How Creators Have Been Bracing for TikTok's Shutdown❌

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TODAY’S EDITION:

• Creators are flocking to alternative platforms as we’re days away from the TikTok ban.

• Instagram outlines its priorities for 2025 and gets started with a new feature to see what Reels your friends are watching.

• YouTuber Ms Rachel is making her debut on Netflix this month, becoming the latest creator to intertwine with Hollywood.

• Meta’s Community Notes won’t apply to paid ads, but will be available for influencer-sponsored posts — why this will be risky for brands and influencers.

THE BIG THREE

How Creators and Social Media Platforms Are Responding to the Looming TikTok Ban

The Supreme Court has upheld the ban on TikTok, and reports indicate that TikTok plans to go ’dark’ this Sunday. U.S. users opening the app will see a message redirecting them to a website with more information, though profiles will remain visible to users outside the U.S

How Creators and Platforms Are Reacting: All week, U.S. creators have been preparing for a TikTok shutdown and competitors have ramped up their efforts to attract displaced creators. Here’s how the ecosystem has been responding:

• Fanbase: This ad-free platform, offering monetization across multiple content types, has surged into the Apple App Store’s top 10.

• Instagram: Meta is surveying select creators on how the TikTok ban will affect them.

• Lemon8: ByteDance’s other app, now integrated with TikTok, is paying TikTok creators to encourage users to join the platform.

• Snapchat: Launched its Find Your Favorites campaign, featuring notable creators highlighting the benefits of Snapchat.

• Substack: The newsletter platform is offering $25,000 to a TikTok creator who can generate a viral trend and attract others to move over to Substack. Live streaming has also been expanded to all publishers.

• Triller: Formerly a major TikTok competitor, Triller launched SaveMyTikToks, a tool that lets creators download TikTok content and upload it directly to Triller.

• Xiaohongshu (RedNote): A hybrid Chinese-based platform blending features of Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and Reddit, Xiaohongshu (RedNote) has gained about half a million new U.S. users.

• YouTube: In the final phase of its longer Shorts initiative, YouTube now allows creators to upload Shorts up to three minutes long. It’s also testing a highlights tool to help creators turn engaging segments of long-form videos into Shorts.

Why It Matters: Despite a wealth of alternatives, no platform fully replicates TikTok’s unique algorithm, culture, or community.

While Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat are poised to benefit the most, smaller, lesser-known platforms will see short-term spikes in U.S. users.

However, apps like Lemon8 and RedNote may not be worth investing in, as they are likely to be impacted by the same Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act that is driving the TikTok ban. TikTok may be gone for a period, but creators and their content will go elsewhere for the time-being.

Next Steps for Creators: In the long term, creators should continue to diversify their social media presence and invest in owned channels such as websites, newsletters, and private communities.

In the immediate short term, creators should download their TikTok content and add a CTA with a link in their TikTok bio directing visitors to the platform they plan to focus on for now.

Instagram’s Priorities for the Year are Creativity and Connection

In a recent video, Instagram head Adam Mosseri laid out the platform's priorities for 2025: creativity and connection.

• Creativity: Instagram is planning to upgrade its creative tools, making them "best-in-class" by embracing more AI. It also wants to reward creators for originality, with content rankings reflecting that focus.

• Connection: Instagram is working to make content discovery and consumption more interactive and social. The platform is also exploring new ways to help users connect with friends, including a newly announced feature that lets users see the content their friends are engaging with and easily start conversations

Why It Matters: Looking back at Instagram’s 2024 updates like text-based creative editing for Reels, Notes on Feed Posts & Reels, and Trial Reels, creativity and connection have been consistent themes. This has led to more innovation, which is refreshing as many of Meta’s past updates have been iterations of competitors.

If 2024 is any indication, 2025 could be an exciting year for creators. The big question, though, is how Meta’s recent moves like replacing fact-checkers with a Community Notes system (more on this below) and loosening moderation rules, might impact certain groups of creators.

What’s the Alternative?: Given everything happening with TikTok, leaving Meta platforms could be a tough decision, even for frustrated creators. Creators might find Pixelfed a decentralized platform similar to Instagram, a potential new home. The platform has seen increased traffic and just launched mobile apps, making it one to watch.

Other Instagram Updates: Instagram appears to be rolling out several updates it tested in 2024 more widely, including a redesigned profile, a vertical-first profile grid with taller, rectangular posts, a new viewing experience for carousels, and the DM button in the navigation bar.

Popular Toddler Content YouTuber Ms Rachel Heads to Netflix

Netflix has struck a deal with popular toddler content YouTuber Ms Rachel, who boasts 9.3 billion views and over 13.1 million subscribers.

