TikTok Ban Could Encourage a Multi-Platform Strategy for Creators and Brands
Time is ticking for TikTok in the United States, as the platform faces an imminent ban unless legal intervention blocks the move.
During Friday’s oral arguments, the Supreme Court appeared poised to uphold a new law that could lead to TikTok’s removal from U.S. app stores. Both conservative and liberal justices expressed doubts about TikTok’s legal challenge, signaling a tough road ahead for the platform.
Under the law passed by Congress last year, TikTok was given nine months to separate from its China-based parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban. Without action from the court, TikTok could disappear from U.S. app stores as soon as January 19.
With that, some of the 170 million Americans who use TikTok, a large number of them being creators and local businesses are scrambling to other platforms to continue their content creation, as well as having their brand partnerships and affiliates follow alongside them.
Creators and Brands Adapt to the Potential Shift
Rick Ryan, a real estate photographer, described TikTok as an invaluable platform for connecting with his audience, showcasing his work, and growing his business. He noted that TikTok has allowed him to build a community, share creative ideas, and reach clients who appreciate his services. While acknowledging that a potential ban would be a significant shift, Ryan is already planning his next steps. He intends to transition his content to platforms like Instagram Reels and Lemon8, which he believes offer similar opportunities for creativity, engagement, and audience connection.
“A TikTok ban could have a big impact on existing affiliate deals or contracts. I’d contact affiliates and collaborators immediately to explain the situation and discuss how to shift our partnerships to Instagram and Lemon8,” said Ryan. “I’d present these platforms as strong alternatives, emphasizing their potential reach and engagement. If a contract is TikTok-specific, I’d work on negotiating new terms for the other platforms.”
Ryan is not alone. Andrew Lokenauth, who began his TikTok journey during COVID like many others, is preparing for potential shifts in his content strategy should TikTok be banned. Recognizing the importance of an owned audience, he plans to prioritize growing his Substack newsletter, which he views as his most valuable asset. Additionally, he will focus on platforms with strong monetization potential, such as LinkedIn and Instagram, to maintain and expand revenue opportunities.
Lokenauth’s reach includes 600k on Reddit, 400k+ on X/Twitter, 500k on Instagram (split between his main account and Threads), 100k on TikTok, 100k Substack newsletter subscribers, and additional followings on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Bluesky.
By adopting a multi-platform strategy, Lokenauth has established diverse touchpoints for engagement and content distribution, ensuring a broad and adaptable presence across both major and emerging networks.
Adaptability and flexibility are imperative in brand partnerships with influencers if TikTok is banned. To mitigate risks, brands may have to shift to shorter-term deals or incorporate multi-platform collaborations. As a result, content can be repurposed across other platforms so engagement and value are maintained (Read more about TikTokification). It’s going to take open discussions between creators and brands to navigate these changes, fostering innovative solutions that will allow both to survive.
Paul Benigeri, Co-Founder and CEO of the AI-driven influencer marketing platform Archive, suggested that the potential TikTok ban could serve as the catalyst to end platform monopolies. He explained that creators have long been confined to single-platform ecosystems but are now pushing for multi-platform deliverables and removing clauses that penalize them for unexpected outages or bans. According to Benigeri, this shift represents a significant move toward empowering creators and giving them greater control over their content and partnerships.
“When brands pay for content, they should pay for the creator’s brand—period—not the platform it appears on. To survive what some are calling an ‘extinction-level event,’ creators must go platform-agnostic, embracing a broader footprint that’ll outlast any one channel,” said Benigeri, noting that their team is working with several creators who have already updated their contracts. These changes are transforming creators’ approaches to brand deals, and he expressed a passion for sharing the insights.
The Case For Going Multi-Platform
A study by Group RFZ revealed that YouTube is the top alternative for regular TikTok users (those active at least five times a week) if the platform faces a ban. According to the study, 46% of respondents indicated they would turn to YouTube, followed by 39% opting for Instagram, 38% for YouTube Shorts, 30% for Facebook, and 23% for X.
It’s also worth noting that Peacock will soon experiment with short-form videos, as first reported by TechCrunch. This could become a new platform for creators to flock to, should that option become available.
A potential ban, however, will force creators and marketers to adopt multichannel strategies, according to Jonathan Futa of Group RFZ. YouTube tailors its recommendations based on user interactions, similar to TikTok. To prevent disruption risks when other platforms face similar challenges, Futa advised marketers to diversify their strategies in order to avoid over-reliance on one platform.
“In this shift, they’ll look to form partnerships with creators who have a foothold on various platforms or can easily transfer to new platforms,” said Futa. “That’s why it’s [imperative for creators to diversify themselves] — and start to do so asap.”
