Shopify Merchants Post-TikTok: Where to Focus Influencer Efforts

In the wake of TikTok’s uncertain future, Shopify merchants are wisely looking to diversify their influencer marketing efforts. Which platforms and strategies deserve your attention now? In this post, we’ll explore why Instagram and YouTube are prime alternatives, how micro-influencers can beat celebrity endorsements, tools like Stack Influence to streamline campaigns, other emerging platforms worth testing, and best practices for influencer marketing in 2025.

TikTok’s Uncertain Future and Why It Matters

TikTok skyrocketed to popularity, but its future is now on shaky ground. Governments have raised security and privacy concerns, with the U.S. even threatening a ban if TikTok’s Chinese parent company (ByteDance) doesn’t divest ownership. In fact, a U.S. law set a deadline of January 2025 for ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a nationwide ban according to Traackr. That means the app which drove so many viral trends could potentially disappear from a major market. For brands that heavily invested in TikTok influencers, this uncertainty is a serious risk. It’s a stark reminder not to put all your marketing eggs in one basket. Savvy Shopify merchants are preparing backup plans and redistributing budgets to other channels now, rather than scrambling if TikTok goes dark.

Diversifying your influencer strategy is simply good business insurance. If TikTok usage is curtailed, consumers’ attention will flow elsewhere. We’re already seeing creators and brands exploring alternatives. Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are obvious substitutes for TikTok’s short-form videos. A marketing guide on navigating a TikTok ban suggests exactly that: shift focus to platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and even Pinterest, where organic reach can fill some of the void according to Marketing Hire. In short, TikTok’s turmoil is a wake-up call to broaden your social presence. So where should a Shopify brand look next?

Instagram and YouTube: The Top Alternatives

Instagram and YouTube have emerged as the primary havens for influencer marketing outside of TikTok. Both are established, widely-used platforms with huge audiences and robust creator communities. Unlike newer apps, Instagram and YouTube aren’t facing existential threats – they’re stable, mature channels that brands have trusted for years. Let’s break down why these two deserve a big slice of your attention (and budget).

Most popular social networks worldwide as of April 2024, by number of monthly active users (in millions). Facebook leads with over 3,000 million (3 billion) users, followed by YouTube (2,504M), and Instagram/WhatsApp (approx. 2,000M each). TikTok’s audience (~1,582M) still trails Instagram and YouTube, while Twitter (now “X”) (611M) and Pinterest (498M) have comparatively smaller, niche audiences. This massive reach on Instagram and YouTube is a key reason Shopify merchants should prioritize them post-TikTok according to Sprout Social.

Instagram: Engaged and Shopping-Ready Audience

Instagram has evolved far beyond its photo-sharing roots into a powerhouse of influencer marketing. With around 2 billion monthly active users as of 2024, Instagram offers sheer scale – it reaches roughly one-fourth of the world’s internet users. Critically for brands, a large chunk of Instagram’s base falls in the young adult demographic (33% of users are 18–24 and 29% are 25–34 according to Curator.io, which overlaps nicely with the TikTok audience. This means you can still catch trend-savvy Gen Z and millennials on IG.

Engagement on Instagram remains strong, especially with its newer formats. For example, Reels (Instagram’s answer to TikTok) see an average engagement rate of about 2.0%, outperforming traditional Instagram posts. While TikTok has slightly higher typical engagement for big accounts, Instagram isn’t far behind and offers more tools for brands – shoppable posts, product tags, swipe-up links (now link stickers), and a culture of influencers that’s well-established. In one study, 69% of consumers said they trust influencer recommendations on social media more than info directly from brand. Instagram’s influencers have built that trust over years, making it a fertile ground for product discovery and sales. In fact, 61% of social media users turn to Instagram to find new products – higher than on any other platform. And 44% of people wish brands posted more on Instagram, indicating users are open to engaging with businesses there. For Shopify merchants, all this is good news: on Instagram you have a massive, receptive audience that’s primed to interact with influencer content and even shop in-app.

