Phew. It’s been a pretty chaotic last few weeks for those of us who work in the world of social media!
ICYMI: On Friday, January 17th, the United States Supreme Court upheld a federal law that would ban the use of TikTok. On Saturday, January 18th, the app went dark and less than 24 hours later, everything was business as usual.
Is this extension temporary? Will this be officially overturned? How long will the ban last? Nobody really knows. The future of the app is unknown.
But, if there’s anything that I CAN confidently speak on, it’s that this should serve as a gentle reminder to never put all of your eggs in one basket when it comes to the channels your brand uses to build communities, advertise, post organically, etc. TikTok aside, let’s not forget the panic that ensues when Meta goes down for just one hour.
So, whether you’re searching for a detour (and fast!), looking to build a healthier, more well-rounded social media strategy, or hunting for new growth opportunities, I’ve got you covered. I’ve outlined the top alternatives to TikTok, who each platform would be best suited for, and a lengthy list of tips and tricks to grow your following.
As much as I’d hate to see this app go myself, I am equally as excited to watch creators, brands, and businesses who leaned heavily on TikTok, show off their creativity in building their communities on platforms they may have utilized less in the past or not at all. Now let’s get started!
Platform Alternatives
I cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining a solid brand identity and building a community across multiple channels. Whether TikTok is here to stay permanently or will disappear again soon, I highly recommend using this list below as an opportunity to:
- Gut-check how you’re currently using the platform (i.e. are you just posting to post?)
- Brainstorm how your content on TikTok can fit on these platforms
- Assess the community you’ve built on each platform and if there’s any overlap across them
Before we dive into the list of platforms below, I want to preface it with the fact that choosing 2-3 strong channels that fit your needs and industry is much better than adding a channel that wouldn’t make sense for your brand, such as Pinterest, just because I have it listed here.
Static images were once the bread and butter here, but with the addition of Instagram reels, it’s arguably the runner-up to TikTok. Between static content, videos, stories, and a multitude of ways to engage with your audience, this is a channel you’ll want to spend time and money on.
Best For:
Almost any brand. With visual content being the preferred way to consume content, I could make a case for so many different types of brands to use Instagram. And if you’re thinking, “Eh, I don’t know that it’ll work for me,” talk to a talented team of creatives and strategists. Trust me, they’ll know what to do. But for the sake of this exercise, Instagram is especially great for:
- E-Commerce brands
- Anyone targeting millennials or gen-Zs
- Those in niches like travel, beauty, fashion, food, art, etc.
- Lifestyle influencers/creators and brands alike
- Brands focused on fostering a community (so… every single one of you!)
Similarities to TikTok:
- Prioritizes short-form content
- TikTok Shop is a close match to shopping capabilities on Instagram
- All carousel-style “videos” on TikTok can be repurposed on the image and/or video feed
YouTube
Personally, I think this channel is going to reap the most rewards as a result of this TikTok chaos. I’ve already seen dozens of brands begin to cross-post their videos on YouTube Shorts. There’s also been a huge shift in people watching YouTube videos on their TVs, appreciating more long-form content, which a handful of creators have begun capitalizing on. If you’ve got video content to share, whether paid or organic, now is the time to dust off your YouTube account and prioritize it.
Best For:
- B2B, B2C, creators, influencers, and truly anyone with a solid video strategy can make a case for having a presence on YouTube. This especially includes: Brands sharing informational and educational style content
- DIY and niche creators/brands
- Entertainers
- Businesses leveraging evergreen content
- Brands seeking global reach
Similarities to TikTok:
- Short-form content feed (YouTube Shorts)
- Partner Program is similar to the Creator Fund
- Keywords in titles and descriptions help discoverability
Facebook takes second place in terms of video content to channels like YouTube and Instagram, however, there’s still plenty of opportunity to leverage this channel. On Facebook, you can look forward to Facebook reels, in-feed videos, or links to your YouTube videos on static posts. I’d recommend only piloting a video strategy on this channel IF you’re using 1 or both of the channels above.
Best For:
A wide variety of brands, given Facebook has the largest and most widespread audience out of any other channel. Here’s who it’s best for:
- Brands targeting diverse age groups
- Local brands and businesses
- E-commerce brands
- Brands looking for a large ROI (for running ad campaigns)
- Brands sharing informational and educational style content
- Businesses that host a lot of events, webinars, or livestreams
Similarities to TikTok:
- Facebook Reels is a short-form video content feed
- Engagement plays a huge role in if your video will appear in your audience’s algorithm
- Wide audience age range
Yep, if you didn’t know already, you can post videos to Pinterest. While there’s not a dedicated video feed and is very slow-paced in comparison to TikTok, this channel would be a great place to pivot, especially for brands where “presentation is everything.”
