It is a truth universally acknowledged by creators and social media managers that putting all of your effort into a single platform isn’t the best strategy — platforms can fail, get banned, go bankrupt, or simply fall out of fashion.
Success comes with building your presence up across platforms, so your audience can always connect with you where they like to spend time. Right now, that’s TikTok.
Why it’s Still a Good Idea to Join TikTok Now
With the recent upheaval around TikTok access in the U.S. in the last few months, some creators have wondered if they should build or continue to maintain a presence there.
The short answer is yes, followed by a healthy dose of ‘and.’ According to The Social Shepard, about 120 million TikTok users are in the United States (as of October 2024). Then, of course, there’s, you know, everyone else in the world. Right now, TikTok is the fifth most-used app globally.
The audience is still there. However, the trick to navigating your social presence is to focus less on your approach to using TikTok and more on your global social media strategy, which will hopefully span more than one platform.
So, if you’re just beginning your TikTok journey, get on board, find your seat, pull out your cheesy cracker snacks, and please, please, please buckle up because if there’s anything we’ve learned from current events, it’s that we’re all in for some severe turbulence.
How to Get Started
In the past, we’ve written about how TikTok has set its algorithm apart from other apps like Instagram by testing creators in front of smaller audiences and boosting those that perform well. As we move further into 2025, it’s important to incorporate some or all of the following to help you find that boost quickly.
Of course, nothing happens overnight (despite what those beauty gurus claim about these eye creams!), but the more you put into your TikTok strategy, the bigger the following, and the easier it will be to thrive in all the other corners of the internet.
Niche over trending
We all like bopping along to the latest catchy TikTok song, but it’s better to consider what sets you apart from the crowd when creating your content. Joining in on a trend can be like waiting in line to get into the hottest club with 1,000 of your closest friends – it’s easy to get lost in the crowd (and you’ll never see your coat again).
Try stepping out of the metaphorical overcrowded rooms and into a more intimate space. What would you enjoy making for yourself or sharing with your friend group? Focus on making whatever that thing is because, out of 8 billion people, there are bound to be others who are into it, too.
Use this little trick for SEO
Yes, SEO (search engine optimization) does matter, but no, you don’t have to trawl through a ton of LinkedIn videos or master marketer posts to figure it out. You just need to understand what popular terms people are searching for and how you can connect them to your content.
You can use TikTok’s search function to think of new material that matches your subject matter and what your audience wants to see. If you’re a style icon, try ‘wardrobe,’ ‘styles,’ or ‘inspo’ to get ideas on what people are currently searching for. Then, use those terms in the description, hashtags, and captions so the search function can pick up on them.
A win for the short king
TikTok experimented with allowing longer videos in 2024, but in 2025, short and catchy videos are still the way to go. Even if you plan on making a slightly longer video, grab your audience’s attention in the first few seconds to avoid getting scrolled on.
Be bright or flashy, say something ridiculous, and let your personality shine. If you’re still stuck, check out this handy-dandy guide for templating. However, just because you need to focus on those first, priceless seconds doesn’t mean you should give up your dreams of making long-form video essays about your romantasy bookshelf (more on that later).
Interact with your audience
One of the best ways to ensure people keep commenting on your posts (and boosting your position in the algorithm) is to be an active participant. Try to be active online right after you post and respond to the first wave of comments. Of course, one way to prompt the conversation is to include CTAs (or calls to action) in your post.
Ask people to share their experiences, opinions, and thoughts on the topic of your post or to DM you for more information. If being online constantly gets overwhelming (because you’d like to find your other sock, eat a regular meal, or walk out your door and not stop until you hit water), we can help!
Manychat now offers an AI service that can help automate your responses. Think of it as a way to live less in the comments and more in your creativity. Our TikTok automation is in open beta, too!
Post consistently (and as often as you can)
Think about how many people across the globe are scrolling TikTok right this second (OK, maybe don’t if you don’t want to give yourself a migraine). It makes sense that creators who post often on TikTok perform better, so consider posting at least once a day.
However, if you’re already getting a cold sweat thinking about all that time filming, editing, and posting, please don’t panic. Your focus should be on consistency over frequency. If your content takes longer to put together and you can only post three times a week, focus on that. Remember, TikTok is only one of our tools for online success, and while you want to make the most of your time there, you’ll be using this content elsewhere, too.
How to Keep Going
So, you’re starting your TikTok presence off strong. Now what? It’s time to put all that momentum on TikTok to work for your greater online goals. When you think about the online community you want to build, how can different platforms help you bolster your mission?
YouTube is the perfect place to launch those long-form romantasy video essays or how-to videos featuring the sewing patterns you have for sale on your website. Are you more of a newsletter type who is slow-launching your novel on Substack? Or are you your generation’s top culture commentary voice on a microblogging app like Bluesky?
With its short and snappy videos, TikTok is the best way to create teaser trailers and get people interested in your cool work (not to mention your enchanting, entirely captivating charisma). Be sure to build bridges across your online hubs in the process.
While it’s important to make the most of your time on TikTok (whether two more months or 10 more years), every post should have a goal beyond just going viral. Does your post encourage viewers to see a longer video on another platform? Are you linking your online shop’s Instagram page? Are you featuring screenshots from an important convo on Bluesky and encouraging people to join?
It’s all about expanding the conversation beyond the scope of one app and letting your followers and community members know they can keep it going even if you eventually encounter…technical difficulties.
Magic 8 Ball Says: Reply Hazy, Diversify Your Social Presence
The lasting power of any social media platform is uncertain. For now, it’s best to make the most of the every platform where your audience is active to elevate your visibility and cultivate loyalty across platforms.
There’s always a chance that apps will come and go (raise your hand if you’re from a generation that remembers Vine, MySpace, or *shudder* Google Plus). As a brand, a business, and a content creator, you need to stay nimble and remember that social media is the means, not the end – that part is all you!
You are the common denominator across all your platforms and the reason why viewers like, subscribe, comment, chat, share, repost, clap twice, and dance around. Recent changes have reminded us that going viral for no reason is fun (as long as you take proper safety precautions). But it’s a fact that growing steadily and focusing on purpose might have more longevity than any app.
Happy posting.