YouTube: Massive Reach with Evergreen Content

YouTube isn’t just for long-form video; it’s a cornerstone of the internet and an influencer goldmine. The platform boasts 2.5 billion monthly active users globally according to Sprout Social) – effectively the entire world is on YouTube. In the U.S., an incredible 62% of internet users access YouTube daily according to The Social Shepherd, underscoring how integral it is to people’s media consumption. For Shopify brands, YouTube offers reach that rivals even Facebook and Instagram, and it skews broad in demographics – from Gen Z to Gen X and beyond – everyone watches YouTube.

What makes YouTube especially valuable is the longevity of its content. A TikTok or Instagram Story might captivate users for a day, but a good YouTube video (say, a product review or unboxing) can keep attracting views for years. Influencer content on YouTube is highly searchable (YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine after Google) and often evergreen. A tutorial or testimonial about your product can show up in search results or recommendations long after the initial post, driving a steady trickle of traffic to your store. Engagement and community on YouTube are also noteworthy – creators often build dedicated subscriber bases that trust their opinions deeply. Comments sections become discussion forums. If a popular YouTuber recommends your product, it carries weight akin to a personal recommendation. And let’s not forget YouTube has jumped into short-form video too with YouTube Shorts, which are gaining traction as a TikTok alternative. The bottom line: YouTube combines huge scale with depth of content. By working with YouTube influencers, Shopify merchants can get both immediate exposure and a long-term brand asset (in the form of a video that keeps working for you).

Micro-Influencers Over Celebrities: Go Small, Win Big

When planning influencer campaigns post-TikTok, one strategy stands out: partner with micro-influencers instead of big celebrities. Micro-influencers are creators with smaller followings – often in the 5,000 to 100,000 range – who have niche, highly engaged audiences. It might sound counterintuitive to go with less famous folks, but the data speaks volumes about the effectiveness of micro-influencers.

Studies show that as follower count rises, engagement rate tends to fall. Nano- and micro-influencers often have far higher engagement percentages than mega-influencers. For instance, on Instagram, micro-influencers (around 10k–100k followers) see an average 3.8% engagement rate, whereas mega-influencers (over 1M followers) only around 1.2% according to Phyllo. That’s more than 3x the engagement! Smaller creators simply interact more authentically with their followers – replying to comments, having real conversations – which builds trust and loyalty. In fact, one report found nano-influencers (<5k followers) have the highest engagement of all (about 2.5%) and engagement steadily decreases to roughly 0.9% at the mega tier. This means a micro-influencer’s post is much more likely to actually influence (change opinions or spur action) than a celebrity’s blast to millions of passive scrollers.

Real-world brand experiences reinforce this. A classic example is Daniel Wellington, the watch company that exploded in growth by leveraging thousands of micro-influencers instead of a few big celebrities. They started by seeding free watches to “everyday” creators on Instagram – even nano-influencers. Those influencers were excited to share a stylish watch with their followers, and the result was an explosion of content tagged #danielwellington across social media. The campaign went viral not through a single famous face, but through a grassroots army of micro-influencers posting sincere endorsements. The strategy led to a boom in sales and brand awareness, propelling Daniel Wellington to the top of the lifestyle watch category – all without spending on huge celebrity fees. This case isn’t unique; countless DTC brands (from fashion to beauty to niche hobbies) have found that a network of micro-influencers talking to their tight-knit communities can drive more conversions than a single A-lister who feels out-of-touch.

Micro-influencers often come across like real people (because they are!), more akin to a friend recommending a product. Their smaller scale makes their content feel authentic and relatable, whereas a celebrity endorsement might scream “paid ad” and roll off the consumer’s back. Trust and authenticity are the currency here. It’s been reported that 80% of consumers have purchased something after an influencer (not necessarily a celeb) endorsed it on social media. That kind of influence usually stems from perceived authenticity. A fitness micro-influencer with 15k followers who consistently posts honest workout tips is likely to persuade more people to try a new protein powder than a movie star posting a one-off #ad for the same product. For Shopify merchants, micro-influencers also have a practical benefit: they are far more budget-friendly. Many will collaborate in exchange for free product or for a modest fee ($50–$500), whereas a top-tier celebrity or macro influencer might charge thousands for a single post. You can stretch your budget to work with 20 micro-influencers, generating a stream of diverse content, rather than blowing it all on one celebrity Instagram post.