Best For:
Brands that take visually appealing pictures and videos, value aesthetics, and want a more judgment-free zone. This channel would also best suit:
- If your niche is DIY, food-related, home décor, fashion, beauty, health and fitness, etc.
- E-commerce brands
- If your target audience is women
- If your website has a blog
- Brands who have a product or service related to events, holidays, special occasions, etc.
Similarities to TikTok:
- Highly personalized algorithms
- Shoppable posts/ads
- High trend participation
I’ll be honest, LinkedIn creating a video feed on mobile and the rise of LinkedIn influencers was not on my 2024 bingo card last year. However, their video feed seems to be doing well, and not for nothing, I can guarantee you’ll learn something new after watching just 5 videos!
Best For:
All B2B and B2C brands who want to connect with like-minded, industry-specific individuals! To get a bit more granular, here’s who will also find the most benefit:
- Businesses, creators, or media companies who want to reach executives, CEOs, decision-makers, etc.
- Businesses promoting webinars, live videos, events, certifications, whitepapers, etc
- Non-profits
- Higher education
- Industry leaders and thought leaders (what problem can you solve for working professionals?)
Similarities to TikTok:
- Relies on engagement for positive performance
- Favors storytelling style content
- Algorithm driven content
How to Grow Your Platform on a New Channel
Now that you’ve chosen a new channel or decided to focus more attention to one you may have left vacant, it’s time to grow. Before we get into tips and tricks, let’s do a pulse check to ensure we remember why you’re here in the first place.
Say it with me: “I will actively attempt to give equal attention to all of the channels I’ve chosen that’ll best suit my brand. I will not rely on one channel to see results.”
Got it? Got it. Anyway, I’ve compiled a universal list that can be used across all channels to help replicate the community you’ve once had on TikTok and get started on the right foot.
- Post Consistently: This should go without saying, but you’ve got to post at least 4-6x a week. And that’s me being generous. This doesn’t include posting stories on Instagram and Facebook either, I'm talking about posting videos and actual posts to your feed
- Cross-post Where Applicable: If you’ve got a reel or video that performed well on one channel, consider reposting it to another channel within 1-3 weeks.
- Link Out to Your Social Media Channels: Ensure you’ve got links to your social media channels on the footer of your website, the footer of your emails, in the about section or bio of other channels, on QR codes at tradeshows, etc. Just make sure you’re taking every opportunity to plug all of your channels.
- Giveaways: If you’re trying out a new platform like Pinterest for example, encourage your Instagram and Facebook followers to follow you on Pinterest. Incentivize them by sharing you’ll host a giveaway once you reach X amount of followers on that page, and give them some insight to what you’ll be sharing on that channel.
- Audience Analysis: The goal is community, yes, but that community may look different from channel to channel. Analyze your current following list and your target audience and curate content based on those findings. For example, your audience’s average age on Facebook may be a bit older than it is on Instagram.
- Hashtags and Keywords: I once was anti-hashtags but I’ve grown to see positive performance from them. I’d recommend using hashtags mainly for Instagram, anywhere between 2-6, and focusing on utilizing keywords on the other platforms. The only time I’d use hashtags on a channel like LinkedIn or Facebook is if I was promoting an event or beginning a post series.
- Partnerships: Working with an influencer or creator to help promote your brand or product is likely one of the quickest ways to get new people over to your page. Because so many creators have started their journeys on TikTok, you can only assume they’re ramping up their activity on other channels with their job in jeopardy. It’s a win-win.
- Paid Advertising: No shame in the game if this is what it takes to grow your page. There are numerous, numerous ways to do this (even with minimal ad spend) and we’d love to help you! Can we interest you in a page like ad? Perhaps a short animation explaining the benefits of your brand?
- Be Trendy: Can you believe we are living in a time where being too polished and proper is considered a negative quality? This doesn’t mean you should start going rogue on your graphics, but feel free to bend the rules a bit in your post copy. If a trend speaks to you, go for it! Sometimes posting at the right time when something is trending is all you need for a viral moment
- Be Patient: I wish I could snap my fingers, and my clients would hit 1M followers overnight. But it’s just not the reality! Just because things may feel like they’re moving slowly, remember to just be consistent and post good content -- it may take some time to build your community.
What’s Next?
I’d be lying if I said that this TikTok chaos hasn’t shaken the entire social media landscape up just a teensy bit. For some brands and creators, the thought of this app being gone forever does seem incredibly daunting. However, with this occurring so close to start of 2025, think of it as a chance to refine your brand identity, explore underutilized channels, and uncover new ways to connect with your audience.
If TikTok was once your strongest channel and you’re able to adapt to this change, I have no doubt in my mind that you’ll have long-term success in the future.
If you’re feeling uneasy about your 2025 strategy upon this news, or feel like you’ve exhausted every growth tactic already, reach out to my team. We’d love to perform a social media audit and set you up for success!