What to Do When Your Favorite Social Media Platform Shuts Down

A few weeks ago, I asked my daughter – a regular content contributor on TikTok – what she would do if TikTok was banned in the United States.

“I guess I’ll switch over to Instagram,” she said. Days later, I saw more posts from her just in case TikTok went away – which it did.

No one knows if the TikTok ban will stick (as of this writing, it's back up but who knows?); regardless, this is a good time to revisit your digital marketing strategy. Here are just a few of the reasons I’ve seen clients need to change up what they’re doing:

• You could get hacked and lose your account and followers. And thanks to the non-existent customer service with most platforms…you won’t get your account back.

• You might decide that the platform isn’t in line with your values.

• The platform might get banned and you could lose your content and your followers.

Now more than ever, it’s important to make sure you diversify your marketing channels so that if one goes down, you’re not completely out of luck. And sometimes you need to revisit some of the old-school options that have stood the test of time.

Email Marketing

Building an email list is like creating your own personal hotline to your customers. Unlike social media, where algorithms decide what people see, email puts you in the driver’s seat. Regular newsletters, updates, and special offers sent directly to your subscribers’ inboxes help you stay connected and keep those relationships going strong. Not only that, but on average, “For every $1 spent on email marketing, marketers make $42.” That’s a 4200% ROI.

Remember that not everyone is on social media, but almost everyone has an email account.

Create an Awesome Website

A well-optimized, SEO-friendly website helps people find you when they’re searching online, even if social media channels are out of the picture. Your site can host blog posts, showcase your products, and serve as a hub for everything your business has to offer. Plus, investing in search engine optimization means you’ll pop up in search results when your audience needs you most.

It also enables you to create and host content on something you have control over. Whether it’s helpful blog posts, engaging videos, or informative podcasts, sharing valuable content helps you build trust and showcase your expertise. Great content doesn’t just educate your audience—it’s also a magnet for organic traffic to your website.

Diversify Your Social Media

My daughter already had an Instagram account for her music (shameless plug HERE), but she posted more regularly on TikTok because that’s what most artists were doing. But Instagram reels – which they’ve been focusing on a lot – are also a viable option.

Keeping multiple social media channels active means that if you have to pivot, it won’t be like starting from scratch. Sure, you might have more followers on one platform than another, but your audience will have to switch as well – so keep the content going and they will find you (especially if you let them know where you are on your website and in your newsletter!).

 

The time to look at your marketing strategy is now.

As you continue to create content, you don’t want to start posting somewhere else completely from the beginning. And, frankly, having several different ways of communicating with your audience just makes you look more legit and professional.

Always think about how you can cross-market your content: can the audio from a video become a podcast? Can you create a video using a blog as an outline? Can all of this get posted on your website and sent out in an email so you get more traffic?

Your marketing strategy is within your control, no matter what the social media gods throw at us.