The complete guide to TikTok marketing: Tips, examples & tools

Ready to go all in on TikTok? With over 1.5 billion active users, TikTok marketing offers brands a big opportunity to boost visibility and sales. 

This guide covers everything you need to know — from building a TikTok strategy to real-world examples and must-have tools.

What is TikTok marketing?

TikTok marketing is the practice of using TikTok to promote a brand, product, or service. 

TikTok marketing includes different tactics, such as:

• Influencer marketing: Working with TikTok creators to promote your brand.
• Organic content: Creating TikTok videos that follow platform trends, use popular audio, and feel native to the For You Page.
• User-generated content: Encouraging followers to create and share content featuring your products or brand.
• Paid content: Promoting posts or running ads through TikTok’s ad platform to reach specific audiences or scale content. 

Using these tactics, TikTok marketing can help businesses:

• Increase brand awareness
• Build engaged communities
• Sell products and services
• Get feedback from customers and audiences
• Provide customer service
• Boost social commerce with shopping ads

What is TikTok influencer marketing?

TikTok influencer marketing involves businesses partnering with creators to promote their brand. 

Typically, brands and influencers agree on a partnership where payment (or free products or perks) is exchanged for TikTok content. For example, a kitchen brand might pay a foodie influencer to post a TikTok promoting their blender.

Sometimes influencer marketing can be subtle, blending seamlessly into a creator’s video through casual product placement — like in the example below:

Source: @spencer.barbosa

Influencer marketing is everywhere on TikTok — from Bretman Rock promoting hair products to Emily Mariko selling her own tote bags. But don’t let its popularity fool you: finding the right creator for your brand takes careful research, strategy, and a solid understanding of your audience.

What is TikTok affiliate marketing?

TikTok affiliate marketing lets creators promote your products and earn a commission on every sale they make.

While the influencer marketing world can be a bit like the wild west (there are no real rules beyond tagging sponsored content), affiliate marketing is an official, platform-approved marketing strategy — and it’s completely trackable.

You’ve probably seen affiliate marketing in action: whenever an influencer says something like, “Use my code [X] to get 20% off,” that’s a telltale sign. Brands can then track performance by monitoring how often those links or codes are used. 

TikTok makes the process even easier by connecting you with creators, tracking sales, and paying creators directly on your behalf.

TikTok offers two different affiliate marketing options:

1. Open collaboration. In this option, you list products in your TikTok shop, and eligible creators can reach out about promoting them. This is a great option if you don’t have a specific creator in mind.
2. Target collaboration. This option lets you invite specific creators to promote your products. You can choose a flat or a commission-based fee structure.

The best part? You don’t have to pick just one. A single product can live in both Open and Targeted collaborations at the same time.

A step-by-step guide to getting started with TikTok Marketing

To get started with TikTok marketing, you need a TikTok Business account

TikTok business accounts unlock features like TikTok Analytics, access to the business creative hub and commercial music library, options to add calls to action, auto-replies for DMs, and more.

If you already have a personal TikTok account, it’s easy (and free) to switch it to a business account. Here’s how:

Step 1: Go to your profile and tap the menu button — that’s the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.

Step 2: Hit Settings and privacy.

Step 3: Select Account.

Step 4: Switch to Business Account.

There you have it: a new TikTok business account. When you first switch, the social media platform will take you through some of the features of a business account to help get you started.

How to create a TikTok marketing strategy

Let’s walk through the core steps to building a TikTok strategy that supports real business outcomes:

Get to know the platform

Take some time to get to know the platform (beginners, start here). Explore the different features available on the TikTok app, and note what challenges, editing styles, and sounds are trending.

Read up on the TikTok algorithm, too. Understanding how TikTok ranks and displays videos in the For You tab can inform your content, hashtag, and engagement strategy.

You can also brush up on all things TikTok by taking courses in the TikTok Business Learning Center.

Research your audience

It’s important to research your target audience to make sure that TikTok is right for you. Before you start creating content, learn about TikTok demographics and identify any overlap in your user base.

TikTok has a reputation for being popular with teens, but the platform’s user stats may surprise you: the average age of TikTok users in 2025 was between 23 and 34 years old. This means TikTok is also reaching Millennials.

However, it is true that TikTok’s Gen Z users are loyalists — nearly a third of its audience are between 18 and 24 years old. 

Once you’ve zeroed in on a potential audience, research what types of content they like and engage with. Then start to brainstorm content ideas for your brand.

