Why You’re Losing TikTok Followers and How to Fix It (2024)

People lose followers all the time. The problem is when you’re losing more than you're gaining, by a large margin. This is a pretty clear sign that you’ve got to change up your strategy — and fast!

So let’s start uncovering this mystery by asking the big questions:

The worst part of being shadowbanned is that you don’t even know it’s happened to you. TikTok shadowbans seem to pop up when you’re not following community guidelines. Being shadowbanned means that your content no longer shows up on the For You Page (FYP), limiting your reach and engagement. This can lead to your account losing more followers than it’s gaining — a tragic fate every TikTok creator wants to avoid. To remove your shadowban as quickly as possible, here’s a TikTok shadowban guide that tells you exactly everything you need to know.

People follow you for your content. Miscalculate one video, and you might be alright. But with every video you post that doesn’t land with your audience, your followers’ fingers slip closer and closer towards the unfollow button. The reason for your video bombs could be because you’re posting the wrong types of content, your content is too long or too short, you’re posting times and frequency are off, you’re not focusing on your niche, you’re not connecting with your followers, you’re not going live, etc. — being real sells and helps you gain the community you need to grow your account.

If you aren’t posting content consistently, why would someone want to follow you or your TikTok journey? Easy answer — they wouldn’t. There’s nothing worse than finding an epic TikTok creator that speaks to you and then waiting for the much-anticipated next video that just never comes. So if you’ve been taking a hiatus or aren’t pushing out content as consistently as you used to, you can expect some speedy unfollows.

Sometimes it’s as simple as you’re losing more followers than you’re gaining. If you’re not reaching the FYP, you may not gain enough exposure to earn back the followers that you lose naturally (and don’t worry, it’s normal for followers to come and go). If you aren’t sure why your content no longer reaches the FYP, consider investigating whether you’ve been shadowbanned or if your content needs some revitalization.

TikTok is filled with fake accounts and bots — and TikTok is not having it! TikTok regularly removes accounts they suspect aren’t real. If a lot of bots or fake accounts have infiltrated your follower base, when TikTok does a mass removal, you’re going to see a sudden drop in followers. Here’s an intriguing question — is this really a bad thing?

Absolutely not! While I think that a drop in TikTok followers can mean your TikTok strategy could use an update, it’s not always on you. If you’re kicking ass on TikTok but still losing followers, you’re losing what I call deadweight followers.

These are bots or disinterested followers who’ll likely never engage with you or your business. Shedding this deadweight boosts your algorithm by creating a higher percentage of your followers engaging with your content. So let them go! Trust me — you’re better off without them. Once you’ve lost the dead weight that was holding you down, you’re left with engaged followers — and these you don’t want to lose.

It’s also important to remember that you don't need a lot of followers to make money on TikTok. While losing followers can feel like a punch to the ego, if your intentions are to monetize yourTikTok account for business, followers are not the most important thing — creating your community is.

Here are the best 6 ways to engage your followers so that you can build a community that would never even think of hitting unfollow.

Following community guidelines decreases your chances of ever getting shadowbanned. The community guidelines are also there to protect the community. Create a safe space for your followers and appropriate content for all by sticking to the guidelines — they’re there for a reason.

People are following you because they like what you have to offer — so give the people what they want! Posting content consistently and constantly engages your followers so that they never get bored. Your content schedule should depend on your niche and audience, but posting daily is always a great place to start. Soon enough, your followers will be rushing to TikTok in anticipation to catch your daily videos!

The number one priority for your content is to provide value to your audience, whether it’s to inform your audience, relate to your audience, or even just get a giggle. Defining your niche and target audience tells you what kind of content you need to create to add value. Take a look at the leaders in your niche and learn from the best.

Building a community on TikTok comes with many worthwhile benefits — including retention of followers. By actively engaging with your followers, you’ll create a space where your followers can come together, a space they’ll never want to leave. You can start small by responding to comments or liking and sharing posts. Take it one step further by responding to comments with a video or hosting a TikTok live stream. Read this post to start building your TikTok community today!

Connecting with fellow TikTok creators is the perfect way to find new followers and make sure your follower count stays in the green. Find other creators in your niche that align with, or complement, your brand, and find a whole new ocean of potential new followers. You can also energize your followers with fresh, quality content from your new TikTok collaborator.

TikTok is changing every day, and with it, your audience. To stay relevant in your niche, you need to evolve and stay ahead of the game. The earlier you catch onto the trends, the better, as the trend won’t be too saturated yet. This may sound tricky, but don’t worry — I’ve got you covered! Sign up for my Weekly Trend Report, and you’ll get all the latest trends delivered straight to your inbox. Alternatively, you can read my trend predictions for 2022 by clicking here.

It’s clear that the mystery of the disappearing followers is not an easy case to solve. But if you follow these 6 simple tips, you’ll be protected should the TikTok follower bandit strike again. To make sure you’re ready for whatever TikTok throws at you next, you can also sign up for my masterclass course on beating the TikTok algorithm.

Together, we can raise your TikTok followers to new heights!