Is TikTok Still Worth Your Time?

TikTok has shaped nearly everything about the current social media landscape.

Short form video, vertical framing, looser editing, faster pacing, trending audio, even the way Instagram and YouTube now work can be traced back to TikTok’s influence. Whether you love it or hate it, TikTok forced every other platform to change.

So the real question is not whether TikTok mattered. It clearly did.

The question now is simpler. Is TikTok still worth your time today?

TikTok is still here, but it is in a transition phase

After years of uncertainty, TikTok reached a deal in early 2026 that allows it to continue operating in the United States under a new ownership structure. A new US based entity now holds majority ownership, with Oracle handling US user data and ByteDance retaining a minority stake. This move helped avoid an outright ban and stabilized the platform in the short term.

So no, TikTok is not disappearing tomorrow. But it also is not business as usual.

Users and creators are starting to hedge

Even with the new structure in place, confidence has been shaken.

According to Social Media Today, many US users are actively exploring alternatives following the ownership change. This does not mean people are leaving TikTok in large numbers. Instead, they are spreading their attention across more platforms and being more cautious about where they invest their time and audience.

This behavior is important.

Historically, when a platform enters a period of uncertainty, users do not leave all at once. They diversify first. That is exactly what is happening now.

TikTok still drives reach and money

Despite the uncertainty, TikTok remains a major force.

Advertisers continue to spend heavily on the platform, and the US market remains one of TikTok’s most valuable. Industry forecasts show continued growth in TikTok’s US ad revenue through 2026.

TikTok Shop is also pushing the platform deeper into commerce. Projections estimate more than 20 billion dollars in US sales tied to TikTok Shop in 2026, making it a serious player in social commerce, not just entertainment.

RELATED: TikTok Shop is driving social commerce growth

The algorithm still excels at discovery. New accounts can still reach large audiences if the content connects. That remains one of TikTok’s biggest advantages.

So is TikTok still worth the time?

If you are already on TikTok and have momentum, it is still worth maintaining a presence. If you are not on TikTok yet, now is not necessarily the moment to dig in aggressively.

TikTok is in a phase of change. Ownership has shifted. User trust has softened. Creators are more cautious. That makes this a moment of recalibration, not expansion.

This is not a bad thing.

In fact, this period could help clear out some of the oversaturation that built up over the last few years. Fewer people chasing trends blindly. More room for thoughtful, useful, well executed content to stand out.

How TikTok should fit into a smart strategy right now

TikTok works best today when it is treated as a distribution channel, not a foundation.

It is strong for:

• Discovery and visibility

• Testing ideas quickly

• Staying culturally relevant

  
  

It is risky for:

• Being your only source of traffic or leads

• Housing your entire audience

• Replacing owned platforms like email or your website

  
  

Creators and businesses doing well in 2026 are using TikTok to attract attention, then moving people into spaces they control.

What to do instead of chasing every platform

If there’s one clear lesson from TikTok’s current moment, it’s this: platforms will keep changing. Fast.

The creators and businesses that stay steady are not the ones who jump on every trend first. They’re the ones who understand the fundamentals well enough to adapt when the landscape shifts.

That’s exactly what we focus on in our workshops.

Rather than teaching platform specific hacks that stop working six months later, we focus on:

• Shooting better video with the tools you already have

• Editing efficiently so content actually gets finished

• Building workflows that work across platforms, not just one

• Creating content that supports real business goals, not just views

  
  

Whether TikTok stays dominant, quiets down for a while, or evolves into something new, those skills carry forward.

If you’re trying to decide where to spend your time and energy next, that’s where we can help.

Explore our upcoming workshops and see which one fits your goals 

See Upcoming Workshops

If nothing else, you’ll walk away with clarity. And right now, clarity is more valuable than chasing the next algorithm shift.