Tiktok is essentially a viral video sharing platform in which content creators make short videos which have become massively popular with those from “Generation Z” or those who are under 20 years old at the time of writing. Obviously, with any online visual media sharing platform, brands were quick to realize that they could use the fast-paced and highly engaging nature of TikTok to promote their products and services to new audiences.

However moving onto such a new avenue of demand generation can be a daunting prospect and with TikTok only just starting to formalize their advertising platform, it can be off-putting to businesses.

By the end of 2017, TikTok effectively bought the competition with its acquisition of Music.ly, which was a platform solely focused at making lip-syncing videos. This gave the TikTok team many new tools in which to enter the US and European markets where Music.ly was already established. As of 2021 TikTok has gone from these humble beginnings to being a mainstay app for many younger people, effectively becoming Gen Z’s equivalent of Instagram (in terms of popularity).

Naturally, with such a highly engaging, visual medium built pretty much exclusively on the viral nature of its creators content, Influencer marketing is quickly becoming one a mainstay strategy for generating demand on TikTok. Essentially these creators know the power they have over their audiences and suggestions for the right product from the right TikTok-er can drive massive amounts of interest in the target brand.

Essentially brands and companies will approach TikTok creators whos general subject matter and audiences match their target market and strike up a partnership in which they promote the brand’s products. These can be varied in their substance, from review videos to showcases to just having your products visibly on display in their videos are all ways of promoting through TikTok Influencer Marketing.

You can set a bid for the amount you are willing to pay for each time a user takes an “action” on your ad (be that on a Cost Per Click basis, or on a Cost Per Mille (Or per 100 ad views). The most prudent budget strategy all depends on where your ads are appearing and what the overall goals of your campaign are. Some will find that a CPM payment structure works best for their awareness-raising campaign, whereas those looking for direct sales and conversions may be better suited to a CPC model.