TikTok is Back. Now What? (And Other Thoughts on Social Media)

Social media is off to a bumpy start in 2025. That probably won’t change anytime soon.

If you’ve read this newsletter for a while, you know I am a business nerd. I like assessing business problems and organizing solutions in a mental diagram. That’s what I’ve been doing with the state of social media these past few weeks. Instead of posting a lot, I’ve been observing. I’ve attended tech news webinars. I’ve read endless articles and newsletters about what Meta and TikTok are doing (and not doing). This is a transitional time for social media, making it messy for the rest of us, especially in book publishing. Suppose publishers don’t manage their social media expectations and still expect business as usual for author platforms. In that case, an industry-wide discussion about what will work in 2025 and beyond must exist. Except it doesn’t—not yet, anyway.

TikTok’s fluid situation could give you whiplash. On Sunday, TikTok was banned. On Monday, TikTok was back, though the Apple and Google app stores still don’t have it to download. President Trump signed an executive order to keep TikTok alive for the next 75 days while his administration and ByteDance (and, let’s face it, the Chinese government) find a solution to keep the app available in the U.S. Currently, Larry Ellison’s company Oracle is hosting TikTok on its servers, which is how it was able to come back to life. Unfortunately, the chances of a deal getting done in 75 days are slim. The scenario is similar to a joint venture where the U.S. (or a U.S. entity) will purchase 50% of TikTok—though to me, it would have to be a company buying a majority stake of 51% or more). ByteDance would retain 50% ownership, which means the Chinese government would maintain its 1% stake in the app. TikTok could theoretically keep ownership of its algorithm if the deal were 50-50. If the deal were structured so the U.S. or a U.S. entity bought 51% of TikTok and ByteDance kept 49%, the sale would hinder what China would allow ByteDance to do about TikTok’s algorithm—their condition is that TikTok cannot be sold to a U.S. entity with its algorithm. Without its algorithm, TikTok would lose most of its value (and its users, who help make it valuable). Let’s take this one step further. Say Trump works out a deal. That deal is only good when he is in office, so we’d be looking at another possible ban in 2028.

TikTok should be considered as a funnel. Your audience finds you there, likes your content, and then looks for you on other platforms. This is how TikTok creators are starting to transition their business from TikTok to Instagram (mainly) and even Substack. At the same time, Mark Zuckerberg acts like a kid whose parents are away and creates less-than-palatable policies for most adults in the room. I’d argue that moderation on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads has been broken for as long as I’ve used each app (15 years, give or take, and 1 year on Threads). This time, we hear about new policies (like eliminating fact-checkers) from the horse’s mouth. I’ve seen endless posts on Facebook and Threads from people saying they are leaving the platforms. I believe people should do whatever aligns with their values, but I’d also argue that leaving those platforms lessens the sense of community many need.

Additionally, if you’re an author, you are stuck between maybe not wanting to be on Meta platforms and publishers wanting to see what your following is like on a Meta platform like Instagram. Is it a no-win situation? Only if publishers continue to double down on the idea that you, the author, must have a robust platform. It’s not only a publishing problem. It’s an advertising ecosystem problem. The retail landscape—especially beauty and fashion—relies on influencers to represent their brands. Why? Because it is cheaper to do that than run an ad campaign in the print or digital edition of Vogue and other media outlets. Influencers reach consumers, and this has been the case for some time. Brands can’t reverse that, so they must pivot quickly when social media is disrupted. While many brands have pulled advertising from Twitter/X, they’ve used Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok successfully. They’re also using Pinterest and Snapchat (FYI, Snapchat reaches 90% of Gen Z in 35 countries—don’t ignore it). The more creators and brands diversify, the better their chance of thriving, even when chaos occurs with a particular platform. Further, creators now know that the most valuable thing they can do is connect with their followers via email. Having someone’s contact information is becoming the gold pot at the end of the rainbow.

If you feel lost, here is some simple advice: Diversify your platform. If you do well on TikTok, ensure you have a plan for Reels on Instagram. If you like Facebook Groups, figure out what topics interest you enough to start a newsletter. If you want to stick to Bluesky, invest time connecting with people to build trust and a following. If you prefer Instagram, stick with it and play around with the different features they’re releasing. Check out what people’s Pinterest boards look like for books. Maybe that’s an option for you. There are options and solutions. I’ll be writing more about all of this in upcoming newsletter issues. Right now, I’d sit tight and take time to assess where you are on a platform and where you want to be.

If you’re a publisher, consider what you’re underutilizing. Are there Instagram features you haven’t tried (I know there are, but I’m not giving away all my ideas here)? Are there marketing activities you’ve ignored (yes to this, too)? Have you connected with your authors to discuss how you’ll pivot if BookTok isn’t available? Are you still on Twitter—and if so, why? There’s no value there! If you’re continuously paying for digital ads, Goodreads giveaways, and other things that don’t show sales conversion, change your plans. Indeed, other platforms aren’t as powerful as TikTok because their algorithms are different, but it’s also true that diversifying is necessary for the foreseeable future.

The fact that millions of creators depend on TikTok for business isn’t lost on me. I think a ban is short-sighted. Politicizing a platform to use as a bargaining chip in negotiations about tariffs (which is likely to happen) ignores the fact that the government is messing with people’s livelihoods. I am nervous that Elon Musk’s name has entered the TikTok conversation because he essentially destroyed Twitter. However, even though social media is fractured, it presents options we didn’t have five years ago. Sure, some apps are fleeting, but some have staying power, and that wouldn’t be possible without people who crave community—and community is exactly what the publishing industry needs.

END NOTES:

What I’m Reading: Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. It’s my first time reading Okorafor’s work, and wow, I am blown away.

What I’m Watching: When I had the flu, I started rewatching Younger (it’s on Netflix), which gave me a bit of nostalgia for 2015 when I was still working in-house for a publisher. Then, my 16-year-old daughter and I binged Selling the City (also on Netflix) about luxury real estate agents in NYC. So catty! We also just watched Back in Action (Netflix!) with Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz—a solid, entertaining flick. During the holiday break, we (yes, my 16-year-old—she’s almost 17—daughter) and I saw Nicole Kidman’s new film, Babygirl. Mt daughter’s review: “What the f*** did I just watch?!?” (I laughed)

What I’m Listening to: I haven’t started listening to it yet, but the audiobook of Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old is next in my Audible library.