In less than 24 hours, TikTok users in the United States will find out if one of the most popular social media apps, has been banned.

For many content creators and influencers, the anticipation of the potential TikTok ban has resurfaced since the previous Jan. 19 ban and Jan. 20 extension. While some content creators have started building other platforms, many TikTok creators still rely on the platform to earn money. With the looming TikTok ban, here are a few major ways the ban will impact the creator economy, influencers, and content creators:

What Is The Impact On The Creator Economy?

I interviewed Lissette Calveiro, CEO and founder of Influence With Impact. She discussed the implications of the potential TikTok Ban for content creators and influencers.

Lissette: TikTok is a big revenue driver for many creators, and if the app is banned, the entire revenue stream will be down for content creators.

Emma: What other implications do you think are for creators?

Lissette: Building trust and an audience on other platforms takes time. Because of the learning curve, you might find TikTok creators with smaller followings on other platforms.

Lissette: For brand campaigns, I recommend creators have contingency plans for projects that include TikTok. Brands are investing in YouTube Shorts and Instagram. So if you're unable to post a TikTok video, you might propose posting that as an Instagram story."

I also spoke to Kahleah, CEO and founder of Alora Society, to get her insight into the impact of this looming ban on creators.

Kahlea: If TikTok were to get banned, there would be a massive shift in the creator economy. There will be a trust crisis between creators and these tech platforms... it's forcing creators to understand and confront the reality that algorithms and policies and politics not creativity alone can actually control their visibility and their income.

Additionally, I interviewed Amber Venz Box, co-founder and president of LTK. Amber shared insight on what brands and CMOs' perspectives of influencer marketing this year.

Emma: As LTK is a three-sided business, you and your team work with brands and CMOs who run influencer marketing through LTK. What's the sentiment around the potential TikTok Ban, and is there any indication that spending on influencers will change?

Amber: Each year, LTK partners with Northwestern University on an annual brand study of creator marketing, and we've found that 93% of brands intend to spend more on creators this year.

Creators build trust with their communities, and brands believe in leveraging that trust as a part of their marketing strategy. The channel where they leverage that trust is less important.

Where Do TikTok Creators Go Next?

While most content creators consider traditional social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, or YouTube/YouTube Shorts, Amber shared how LTK has experienced an influx of TikTok creators on LTK.

Amber: In April 2024, when the conversations around potentially banning TikTok started, we (LTK) started seeing TikTokers flooding the platform. By Q1 of 2025, they had tripled the number of videos on the platform.

Amber: Creators build and sell trust. I encourage creators to get their audience to a safe home base. They should view their social media audiences as qualified leads and look to establish a home for their audience.

I also asked Lissette where she'd recommend TikTok creators should start to post their content.

Emma: What platforms do you think TikTok creators should consider?

Lissette Calveiro: I would consider Instagram or YouTube to build a secondary big platform for yourself.YouTube shorts are competing with TikTok these days.

In the brand partnership space, brands may not hire YouTube creators as frequently because they know it costs a lot more money to make long-form videos. But now that you can make short-form videos on YouTube, brands are investing in the same way they were on TikTok.

Not necessarily in the same way, magnitude, and dollars as they were investing on Instagram, which is why I say YouTube or Instagram are great because brands are still looking for Instagram creators first for a majority of their paid campaigns.

How Can Content Creators And Influencers Future-Proof Their Brands?

I spoke with Lisette about what creators can do to start future-proofing their brands.

Lisette: Creators cannot put all their eggs in one social media basket. I recommend that they diversify their online presence and treat themselves as a media company. Whether you build a course or a private practice, diversify your revenue streams.

Emma: Do you have any tips for creators who only create on TikTok?

Lisette: You have to start migrating your audience to other platforms. Start making your transition plan. An excellent example I saw is someone on TikTok posting photography content, then saying, "I’m doing my behind-the-scenes on Instagram. That's a good way to move people to another platform by giving them something interesting.

While some creators might migrate to other social media platforms, Kahlea shared her insight on creators evolving to creator entrepreneurship.

Kahlea: The creators who are going to thrive in the post-ban are the ones who actually treat this not as a loss but as a pivot point. And so it's time for creators to stop thinking creators and start thinking about a brand. So it's not just going to push you to another platform. It should inspire you to build an actual business.

Emma: In what ways do you recommend influencers and creators explore building their businesses off social media apps?

Kahlea: Creators can build a recognizable brand identity that carries across platforms and even trans-platforms to when you're in person. Whether you speak, host real-life vents, or offer products like digital downloads, experiences, and consulting, you're offering something valuable.