It Doesn’t Matter if TikTok Gets Banned

While the algorithm for TikTok is a well-guarded secret, we do know a few things. Overall, the algorithm is designed to personalize the user experience and surface content that is likely to be of interest to each individual user. Read that again. It doesn’t prioritize who a user is following. It prioritizes the content.

As a digital marketer with nearly 15 years of practice, this is the biggest shift I see in how brands, marketers and creators are having to rethink their content strategies. “Building your audience” and “creating for your followers” is no longer good enough. Each piece of content needs to be created with the potential, and the assumption, that it will be viewed by someone who has never heard of your brand before. I’ve spent several years coaching clients and coworkers to avoid chasing trends or obsessing over viral ideas. It’s possible in 2023 that might be bad advice.