Music promoters turn to other platforms besides TikTok to invest in as part of a broader creator playbook

With TikTok’s future hanging in the balance, music promoters are widening their focus from TikTok to creators on other short-form video platforms such as Instagram and YouTube.

Although President Donald Trump extended the deadline for the government-mandated U.S. TikTok ban on April 5, marketers of all kinds — including music promoters — remain uncertain about whether the platform will stick around in the long run. That’s why music promoters have spent 2025 investing in alternative platforms.

It has long been a standard practice for music labels and promoters to pay TikTok creators to use their songs in their videos, but three individuals with knowledge of this practice — two music promoters and a creator — told Digiday that the music industry has ramped up its spending on similar creator promotions across Instagram and YouTube, although they declined to share specific numbers. Creators charge different rates for music promotions based on their reach, with mid-tier influencers typically charging between $200 and $300 and top creators commanding rates in the thousands.

Continue reading this article on digiday.com. Sign up for Digiday newsletters to get the latest on media, marketing and the future of TV.