Perform a competitive audit

Are your competitors on TikTok? If they are, you could be missing out on the action. If they aren’t, TikTok may be a way to gain a competitive advantage.

Whether or not your competitors are on the platform, find at least three to five similar brands or organizations and see what they’re up to. If it’s helpful, use the S.W.O.T. framework to identify each competitor’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Because TikTok is a creator-led platform, don’t rule out influencers in this exercise. Find personalities that specialize in your area of expertise.

Learn more in our complete guide to running a competitive analysis on social media (free template included).

Set goals that align with your business objectives

You can use TikTok to experiment, but it’s better to have goals in mind that tie directly to your business objectives.

Whether you plan to reach a new audience, improve brand image, build partnerships with influencers, promote awareness for a product, or develop a stronger community, it’s important to back your efforts with concrete goals.

Consider using the S.M.A.R.T. goal framework to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.

Post regularly

The best way for brands to stay visible on TikTok is to post consistently, because the algorithm favors fresh content. In fact, TikTok recommends posting one to four times per day. 

Hootsuite research agrees, finding that posting 3-5 posts per week is the sweet spot for strong performance on TikTok.

We can hear your sigh of defeat from here, but don’t stress. For most social media teams, TikTok’s recommendation just isn’t reasonable, so start with a handful of videos per week.

Making a content calendar — and sticking to it — is key to a successful social media strategy. There’s no shortage of tools out there to get you started (we’ve created a free social media calendar template).

Schedule your posts for maximum views

TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes newer content, so it’s always best to post your TikToks when the majority of your audience is using the app. 

Based on Hootsuite’s experiments, the best overall time to post is Thursday morning (6 – 9 am) and Saturday midday (10 am – 6 pm).

Thanks to scheduling platforms like Hootsuite, you don’t actually have to be online in order to post a TikTok. Here’s a guide on how to schedule TikToks for later.

Pay attention to your analytics

The best way to measure TikTok marketing performance is to track engagement, traffic, and conversions using TikTok Analytics, then adjust your strategy accordingly.

To access your TikTok analytics, go to your profile and select the menu button (the three horizontal lines in the top right).

Then, select Creator Tools.

A snapshot of your analytics will open automatically. This includes video views, net followers, and likes. To see a more in-depth review of your metrics, select View all.

Unsure how to interpret the numbers? Read our complete guide to TikTok Analytics.

Create space to experiment

There’s no formula for going viral on TikTok (but you can follow our tried tips to increase your odds).

Leave space to be creative and experiment. For example, try out a live stream or leverage a trending sound. 

If something flops, learn from it and move on to the next experiment. If your brand ends up accidentally trending like Josh wine, make the most of it and keep “letting the memes flow.”

Be in on the joke. Don’t plan to be taken too seriously on TikTok.

Inspiring TikTok marketing examples

The most effective TikTok marketing examples use strong hooks, authentic storytelling, and formats that drive engagement.

Let’s dive into a few real-world examples:

Start with a hook

A social media hook grabs a viewer’s attention and convinces them that the content is worth experiencing. When that hook comes from a source that the audience trusts, even better.

Source: @kevikodra

In this TikTok, a makeup brand partnered with a makeup influencer to show off a product. It starts with a unique and intriguing hook (“This is the biggest rule I love to break. What if I told you regardless if you have dry skin or oily skin, I’m prepping everyone the exact same way?”), followed by a clip of the cleanser in action.

Why this works

• The video starts with a hook that immediately captivates the target audience
• The brand partnered with an influencer that’s seen as an expert in their field, which boosts trust and credibility
• The video shows the product in action instead of just talking about how great it is (show, don’t tell!)

Encourage comments

The more engagement a TikTok receives, the better it will fare when it comes to the algorithm’s ranking. Metrics like comments, likes, and saves will determine how good TikTok thinks your short-form videos are, so the more you can encourage them, the better.

Source: @smarties

Videos like this one from Smarties are an awesome example of this — the business teases the viewer to comment by asking a question, and also gives them the freedom to answer however they wish (“Wrong answers only” indicates a no-judgment zone).

Why this works

• The TikTok asks for comments straight up, encouraging audiences to interact with the content
• There’s lots of room for followers to share and debate in the comments (and TikTok users love to do just that)
• The brand is liking and replying to many of the comments, which can boost engagement in the comment section

Lean in to the algorithm

Because the TikTok algorithm is so difficult to master, sometimes anyone seeing your videos can feel like a miracle. Why not lean into that?

