Losing Followers on TikTok? Here Are the Top 5 Reasons

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Carolyn Howell

Last Updated: Oct 09, 2024

TikTok Tips
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Everybody wants accelerated growth on social media. After all, numbers signify popularity. Sooner or later, however, accounts may also experience slower growth, or their numbers may plateau. But what if you’re losing followers on TikTok? Why does it happen, and what can you do about it?

Keep reading to learn the most common reasons for declining follower numbers! 

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Why Am I Losing Followers on TikTok? 5 Potential Causes and Solutions

Follower counts often drop after a creator shares controversial content or makes a controversial statement online. Popular accounts may also experience losses when TikTok performs a spam sweep and detects bot followers. Or TikTok may be experiencing a server glitch.

Let’s explore the five most common reasons for disappearing followers. 

1. You’re Not Posting Consistently and Frequently

The For You feed (FYF or For You Page/FYP) delivers endless videos for users to enjoy. They have tons of creators and content to choose from. This means if you’re out of their sight, you would be out of their minds.

Your visibility on feeds will gradually diminish if you have erratic/inconsistent posting habits. Active followers may eventually lose interest in your content and unfollow you. They can easily find other creators like you on the platform to satisfy their content consumption needs.

You need to follow a consistent posting schedule. First things first, find out when your target audience and followers are active on TikTok. 

These are the best times to post your content. When you schedule your posts, match your audience’s viewing habits to ensure they immediately see your videos on their feeds. 

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2. You Shifted Content Gears

Did you recently change gears regarding your page’s identity, messaging, or content strategy? If your new interests no longer align with the interests of your followers, they will most likely stop following you. 

You must shift your targeting strategy to reach a new audience and build a new following. If you want to change directions as a content creator, it’s best to do it gradually. This way, you can build a new community while veering away from the old one.

3. You’re Not Engaging With Your Followers

If you’re still asking yourself, “Why do I keep losing followers on TikTok?” take a look at your own engagement behavior. 

Another common reason for sudden drops in numbers is poor creator-audience relationships. If you don’t take the time to interact with viewers who engage with your posts, they might lose interest in you. 

Liking their comments or saying “Thank you for the likes!” is a great way to show your appreciation for your audience’s support. If you can respond to their comments, even better! 

Interacting with fans can help you convert new viewers into followers and build a strong and engaged follower base.

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4. A Change in Personal Preferences

Followers may have realized that your type of content is not for them. It’s normal for some users to follow an account based on one or a few videos from the creator. 

If a greater portion of a creator’s body of work doesn’t actually suit the follower’s interests, they’ll likely unfollow the creator.

Other followers may have simply developed new content preferences. If you’re unable to keep up, they may remove themselves from your follower list.

Employing a solid targeting strategy can minimize follower loss due to incompatible interests. Your content creation process should focus on what your target audience wants or what’s trending in your niche

Keep up with your audience’s interests, and you should also be quick to adapt to their changing content consumption needs. 

5. TikTok Removed Fake Followers From Your Account

Why did I lose followers on TikTok? If your account experiences a quick and huge increase in followers, it might trigger TikTok’s spam alarm. 

If the app detects bot followers on your page, it quickly removes the fake accounts. Having fake followers is a violation of the platform’s Community Guidelines

Popular accounts often attract fake followers. It’s also common practice for pages to boost follower numbers via growth services. 

Keep in mind that TikTok’s algorithm is always on the lookout for signs of spam activity, such as sudden number surges. If you purchased followers from a TikTok growth service and later lost the numbers, the app most likely removed them. 

If you’re thinking of multiplying your numbers via this strategy, here are a few quick tips to help you minimize spam detection:

  • Get followers in small quantities. 
  • Be patient and increase your follower count slowly. 
  • Choose a growth service that offers gradual delivery. 
  • You can’t have hundreds or thousands of followers and only a dozen or so posts. 
  • Make sure your number of followers doesn’t exceed your number of views; you should also purchase views, if necessary. 

Lost TikTok Followers: Frequently Asked Questions

If you have lost TikTok followers, it could hurt your engagement, overall performance, and the visibility of future posts.

Here are some FAQ to help you sustain your community’s interest and earn their loyalty.

Why did I suddenly lose followers on TikTok?

A quick drop in followers may be due to a controversial post you recently shared or TikTok’s removal of bot accounts. 

You can go online via a browser or community forum to find out if other users have had a similar experience. If many others share the same problem, then it’s also possible that it’s a TikTok glitch. If this is the case, you can submit a report to TikTok.

How do I keep my followers interested?

Share high-quality content relevant to their current interests. Keep up with and participate in industry trends. Stay authentic and show your fans you appreciate their support by interacting with them. 

Ask them for input on future content and feedback on your current content style. Find inspiration from other creators in your niche. 

Is there a safe way to increase my followers through a growth service?

The first thing you should do is find a service with a high trust rating. Don’t just rely on the reviews a company provides on their site. Read customer feedback on trusted review sites, such as TrustPilot. 

When buying followers, it’s always best to make multiple small purchases and wait an hour or more between each one. 

Alternatively, you can find a service that offers gradual delivery. You can purchase a high quantity and have the followers delivered in small batches. This way, you’ll minimize the odds of spam detection. 

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How To Keep Your Followers Happy and Interested

How do you keep your followers from leaving? The obvious answer is to give your audience what they want, but staying authentic is just as important. 

Creating content for the sake of views and engagement is a common strategy for many creators. However, it’s not an effective strategy to gain lifelong fans. 

Share content that allows you to stay true to your identity while satisfying your niche viewers’ preferences. Use Creator Search Insights to identify popular search topics in your community. Interact with your followers regularly to strengthen connections. 

If you’re losing followers on TikTok, figure out first if they’re bot followers. If they’re real accounts, try to find out when you lost them. It might be because of a controversial post you shared. 

Check your most recent video comments for spam or inappropriate behavior you may have missed. Such activities can make followers leave. 

If you need help building your follower base, sign up for a High Social plan! 

High Social’s advanced, proprietary targeting technology works as efficiently as TikTok’s algorithm in identifying suitable viewers for your content. 

Build a stronger and more reliable community. Start growing your TikTok today!

TikTok Tips