into social media apps like Snapchat or Facebook that have similar features as TikTok but don’t have as many restrictions on content creation.
Another way of growing your following without relying on a specific platform is by creating content that is relevant for the audience you are trying to attract and valuable for them in some way (e.g., teaching them something new). This will make them want shareable content with their friends which helps spread the word about how great your channel is!
Consider what you can do outside of the app to create more value for both your audience and sponsorships.
You can also create more content on other platforms.
- Create a website, blog or podcast to give people more of your personality and perspective. For example, if you’re known for TikTok videos that include music, maybe it’s time to start writing about the artists you love and incorporating them into your content strategy instead.
- Start a YouTube channel where you can post longer videos or livestreams that showcase specific skills like makeup tutorials or advice about how young people should manage their money (or whatever else). You could even create an exclusive Patreon account with high-quality behind-the-scenes footage from shoots or interviews with other influencers in your niche.
Build relationships with brands and influencers ahead of time so you’re not at risk of being left behind when TikTok disappears.
While it’s unclear how TikTok will handle the new regulations, it’s important to start thinking about how you can be prepared. The best way to do this is by building relationships with brands and influencers ahead of time so you’re not at risk of being left behind when TikTok disappears.
- Build relationships with brands and influencers: It’s no secret that some people have been able to make a lot of money on the platform. If you want to build an audience that’s loyal enough for them to keep coming back even after TikTok goes away, then you need them on board from day one!
- Create value for brands: If a brand wants their ads on your channel or product placement in one of your videos (or both), then they should pay for it! This will ensure that the content remains high quality while also providing revenue streams for both parties involved.* Create value for your audience: Your fans love seeing themselves represented in popular culture–and if there aren’t any opportunities available now due to lacklustre policies regarding racist content., why not create something? You could even turn this into something fun like creating costumes based around stereotypes which could lead up into Halloween next year.* Create value yourself: A lot depends on what happens next month when new rules go into effect but if nothing else comes out before then I think we can still learn something valuable here today about building relationships with others outside ourselves
You can still be an influencer without TikTok
You can use other platforms to build your audience and grow it, but if you haven’t started doing that yet, now is the time! You don’t need to wait until TikTok bans influencers before you get started on this. It might be too late by then anyway; influencers who have been growing their audiences on TikTok for years will have a head start over those who start now. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from watching hundreds of channels grow on every single platform out there: starting early and working hard pays off big time!
Conclusion
All of that being said, in the downside scenario that TikTok does end up getting banned, I see this as only a short-term blip in the Creator Economy. It doesn’t mean your influencer career is over, but it’s time to get creative and find new ways to grow your audience and build relationships with brands. If you’re worried about being left behind by the app’s disappearance, don’t be! You can still be an influencer without TikTok–just make sure that whatever platform(s) you choose can help you reach more people than ever before.
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