Starting January 27th, Netflix will debut a four-episode series featuring compilations of her YouTube videos. Each episode will run between 30 and 60 minutes, available in English with subtitles in 33 languages.

Why It Matters: Ms Rachel is the latest YouTuber to make the jump to streaming, joining creators like MrBeast (Beast Games) and the Sidemen (Inside). By securing this deal, Netflix taps into her loyal fanbase of parents and children while expanding its content library in a cost-effective way.

As creator content gains popularity and quality, platforms like Netflix are turning to it to compete with YouTube, the #1 streaming platform in the U.S.

This deal is also notable because it features existing content, rather than new material made specifically for Netflix. This could eventually pave the way for streaming platforms to let creators self-submit long-form content.

More Creators on Streaming: Netflix recently dropped the trailer for Apple Cider Vinegar, a drama about Belle Gibson, the Australian influencer who falsely claimed to have cured her cancer through holistic medicine.

Additionally, HBO's An Update On Our Family, available on MAX explores the controversial decision by YouTubers Myka and James Stauffer to 'rehome' a child they had adopted from China.

ON THE RADAR

Community Notes on Meta Won’t Apply to Paid Ads

According to a report, Meta’s forthcoming feature will only apply to organic content, including non-boosted influencer-sponsored posts.

This could pose risks for brands and influencers, especially in sensitive industries. Sponsored posts, whether they receive valid Community Notes or not, could impact brand safety and cause issues for influencers.

To mitigate this, brands may choose to run sponsored content as ads, removing Community Notes from the equation. Influencers may also become more cautious about the brands they partner with and the specific messaging, in order to avoid the potential negative impacts of the feature.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Cracks Down on LinkedInfluencers

Over 60 reports of LinkedIn influencers in India failing to disclose their sponsored content have prompted the ASCI to issue an advisory, reminding creators to familiarize themselves with ASCI guidelines and CCPA regulations. The council is planning to take action on 56 of these cases as well.

As LinkedIn influencer marketing gains traction in the U.S. and a lot of creators not disclosing their paid partnerships, a similar scenario could prompt the Federal Trade Commission to address LinkedIn-sponsored content in its next round of updates, given its recent history of tightening its guidelines.

The Washington Post Plans to Add More Creators to Its Roster

Following the layoff of approximately 100 employees, many from its PR team, the Washington Post declared in a memo that “talent-driven journalism is the future of media.” The company outlined plans to shift away from traditional PR strategies, focusing instead on amplifying individual talent for visibility. This includes launching a Star Talent Unit and expanding its roster with creators.

The rise of creator-journalists continues to disrupt legacy media. Digital-first creators are emerging as some of today’s most influential writers, while traditional journalists are increasingly leaving major publications to establish their own media ventures on Substack and YouTube.

This shift from institutions to individuals is reshaping the industry, prompting publications like the Washington Post to adapt quickly. GQ's recent move to hire a Substack writer to pen a piece is another example of this trend.

Dubai Wants to Be a Prime Destination for Creators

At the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the UAE unveiled Creator HQ, a new hub at Emirates Towers. Creator HQ will host 300 events and workshops annually, support UAE Golden Visa applications, and provide assistance with funding, company setup, and other creator-focused initiatives. With strategic partnership with Meta, TikTok, X, and more, the UAE aims to attract 10,000 creators to the region.

With the 1BF Summit becoming one of the go-to events for creators and industry professionals, this new initiative positions the UAE to be a significant part of the global creator economy conversation.

Alongside Billion Dollar Boy’s FiveTwoNine and Whalar’s The Lighthouse, there is also a growing list of physical locations designed for creators to create and connect and get support.

WHAT I’M READING & WATCHING

Patreon’s CEO: Social Media Is Killing Creators (Power User Podcast)

Taylor Lorenz sits down with Patreon CEO Jack Conte for a good conversation about the current state and future of social media. This episode serves as an unofficial follow-up to Conte’s “death of the follower” talk, which made waves last year.

2025 State of Marketing Report (HubSpot)

HubSpot’s free report offers data-driven growth tactics and emerging trends for marketers to thrive in an AI-first business world. It was a nice surprise to be included along with the newsletter as key resources for staying ahead of social media trends!

7 Predictions for Social Media in 2025 from Creator Economy Experts (Buffer)

Buffer chatted with nearly a dozen voices in the social media space about their predictions for this year. Predictions range from the formats and platforms where creators and brands will spend their time on to influencer marketing opportunities, and more.

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