• by Barbie Romero , February 25, 2025

Palette’s Madeline V. Twomey advice for brands facing the TikTok uncertainty “Brands and agencies need to be nimble. TikTok is back—for now—but no strategy should overly rely on the platform if things change.

1. With the potential changes to TikTok getting banned and Meta ending its fact checking program, it seems 2025 will be a year for big changes on social. How do you think creators will respond to these changes?

• Regardless of TikTok's future in the US, creators remain at the forefront of entertainment and culture. With audiences eagerly seeking their content, creators must seize this moment to expand their presence across social platforms. While the most successful creators have long succeeded through strategic cross-platform approaches, many others only recognized this necessity in the wake of the TikTok ban.

• Creators are thinking about how to "own" their audience data (like email addresses and phone numbers) and rely less on platforms and algorithms for their relationships. At the same time, we're seeing the major social media companies try to lure TikTok creators to their platforms—e.g., Instagram Reel incentives and Substack grant programs. My bet: Substack will be the big winner here in 2025.

• The end of Meta's fact-checking program creates a huge opportunity for creators who discuss news and policy to help fill the gap. Audiences will look to creators they trust for accurate information on the platforms -- drawing more eyeballs to those creators' pages. Of course, this also presents a huge opportunity for bad actors and misinformation to proliferate on Meta.

2. Any advice for brands that are working with creators and have to deal with these changes?

• Brands and agencies need to be nimble. TikTok is back—for now—but no strategy should overly rely on the platform if things change (and I suspect they might). 

• Brands and agencies, like platforms, can also use this environmental uncertainty to their benefit, by engaging creators in longer-term partnerships (potentially at a discount), as guaranteed income will be appealing.

3. Last cycle, creators had to pivot from one presidential candidate to another. What do you think enabled them to be nimble and change who they endorsed in such a short amount of time?

• Creators risk both brand deals and followers by speaking up about political issues. The creators who participated in 2024 were motivated by a genuine concern for the country's future, rather than personal gain. On the Democratic side, many creators supported Harris as they preferred her leadership over the alternative.

4. What content are you streaming right now?

• "A Murder at the End of the World" was my holiday break binge. It's a whodunit with a compelling and emotionally complex main character -- highly recommend!

5. What advice would you give to your younger self?

• Don't waste your time comparing your career path with others -- keep trusting your gut and chasing the most interesting thing.

 If you’re interested in submitting content for future editions, please reach out to our Managing Editor, Barbie Romero at Barbie@MediaPost.com.