If your TikTok content has been hitting the algorithm wall lately, you're not imagining it. Across the board, brands are seeing their reach drop, views stall, and once-reliable posts go eerily quiet. It's not merely a fluke—it's a full-on algorithmic shift that started in April 2025.
TikTok Used to Be Predictable…Sort Of
Let's rewind.
For the last few years, TikTok's algorithm appeared to operate on what many of us called an "engagement point system." Here's how it seemed to work (based on performance trends and creator experiences):
💬 The more comments you got, the better.
♥️ Likes helped, but they weren't enough on their own.
📤 Shares and saves? Gold.
👀 Watch time and replays? Even better.
If your content hit certain thresholds—let's say 100 likes, 25 comments, a few shares—TikTok would start feeding it to wider and wider audiences. It created a kind of gamified system where creators and brands could reverse-engineer content to perform well. And for a while, it worked.
Now, those same formulas are falling flat. Content that would've hit thousands of views last year now struggles to break a few hundred. Even trending audio and viral hooks aren't delivering like they used to. Accounts that posted consistently for months are suddenly…quiet.
This isn't just anecdotal. I've seen it across client dashboards, analytics tools, and personal accounts. The algorithm shifted—hard. And it's not favoring engagement the same way anymore.
Algorithm Limbo Meets Legislative Limbo
To make things messier, TikTok is still technically banned in the U.S., per the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. But thanks to ongoing executive extensions, enforcement keeps getting delayed. TikTok is still here (for now).
So, while the law hasn't changed yet, the algorithm has. And brands are caught in the middle, creating two big problems:
- Creators don't know what the algorithm is prioritizing.
- Brands don't know if the platform will still be around six months from now.
Even before the legal uncertainty, organic branded content was already getting less visibility. The "magic" that made TikTok so powerful—its ability to make small creators go viral—is no longer guaranteed.
The “For You” feed isn't the free-for-all it once was. It's selective, slower, and far less generous.
What I'm Recommending to Clients Right Now
This is not the time to panic. It's the time to pivot with purpose. Consider these suggestions for staying visible and relevant:
- Split-test storytelling vs. trend-based hooks.
TikTok might be done with trends for the sake of trends. So, tell stories that earn attention.
- Focus on community, not just reach.
Create content that invites comments, saves, and DMs—not just scroll-by views.
- Move your audience off-platform.
Email lists. SMS. Private groups. You must own your audience, because TikTok doesn't owe you one.
- Reinvest in other short-form platforms.
Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts might not feel as "fun," but they're performing more reliably than TikTok right now.
Stop Relying on the Algorithm
No algorithm is permanent, and your brand shouldn't rely on one platform to survive. If your TikTok views are down, it's not you. It's the ecosystem. Period. And the biggest mistake you can make is pretending like it hasn't changed.
This moment is a gut check. Are you building your strategy around a platform or around your audience? Let this be the moment you reassess your strategy, not your value.
What do the brands that adapt now stand to gain? They'll be the ones leading the next wave, regardless of how the algorithm ebbs and flows.
Want to talk through your TikTok strategy or explore what's next for your content? Schedule a Discovery Call with me and let's talk. I'll help you make sense of what's working, what's not, and what's next—without the fluff or fear-mongering.
