With the certainty of TikTok still unknown you’re likely wondering, ‘What’s next?’. 

However short or temporary, the recent US TikTok ban is a great reminder that you don't own your audience on socials.

To  stay connected with your followers and safeguard your income streams, no matter what Big Tech throws your way, you should diversify your social media strategy.

Plus, you can take other proactive steps to reduce your reliance on social media platforms by owning your audience and content.  Here’s how:

1. Grow your cross-platform presence

One of the biggest takeaways from TikTok’s potential US ban is this: you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket—or should we say, social media platform. 

On social media, you rent—rather than own—your audience. If platforms go dark overnight, as we’ve just seen with TikTok, you can instantly lose access to a community you’ve spent months or even years building. 

We’re not here to say you should ditch social media marketing entirely. The opposite, in fact! The key to building a sustainable social media presence is diversifying your audience across multiple platforms and giving your community a reason to follow you across different channels. 

Rather than only showing up consistently on one social media channel, build an omnichannel strategy that leverages several platforms. Here’s what that means in practice: 

• Use Instagram to showcase your products or services in action through social proof (such as user-generated content), bite-sized Reels and educational how-to carousels.
  
  
• Use YouTube to share rich video content about what goes on behind the scenes of your brand, from interviews with your team to a sneak peek at your upcoming launches.
  
  
• Use LinkedIn to leverage employee-generated content that showcases thought leadership and builds brand authority, particularly with potential hires, partners and even investors. 

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Keep Reading: Struggling to find a TikTok alternative to include in your 2025 social media strategy? Browse our 10 favorite TikTok-esque apps and discover the right ones for your business.

The best way to cross-promote your social media channels is through a consolidated link in bio landing page on Linktree. Adding links to all of your social media platforms at the top of your Linktree using clickable icons allows you to drive traffic (and followers!) to your different channels for easy cross-platform growth. 

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Plus, Linktree offers easy app integration with all the platforms you know and love—including over 30+ social media platforms like Snapchat, Pinterest, YouTube and more. 

We can even bring your social media content to life, such as replicating your Instagram Grid on Linktree with clickable posts. This interactive experience allows users to click on each post and dive straight into a relevant webpage—whether that’s reading a specific blog post or shopping your new collection on your ecommerce site. 

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2. Diversify your income streams

Speaking of diversification, it’s important to ensure you’re able to generate consistent revenue —even if social media platforms shut up shop overnight. 

With many creators and brands losing access to TikTok Shop overnight (and no guarantees the platform will remain active in the long-term), it’s time to fill the void with a future-proof ecommerce solution. And that’s where Linktree Shops enters the chat. 

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From promoting your latest collections to earning an income from affiliate links, Linktree Shops allows you to centralize your ecommerce presence. 

Here’s how to get started with Linktree Shops:

• Set up your Shop in seconds by turning your latest social posts into shoppable content right within your Linktree.
  
  
• Increase conversions by making it easy for your audience to browse your favorite products and checkout directly on your Linktree.
  
  
• Organize your products from your own store or affiliate products from another site with collections designed to tailor and personalize the shopping experience for your community. 

The best bit? You own your Linktree Shop, meaning you’ll never have to worry about the financial impacts of social platforms going dark again. 

🧪Apply for Linktree Shops: Want to be one of the first to earn commissions on your fave products, right from your Linktree? Apply for Shops and start earning from top brands like Sephora, Lululemon and Revolve—or start selling products from your own store today!

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📋 Apply for early access now

3. Start building and fostering an engaged mailing list  

If you haven’t poured much love into email marketing, now is the time to start.

While social media channels are a great place to grow your audience, email marketing is the perfect spot to nurture and retain your community. From timely automations to regular email newsletters, converting your followers into subscribers allows you to reach your audience directly in their inbox—rather than battling for attention in crowded social media algorithms.

Also, cultivating an owned asset—like an engaged email marketing list—is one of your brand's most valuable resources. No matter what your conversion or revenue targets look like, fostering an engaged mailing list means you can continue driving website traffic, building meaningful connections and boosting sales from your audience, no matter what happens in the world of social media apps.  

The good news? Building and engaging your audience beyond social is easy with Linktree. 

Here’s how:

• Create an Email Signup Link that allows you to capture leads and potential customers directly from Linktree—it’s the fastest, easiest way to turn visitors into subscribers!
  
  
• With our handy integrations with popular CRM platforms like MailChimp, Zapier and even Google Sheets, you can instantly capture and input these new subscribers into your mailing list—ready to receive your next juicy email campaign!
  
  
• Plus, you can even set up an SMs Signup Link that makes it easy for visitors to opt-in to SMS marketing campaigns, too. Use a lucrative offer (such as a discount on their first order with your brand) to incentivize sign-ups. 

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Keep Reading: Get inspired by there eight newsletter examples, perfect for brands and creators looking to maximize the value of email marketing. 

Ready to own your audience?‍

‍A TikTok ban isn’t just the loss of a platform–it’s a wake-up call to diversify your channels, safeguard your income streams and own your audience. Explore these ownership features on Linktree and take control today.