TikTok is the most popular entertainment app, with over 672 million downloads. For the past several years, creators have taken advantage of this by growing a TikTok following and monetizing their TikTok content. However, all of that could be coming to a screeching halt for U.S. TikTok creators if the United States bans the app. This would be some creators’ worst nightmare. It’s no surprise that this news has TikTok creators in a frenzy because a ban would mean the loss of followers and income. So, what does this mean for TikTok creators who make a living by posting on the platform? Keep reading to find out.

Why the U.S. wants to ban TikTok

While TikTok has reshaped U.S. culture for the past five years, the U.S. government has some major concerns about the app. Long story short — the U.S. government is worried that the Chinese-owned app threatens national security. They’re concerned that TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, may give the Chinese government access to private user data, including location information. To combat this, the U.S. simply wants to ban the app in the States permanently.

How would a ban impact creators?

A permanent ban of TikTok would be detrimental to the thousands of U.S. TikTok creators who make a living via the app. Not only would creators lose their following, but they’d also lose income. Because of TikTok’s powerful algorithm, which focuses on showing new content to users instead of content from accounts they already follow, it’s much easier for new creators to get discovered on TikTok. This would mean that creators would have to work much harder on other platforms for the same visibility they receive on TikTok.

Audience and engagement are key when it comes to monetizing TikTok. A potential TikTok ban means creators would lose the audiences and engagement they’ve spent months — sometimes years — growing. Building a loyal following is no easy task, and most of the time, it doesn’t just happen overnight, so a ban would put TikTok creators back at square one — having to build an audience all over again from scratch.

What can creators do to prepare?

Even though a TikTok ban would devastate many creators, all is not lost. There are still many things that TikTok creators can do right now to save themselves if a ban were to happen. Creators need to focus on these two things right now:

  • Diversifying their online presence by becoming active on other social platforms and telling their audience to follow them there. Give them incentives for doing so.
  • Diversifying income streams by relying on more than just the TikTok creator fund and brand partnerships. Check out this guide for ideas on diversifying your income as a creator.

Final Thoughts

While the ban is still up in the air, now is a good time for creators to start thinking about how they will pivot. Creators should be trying to get their audience to another platform or on an e-mail list and start thinking about what life as a creator looks like without TikTok. Whether the ban will happen or not, no one knows for sure, but it’s always best to prepare for the worst.

Do you think the U.S. will actually ban TikTok? Leave a comment below!