By Tim Peterson • April 15, 2025 •
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Despite the threat of losing her 10 million-plus TikTok followers, McKay typically receives 250 million views per month on Snapchat and has lately been garnering 50 million monthly views on Instagram
With more than 10 million followers on TikTok, Alyssa McKay would appear to have plenty to lose if the ByteDance-owned platform ends up being banned in the U.S. But she’s not all that concerned – and not just because the divest-or-die threat keeps getting delayed.
Yes, 10 million is a big number. But know what’s bigger? 250 million, let alone 1 billion. That’s the range for how many views McKay’s videos receive on Snapchat each month. Which is why when a brand looks to do a deal to reach her audience on TikTok, she looks to redirect them to the previously dominant short-form video platform.
“When a brand asks to do a TikTok, I would rather do a Snapchat whereI have 2 million followers, and I think that they’re going to get a million times more exposure,” McKay said said on the latest Digiday Podcast episode.
Not that McKay is all-in on Snapchat. In the name of diversification, Instagram is a platform that she sees benefiting if TikTok does end up being banned. And she’s been benefitting from the Meta-owned platform looking to usurp TikTok’s position in the U.S.
McKay has been using the trial reels feature that Instagram introduced in December for creators to have an Instagram Reel only be shown to non-followers. “It’s so good; if TikTok were to go away, this is my next favorite thing,” she said.
And with good reason.
“I get like 50 million views a month on my Instagram right now, and 98% are from non-followers, which is insanely good because it’s huge reach,” said McKay.
Here are a few highlights from the conversation, which have been edited for length and clarity.
On the latest ban extension news
I’ve been pretty desensitized to whether TikTok is going to be banned. When I found out about the extension, my team just sent me a text, and they were like, “Hey, another 75 days.” I don’t feel like it’s going to go away. I just feel like I’m a little less afraid of losing it now.
On the real TikTok loss
If TikTok were to go away, where are going to film out content? Because most people film natively in TikTok and edit within TikTok or use CapCut, which is also owned by ByteDance. I was using CapCut earlier today. I use it for everything, even my auditions that I send in.
On Instagram’s CapCut clone Edits
I’m in the beta for it. It’s similar to CapCut. It still does not have all of the features, but it is a good alternative.
On Meta’s creator monetization program
As a creator, you have to be personally invited to certain bonus things when they’re running bonus programs. Right now I’m in a bonus where it’s post 20 Instagram Reels and 10 Facebook Reels natively to Facebook.
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