What the TikTok Ban Means for Brands & Creators (And What to Do About It)

Updated January 23, 2026

Based on news outlet reports, the TikTok deal has officially closed. Oracle, Silver Lake, MGX, and other U.S. investors now hold 45% ownership of TikTok's U.S. operations, with ByteDance retaining 19.9%.

What this means for brands and creators:

• Users can continue using the same TikTok app on mobile and web

• Oracle will retrain the algorithm based solely on U.S. user data

• No major changes expected in the near term

• Long-term: the algorithm may diverge from the global version as it's retrained for U.S. audiences

The new U.S. entity will operate under defined safeguards that protect national security through comprehensive data protections, algorithm security, and content moderation.

A quick recap of events leading up to this point: 

• January 10: The Supreme Court heard initial arguments around TikTok’s potential ban.

• January 18: TikTok briefly goes dark, only to restore their services less than 24 hours later.

• April 5: The original deadline set by President Trump for TikTok’s sale was extended for another 75 days.

• June 19: TikTok got another 90-day reprieve from the U.S. government following an executive order from Trump.

• September 17: With a “framework” of a deal in sight, Trump signed another executive order extending the deadline to December 16.

• September 26: Trump signed an executive order paving the way for an 80-20 split ownership, with TikTok’s U.S. operations to become 80% owned by a group of American investors, including Oracle CTO Larry Ellison, and the remaining 20% to continue to be controlled by ByteDance.

• December 18: TikTok announced a signed agreement to sell its U.S. business to American investors, with the deal expected to close in January.

So, what happens next?

We break down the possible outcomes—from a full ban to a successful sale—and what each scenario could mean for creators, marketers, and brands. Plus, how to future-proof your social strategy no matter where TikTok lands.

What Does the TikTok Sale Mean for Brands?

If you've invested in TikTok marketing, don't panic—but do start planning. Here's what brands and business owners should consider:

1. Diversify Your Content Strategy

The TikTok sale highlights a critical lesson: depending too heavily on any single social platform is risky. Smart brands are already:

• Repurposing their best TikTok content for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat Spotlight, and other video-based platforms

• Building strong social presences across multiple channels

• Focusing on owned media like email lists and websites

• Developing platform-agnostic content strategies

• Doubling down on brand

2. Creator Partnerships May Shift

Many creators will pivot to other platforms, bringing their audiences with them. Brands should:

• Review their influencer partnerships and identify which creators have a strong multi-platform presence

• Support creators during the transition by being flexible with campaign requirements

• Consider how to redistribute marketing budgets across different platforms

• Start testing campaigns on alternative platforms now

3. Short-Form Video and Data Are Here to Stay

While TikTok started the modern short-form video trend, both the format and the need for data-driven decisions aren't going anywhere. Smart brands are:

• Using analytics to track where their audiences are most active (and how that trend is changing over time) 

• Measuring creator performance and ROI across all platforms

• Developing strategies based on cross-platform engagement data

• Testing content on Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat Spotlight

• Making decisions based on actual performance metrics, not guesswork 

What Does the TikTok Sale Mean for Creators?

Though nothing is happening to TikTok in the short term, the shift in ownership could potentially impact content creators who've built their livelihoods on TikTok in the long run. 

According to Later's January 2025 survey results, 87% of creators were concerned about a potential ban, with 88% expecting a decrease in income, with mid-tier (50-500k followers) influencers feeling the most vulnerable.

And it's not just income at stake—creativity and community were also top of mind.

TikTok account @ninandkylie notes how "this platform has enabled us to fully explore our creative side" while @komes_12 told us "it [would] be heartbreaking to lose my audience."

Despite this, creators are ultimately hopeful and see this as a way to adapt to new changes.

Close to half of the creators we spoke to (44%) were already looking into new platforms, with Reels (87%) and Shorts (61%) leading the way as the next best alternatives.

Here's what creators need to know:

1. Platform Diversification is Key

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Focus on:

• Building presence across multiple platforms

• Converting TikTok followers to other channels, especially Instagram Reels and YouTube

• Finding new, platform-independent ways to reach your audience, like email lists or websites, which you can link out to from your link in bio 

At Later, we discovered that TikTok influencers see the best success in carrying their followers over to Instagram over any other platform. Take YouTube, for example—about half of the mid-tier (50-500k followers) and macro (500k+ followers) creators we surveyed have fewer than 10,000 followers on YouTube. TikTok and Instagram popularity doesn't necessarily mean success on YouTube (although it doesn’t mean it’s not worth experimenting). 

2. Content Adaptation Strategy

Your content strategy should be flexible enough to work across platforms:

• Save and organize your TikTok content

• Adapt your most successful formats for other platforms

• Test different content styles on various platforms

3. Revenue Stream Protection

Think beyond platform-specific monetization:

• Explore multiple affiliate programs

• Develop direct brand relationships

• Consider creating your own products or services

• Build email lists and other owned audience channels

For a deeper dive into creator strategies and support during this transition, check out the expert tips and educational resources available at Mavely University.

How to Prepare for the TikTok Sale to Minimize Impact

Though we've avoided a TikTok ban, here's what you can do now to protect your content against future issues:

Download Your Content

Don't risk losing valuable content. Download your TikTok videos and:

• Upload them to your Later media library for easy cross-posting

• Repurpose top performers for other platforms

• Archive them for future reference

Communicate with Your Audience

Let your TikTok followers know where else they can find you:

• Update your TikTok bio with your Later Link in Bio with links to other social profiles

• Create content directing followers to other platforms

• Build your email list while you can still reach your TikTok audience

Strengthen Your Multi-Platform Strategy

Now is the time to strengthen your presence across multiple channels:

• Experiment with content on different platforms

• Build genuine connections with your audience wherever they are

• Focus on owned channels you control

• Test new formats and features on other platforms

Looking Ahead

As we head into a new era of TikTok, Later is working closely with brand partners and social platforms to help creators and brands succeed.

Remember: Your audience relationships matter more than any single platform. Focus on creating value and maintaining those connections, wherever they happen.

Stay tuned to Later's blog for updates and strategies for navigating the changing social media landscape.

Ready to strengthen your multi-platform strategy? Schedule content across all major social platforms with Later's social media management tools. And for creators looking for additional support and resources during this transition, visit Mavely University.