Bottom line: Micro-influencers combine engagement, trust, authenticity, and affordability. Especially in 2025, as consumers grow weary of overly produced ads, these “real” voices can cut through the noise. Prioritizing micro over mega influencers is a smart move for brands looking for genuine connections and better ROI on their influencer spend.

Working with Micro-Influencers at Scale

One challenge with utilizing many micro-influencers is the effort involved – finding the right creators, reaching out, sending products, and tracking all those collaborations can be time-consuming. This is where tools like Stack Influence come in handy. Stack Influence is a micro-influencer marketing platform designed to help ecommerce brands (like Shopify sellers) run campaigns with dozens or even hundreds of small creators efficiently. Essentially, it automates the “product seeding” the strategy that Daniel Wellington used. You can offer your product to a curated network of micro-influencers through the platform, and it handles the matchmaking and logistics. The micro-influencers in the Stack Influence network are compensated with your product (often as free samples), so their posts feel like genuine customer experiences – which in turn generates more authentic word-of-mouth buzz about your brand.

Using a platform like this can save you a ton of outreach time and ensure you consistently have influencers posting about your products. Stack Influence boasts a community of everyday creators across many niches, meaning you can tap into specific target audiences (whether it’s eco-conscious moms, tech gadget enthusiasts, indie beauty bloggers, etc.) with minimal hassle. For a Shopify merchant who doesn’t have a huge team to manage influencer relationships, this kind of tool is a game-changer. It lets you scale up micro-influencer campaigns without losing that personal, grassroots touch. In short, Stack Influence and similar platforms act as a bridge between brands and the micro-creators who love to share cool products with their followers – making micro-influencer marketing a more turnkey, repeatable part of your strategy.

Other Emerging Platforms to Explore (Pinterest, Twitter, and More)

Instagram and YouTube may be the front-runners, but they’re not the only games in town. Depending on your brand and audience, you might find valuable influencer channels in some less obvious platforms. Let’s shine a light on a few emerging or alternative platforms Shopify brands should keep on their radar: Pinterest, Twitter (X), and a couple of others.

Pinterest – Often underestimated, Pinterest is a visual discovery engine that can drive serious traffic and sales, especially for brands in food, fashion, home décor, DIY, and lifestyle categories. It’s unique because users come to Pinterest in a “shopping mindset” – they’re literally looking for ideas and products. According to Pinterest’s own stats, 85% of weekly Pinners have made a purchase based on a Pin they saw from a brand according to Sprout Social. That is an insanely high conversion potential. With nearly 500 million monthly active users globally, Pinterest’s audience is smaller than Instagram’s, but it’s highly motivated. It also skews notably female (about 76% of Pinterest users worldwide are women according to Hootsuite, and many are in household decision-maker roles. If your target customer overlaps with Pinterest’s user base, this platform can be a goldmine for influencer collaborations. Pinterest influencers (often called “Creators”) make content like idea pins, collections, and boards that feature products organically. A crafty micro-influencer might create a “Summer Outfit Ideas” pin including your boutique’s sundress, or a foodie influencer might pin a recipe using your artisanal spice blend. Such content can spread on Pinterest for months as people save and re-pin it. Pro tip: consider partnering with Pinterest influencers to create content that links back to your Shopify store – it’s a great way to get referral traffic that’s genuinely interested in buying. And the longevity of pins means a single pin could keep generating clicks well after the campaign.

