Did the TikTok ban hurt your business? What should you do now?
To everyone shtting themselves over the loss, or interruption of TikTok: We feel your pain. But learn this lesson well because it’s going to happen again, at any time in any form.
Those of us who have run online businesses since the early 2000s have already been there. One day you’re flying high on income flow from one source. The next day, it’s suddenly gone, for any reason outside of your control.
This is why you ALWAYS need to be diversifying.
The TikTok Ban is just one example of sudden change online. Here’s how to protect your business income going forward.
1. Get a website, hosted with a real hosting company.
2. Collect email addresses – VERY IMPORTANT.
3. Set up streams of income.
It doesn’t matter if you literally never send out a single newsletter (you should, but if you don’t, it’s still better than nothing).
This way, if something interrupts contact with your followers, you will be able to address them directly, LIKE A REAL CEO.
Because a real leader has a plan to pivot on, and has communication channels in place, like little tunnels to reach the ears of their fans and followers who flow the money their way.
When I say that you should have a website and list of email subscribers, it’s not because I create them.
It’s because I KNOW that it’s foolish to not have one. Made that mistake, just like you!
How much is web hosting and a domain name?
Web hosting is about 20 per month. A domain is probably less than that. (There so many deals to bring down the price that it’s hard to give you a flat number).
With my host that I use, you can publish MULTIPLE websites under ONE hosting package… all for about 20 per month.
You’ll spend more than that the next time you go to Target.
Again: we who have businesses online know what it’s like to have an income stream dry up suddenly. You went with a cheap web host and they tanked and skipped town. A company that paid you thousands in affiliate income every year went under.
Yes… these things happen. It’s the risk you take as a business owner, and the very hard lesson to learn is to NOT BLAME, but instead have a plan in place to pivot on.
The TikTok ban teaches us: we should have had a website, and email marketing
I can’t say enough how important it is to be running a website while you’re also building your name and rep on social media sites, like TikTok.
So now that you know, what steps should you take?
- Launch your website
- Collect leads
That’s my best advice to you, because I’ve been there.
These are the companies I recommend to run your business.
My web host, MomWebs, is EXCELLENT – a real guy answers my tech emails and I send him tips for his family. This is THE most important, because if something goes wrong with your hosting, the whole house falls.
- WEB HOSTING – Sign up for MomWebs
- DOMAIN NAMES – Order them from GoDaddy
- EMAIL MARKETING – Sell on email, grow your list with Aweber
- GRAPHIC DESIGN – Create visual branding and document layouts in Canva
- SECURE PAYMENTS – PayPal.com
- STOCK IMAGES – Pexels.com
- GET A DBA – LegalZoom
Keep in touch with me on email. I know stuff and I know good people. And what I don’t know, I read and learn about. Sign up for my emails here.