TikTok’s US Algorithm Shift: How Brands Can Evolve Their Influencer Strategy

For the past few years, brands and creators have lived under the shadow of a looming TikTok ban in the United States. Legislators debated, CEOs testified, and marketers nervously sketched “what if” contingency plans. 

Earlier this year, we explored how brands could prepare for that possibility, but now, the uncertainty has given way to clarity: rather than being banned, TikTok is being rebuilt in America.

In September 2025, the U.S. government finalized a deal transferring control of TikTok’s U.S. algorithm to Oracle, marking the most significant platform restructuring since the app’s launch. While some regulatory approvals and technical details are still pending, this transition will fundamentally reshape how content is recommended, how creators grow audiences, and how brands drive discovery on TikTok.

What Changed: From TikTok Ban Speculation to Algorithm Rebuild

Under the proposed structure, Oracle will operate and retrain TikTok’s U.S. Algorithm using American user data to ensure compliance with U.S. data security and transparency requirements. 

ByteDance will retain less than a 20% ownership stake and, according to White House officials, will have no access to the U.S. algorithm or its training data.

Control of the platform will rest primarily with American investors, overseen by a seven-member board, six of whom are expected to be U.S.-based.

While the ownership terms have been finalized, reports note that the final board appointments and investor structure remain subject to regulatory approval in both the U.S. and China.

Timeline: How TikTok’s U.S. Algorithm Transition Will Unfold

The transition of TikTok’s U.S. operations to American oversight is guided by a series of executive orders and legal deadlines under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA).

• Q4 2025 (Oct - Dec): Executive order formalized, Oracle begins reviewing the algorithm code.
  
  
• Q1 2026 (Jan - Mar): Algorithm retraining begins, initial testing rolls out where brands may begin noticing fluctuations in engagement and discovery dynamics.
  
  
• Q2 2026 (Apr - Jun): Full transition to the U.S.-controlled algorithm, early performance data begins to show the platform’s new content distribution patterns.
  
  
• H2 2026 and Beyond: U.S. TikTok may diverge from international TikTok as separate algorithms optimize for their audiences.
  

What It Means for Brands’ Influencer Strategy

TikTok has become the engine of cultural discovery. A single 15-second clip can propel a product into viral fame, selling it out in hours. But with the U.S. algorithm being rewritten, the retraining process could temporarily disrupt content performance as the system learns new engagement patterns from U.S. data. 

Here’s what brands should anticipate:

• Volatility in content performance: Historical benchmarks may no longer predict future success.
  
  
• Shifts in discovery mechanics: Engagement patterns, hashtags, and viral signals could be recalibrated.
  
  
• Creator economy disruption: Influencers who thrived under ByteDance’s system may see fluctuating visibility.
  
  
• Organic vs. paid reach: Business accounts could face changes in distribution, requiring paid strategies to adapt.

Before adapting, evaluate your current reliance on TikTok:

• How much of your influencer performance and ROI depends on TikTok?
  
  
• What are your key performance metrics (reach, engagement, VIT, conversions)?
  
  
• How will a reweighted algorithm impact your campaign outcomes?
  

Understanding your baseline dependency helps determine how to reallocate investment and maintain stability through this transition.

The Brand Influencer Marketing Strategy Playbook

This moment of transition creates both risks and opportunities. The brands that thrive will be those who prepare now.

Q4 2025: Prepare Now

• Export and benchmark your data. Save 2024–2025 performance metrics, creator stats, and campaign reports to measure post-transition shifts. In Traackr, you can download your performance benchmarks directly to preserve pre-transition baselines. So when the U.S. algorithm retrains, you’ll immediately see how engagement, reach, and ROI evolve.
  
  
• Diversify your platform mix. Invest in Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and other short-form channels showing comparable engagement. With Traackr, you can easily search for creators who post about relevant topics across TikTok, Shorts, and Reels, helping you identify those who already have multi-platform momentum.
  
  
• Repurpose your best TikToks. Adapt proven formats for Reels and Shorts to maintain discovery momentum.
  
  
• Deepen creator relationships. Focus on creators with loyal, cross-platform followings instead of algorithm-dependent reach. Traackr’s robust vetting capabilities allow you to review each creator’s presence across social networks, compare audience overlap, and confirm they have authentic engagement on multiple channels.
  
  
• Invest in first-party data. Use TikTok to drive audiences toward your owned channels (email lists, SMS programs, website communities, etc.), so you can build lasting relationships and richer audience insights that aren’t dependent on algorithmic visibility.
  

Q1–Q2 2026: Adapt Through Testing

• Monitor new signals. Track which content types thrive under the retrained algorithm.
  
  
• Test aggressively. Treat the transition as an opportunity to experiment before competitors recalibrate.
  
  
• Adjust paid strategy. If organic reach dips, reassess paid investments for efficiency and stability.
  
  
• Update creator contracts. Add flexibility for deliverables and platforms, ensuring continued partnerships even if TikTok visibility shifts.
  

H2 2026 and Beyond: Plan for Divergence

• Treat U.S. TikTok as its own ecosystem. Content that performs well in the U.S. may differ from global markets.
  
  
• Localize your creator strategy. Align partnerships with the evolving discovery patterns in each region.
  
  
• Build long-term resilience. Use learnings from the TikTok transition to strengthen your multi-platform influence model.
  

How Traackr Helps Brands Navigate Change

Navigating TikTok’s algorithm shift requires more than quick reactions — it demands clarity, insight, and adaptability.

With Traackr, brands can:

• Track and benchmark performance before and after the transition using detailed reporting dashboards.
  
  
• Find multi-platform creators who are already active on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels.
  
  
• Evaluate creator stability through influencer analysis to ensure consistent engagement across channels.
  
  
• Measure campaign results dynamically, adjusting strategy as new engagement patterns emerge.
  

From Dependency to Agility

TikTok’s evolution from a potential ban to a U.S.-controlled algorithm represents both disruption and opportunity.

By evaluating your performance data, strengthening creator relationships, diversifying platforms, and maintaining strategic flexibility, your brand can continue to lead in the era of algorithmic change.

TikTok is evolving. The question is: will your influencer strategy evolve with it?