Twitter (now officially known as X) – Twitter has always been a bit of a different beast. It’s more about real-time conversation and less about polished visuals. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it; Twitter can be useful for certain niches and strategies. As of 2024, Twitter/X still has an estimated 350–400 million monthly users (with around 200+ million daily actives) according to Business of Apps, and it tends to attract a demographic interested in news, tech, finance, sports, and pop culture chatter. While Twitter’s average engagement rates on posts are much lower than on Instagram (often well under 1%), it shines in virality and community dynamics. A single tweet from an influencer can spark conversations, retweets, and trending topics in a way other platforms don’t. For Shopify merchants, working with Twitter influencers might mean collaborating with popular bloggers, journalists, or niche experts relevant to your product. For example, a tech accessories store might engage a respected tech reviewer on Twitter to post about their new gadget organizer. Or a streetwear brand might partner with a sneakerhead who has a big Twitter following to tweet an outfit photo with your sneakers. Twitter influencer marketing is often more subtle – it could even just be organic engagement like that influencer participating in a Twitter chat your brand hosts, or doing a quick shoutout. Also, brands themselves can build a voice on Twitter and become quasi-influencers (think Wendy’s or fast-food brands with snarky tweets). If you can create shareable, witty, or insightful content, Twitter will amplify it. Just remember, the Twitter audience expects authenticity and timeliness. Trending humor, memes, and hot takes rule here. So any influencer content on Twitter should feel like part of the natural conversation, not a formal ad. It’s a tougher nut to crack for direct ROI, but it’s great for brand awareness, PR moments, and joining cultural conversations that align with your brand persona.

Other platforms to consider include LinkedIn (if you sell B2B or professional services – e.g. an entrepreneur selling business planners could leverage LinkedIn influencers in the productivity space), Twitch (if your product ties into gaming or streaming culture – gaming influencers can showcase your hardware or snacks on their live streams), and Snapchat for very youth-oriented brands (Snap is smaller now but still has a dedicated teen/young adult user base for quick content and AR filters). Even newer social apps like Threads (Instagram’s text-based app) or community platforms like Discord and Reddit can be viable for influencer engagement in 2025, depending on your niche. The key is to think about where your target customers hang out and who they listen to. For instance, a niche hobby brand (say, a custom mechanical keyboard kit) might find more traction through a Reddit community influencer or a Discord moderator than through an Instagram post.

In summary, as you shift focus away from TikTok, cast a wide net. Pinterest offers high-intent traffic and an evergreen content lifecycle ideal for shopping-related content. Twitter/X offers buzz and real-time engagement, which can keep your brand culturally relevant. And don’t overlook any niche networks that align with your product category – sometimes the “smaller” platforms can yield the most qualified leads (a thousand true fans on a niche platform can be worth more than a million passive impressions elsewhere). Just be sure to tailor your influencer approach to each platform’s style. What works on Instagram won’t look the same on Pinterest or Twitter. Adapt the content and choose influencers who are genuinely influential on that specific network.

Best Practices for Influencer Marketing in 2025

The social media landscape is always evolving, but some core principles will guide Shopify merchants to success in 2025. Here are a few best practices to adapt your influencer campaigns for the post-TikTok era:

• Diversify Your Platform Presence: If TikTok taught us one thing, it’s not to rely on a single platform. Spread your influencer efforts across multiple channels – Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, etc. This way, you’re not vulnerable to one platform’s algorithm changes or legal issues. A good rule of thumb is to have a presence wherever your target customers spend time. Multi-platform campaigns also reinforce your message; a customer might see your product in a YouTube review, then again on an Instagram Reel, which increases familiarity and trust.

   

• Prioritize Authenticity and Micro-Influencers: As discussed, micro-influencers and niche creators often yield the best engagement and conversion rates. In 2025, consumers (especially Gen Z) can sniff out inauthentic paid posts in a second. Focus on collaborations that feel genuine. Let influencers have creative freedom to present your product in their voice and style – it will come across more naturally. Also, do your due diligence to vet influencers for real followers (quality over quantity). An engaged audience of 10,000 is far more valuable than an inactive audience of 100,000. Leverage that stat that smaller influencers can generate up to 60% more engagement than macro influencers– it’s a hint that passion beats fame in social media marketing.