Source: @makeupmaddie

This creator-made video is awesome marketing for Pandora. The text “This is your sign to go to Pandora” makes the video feel like a lucky find, as if it showed up at just the right moment. The very appropriate (and very popular) Taylor Swift song also helps make this video feel authentic and personal.

Why this works

• The video suggests viewers are lucky to be seeing it, framing the algorithm as a “sign”
• It clearly shows both the product and the service by walking through the custom engraving process step by step
• The TikTok uses a trending song for the audio, making the video feel familiar and timely to the audience

Reply to comments with another TikTok

Comments play a major role in TikTok’s algorithm — the more comments a post gets, the higher that video will rank. And TikTok makes it easy to show commenters that you’re listening: just reply to a comment with a video.

Source: @truvellebridal

This TikTok from Truevelle Bridal was made in response to a comment asking to see a wedding dress from the front. The brand obliged, responding to the comment with another video (and another opportunity to show off the pretty dress).

Why this works

• By only showing the back of the dress in the first video, the brand encourages comments
• Audiences are more likely to comment on your TikToks when they see you actively engaging back. In other words, liking and replying to comments shows your followers that you care
• The brand is directly addressing a curious potential customer rather than just putting out an ad

Show behind-the-scenes

TikTok audiences love authentic content. The more honest your marketing feels, the more likely viewers will be to trust you.

Showing behind-the-scenes content is a fantastic way to humanize your brand and make your followers feel like they are taking a journey along with you.

Source: @kovessentials

This TikTok doesn’t just show off the product (a claw clip with a bow attached), it explains part of the process of manufacturing. It opens the door to a not-often-shared part of the retail process, and all the imperfections and trial-and-error that goes along with it.

Why this works

• Audiences feel like they really know this product — after all, they saw a prototype and understand how the final result came to be
• The brand shows transparency by allowing viewers a peek at the design process
• The video is a satisfying watch, as you can see the prototype and the end result all in one video

Inspire shares

Not every marketing TikTok has to look like an ad — in fact, just-for-fun posts often perform better than strictly business content. 

So don’t count out those cute, funny, or outside-the-box ideas. Creating engaging content that users will want to share with their friends or family is half the battle.

Source: @peli.roja.pets

This TikTok doesn’t promote specific services or offerings from the business — a pet daycare company — but it does succeed in being adorable and highly sharable. 

Why this works

• The TikTok prompts audiences to share the video, which helps the video to rank higher in TikTok’s algorithm
• The video doesn’t come across as an ad, but it still promotes the business in a more subtle way
• Puppies are adorable and the internet loves them (and this video targets a specific emotional group: people who don’t have a dog but want one)

3 TikTok marketing tools for 2026

The best TikTok marketing tools help you plan content, publish in advance, track performance, and manage engagement all in one place.

Here are our top picks:

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a social media management platform that lets you fill up your TikTok content calendar and schedule them in advance.

Using Hootsuite, you can:

• Schedule all your TikToks to go live when your audience is most active
• Write engaging captions with OwlyWriter AI and a built-in AI-powered hashtag generator
• Get personalized recommendations for the best times to post to reach more people on the platform
• Monitor and engage with comments
• Track your results in real-time
• Create custom reports to showcase your success
• Handle TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest from one dashboard

Canva

Canva is a graphic design platform that allows you to edit photos, videos, marketing assets and more. It’s very user-friendly and comes with templates and millions of images and graphics built-in.

Psst: Hootsuite has a Canva integration, making designing even easier. For more TikTok design templates, mosey on over to this blog post… or, you can use Instagram Reels templates in a pinch.

Link Trees

As TikTok grows, there are more ways than ever to make money directly on the platform. Still, one tactic continues to work well: using TikTok to drive traffic and sales off the app.

Think of TikTok as a bright arrow pointing people toward your brand. To turn views into action, you need one simple thing: a link in bio.

A link tree, like Hootbio, makes that possible. It lets you send people to your YouTube channel, online store, blog, or any other site you want. It’s an easy way to turn one link into many opportunities.

Looking for a TikTok scheduling tool? Grow your TikTok presence alongside your other social media platforms using Hootsuite. Schedule and publish posts for the best times, engage your audience, and measure performance — all from an all-in-one dashboard. Try it free today.