On The Potential Tik Tok Ban

I used to hit this open-air gym regularly.

One of the guys I’d see there was a TikTok influencer—let’s call him Marco.

Marco had over 300,000 followers on TikTok.

His content was all about podcast-style true crime stories, and it was blowing up.

One day, we struck up a conversation while catching our breath between sets.

He told me about how TikTok’s algorithm had changed.

His posts weren’t getting the same traction. His reach had tanked, and with it, his income.

As a pure marketer, I asked.

“Do you have an email list?”

He looked at me like I’d just asked him to bench press a bus.

“No, I just focus on content on Tik Tok and IG. Some Podcasts on Spotify” he said.

And there it was—the real problem.

Marco wasn’t in control.

TikTok (or [insert algorithm]) was.

His entire “business”…

His reach, his income, his audience—was dependent on a platform he didn’t own.

Now, fast forward to today.

TikTok might get banned in certain places.

I don’t know. You probably don’t know what’s going to happen. either.

Governments are cracking down.

Accounts are getting suspended for “violations” that nobody can figure out.

And people like Marco are panicking.

But smart marketers…don’t really care.

Why? Because they simply know better.

They know the truth about platforms like Tik Tok.

Here’s why content is risky as f*ck.

TikTok, Instagram, YouTube—they’re borrowed land.

You don’t own it.

They can change the rules anytime they want.

They can take away your reach, your audience, your income—just like that.

Unfortunately, the algorithm isn’t your friend.

You might get lucky and go viral for a while, but relying on luck is a terrible strategy.

So what are smart marketers doing?

Simple.

Owning the audience.

If Marco had spent even 10% of his time funneling his followers into an email list, he wouldn’t care that much about the algorithm.

He wouldn’t care about bans, shadowbans, or the next “platform-killer.”

He’d own his audience.

And when you own your audience, the platform doesn’t matter.

TikTok can vanish tomorrow, and you’ll still have a direct line to the people who care about what you do.

Also, learning paid traffic wouldn’t hurt.

If there’s one thing that platforms like Tik Tok value more than ‘how your content affects our users’ is…

Money.

When you paid, the reach is guaranteed.

And you can also target the exact people you want.

But maybe that’s a topic for another issue.

Anyways.

If you’re relying on TikTok, Instagram, or any other platform to build your business, here’s what you need to do:

1. Start Building an Email List Today
   Create a simple lead magnet. Offer value. Get people onto your list.

2. Use Social Media as a Funnel, Not a Crutch
   Your TikTok followers aren’t “yours” until they’re on your email list. Use your content to drive them there.

3. Focus on What You Can Control
   Algorithms change. Platforms rise and fall. But your email list? That’s yours forever.

In other words…don’t be Marco.

Marco isn’t a bad guy.

He’s talented, creative, and worked hard to build his audience.

But because he relied 100% on TikTok, he’s now at the mercy of forces he can’t control.

Don’t let that be you.

Own your audience.

Own your business.

Everything else is borrowed land.

Talk soon,

Nick