   

• Leverage New Content Formats (Short-Form Video & Beyond): In 2025, short-form vertical video is everywhere – not just on TikTok. Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat Spotlight, Pinterest Idea Pins – every platform is pushing these bite-sized videos because they drive high engagement. Make sure your influencer partners are creating content in the formats that each platform favors. For example, encourage Instagram influencers to use Reels for maximum reach, or have YouTube creators make a Shorts teaser in addition to a long video. Interactive and immersive content is also on the rise. Think AR filters, 360° videos, live streams, and Stories with polls/quizzes. Work with influencers to incorporate these engaging elements. A live Q&A or unboxing on Instagram Live can create a real-time buzz. The more you experiment with format, the more you’ll stand out and keep viewers interested.

   

• Repurpose and Cross-Promote Influencer Content: Squeeze the most value out of every piece of influencer content by repurposing it across channels. If an influencer posts a great product photo on Instagram, share it (with permission) on your own feed, in your Stories, or even in your email newsletter. A snippet from a YouTube review can be trimmed into a 15-second social ad. This user-generated content (UGC) can often outperform polished brand-made content because it feels more authentic. By repurposing, you also ensure consistent messaging on all platforms. Just be sure to credit the creator and maybe tag them – it’s a win-win, as they get exposure too. Cross-posting content (appropriately formatted for each platform) lets you cover more ground with less effort. That said, avoid a one-size-fits-all approach; optimize content for context (for example, a detailed YouTube tutorial might need a quick caption summary when shared on Facebook).

   

• Track Performance and Play the Long Game: In 2025, measuring the ROI of influencer campaigns is crucial – and more tools than ever exist to do so. Set up trackable links or unique discount codes for each influencer so you can directly attribute sales or traffic. Monitor engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments, click-through rates) and also observe indirect lifts (like increased branded searches or follower growth) when an influencer campaign is running. Use this data to double down on what works. Perhaps you find that one niche YouTuber drove a ton of referral traffic – that’s a sign to nurture that relationship long-term. Think long-term relationships instead of one-off deals. When an influencer genuinely loves your brand and works with you repeatedly, their audience will come to trust your brand more steadily (plus you save time not having to onboard new influencers constantly). And remember the quote: “Influencer marketing is a long game”. Not every post will yield an immediate flood of sales, and that’s okay. Consistent, cumulative exposure and social proof build up over time. Track everything over months, not just day-of, to see the fuller picture of how influencers are boosting your brand’s profile and conversion funnel.
  

By following these best practices – diversifying platforms, focusing on authentic micro-influencers, embracing new content formats, repurposing UGC, and keeping a data-driven long view – Shopify merchants can navigate the post-TikTok influencer world with confidence. The key is adaptability. Social media will continue to change (who knows what new app might pop up by 2026?), but a strategy built on genuine connections, creative content, and prudent channel mix will always put you in a position to thrive. TikTok or no TikTok, influencers will remain a powerful growth engine for ecommerce brands. So go forth and collaborate wisely, wherever your audience may be watching!

Conclusion to Shopify Merchants Post-TikTok: Where to Focus Influencer Efforts

The demise of Amazon Inspire serves as a crucial lesson in the evolving landscape of influencer-driven shopping. While Amazon’s attempt to merge social media engagement with its e-commerce model didn’t pan out, it doesn’t signal the end of social commerce—far from it. Instead, it reinforces the idea that consumers prefer to discover products through established social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube rather than within a retailer’s app.

For brands and influencers, this shift means focusing efforts where engagement is highest, leveraging platforms that excel in content discovery while using Amazon as the back-end marketplace. With Amazon doubling down on retail media partnerships and AI-powered shopping tools, it’s clear the company is prioritizing seamless transactions over trying to be a social network. Meanwhile, influencers will continue to drive purchasing behavior by creating engaging content on platforms where users are naturally scrolling, interacting, and making purchase decisions.

Ultimately, social commerce is still on the rise, but its success hinges on authenticity, strategic platform choices, and frictionless shopping experiences. The fall of Inspire is a reminder that while technology enables commerce, it’s the consumer’s behavior and preferred digital habits that truly shape the future of shopping.