Uncovering the Best Practices for Marketing on TikTok

5 August 2025

TikTok has taken the world by storm, and if you're not marketing on this platform yet, you're missing out! With over a billion active users, TikTok offers a massive audience for businesses looking to expand their reach. But here's the thing—traditional marketing strategies won’t cut it here.

TikTok thrives on creativity, authenticity, and engagement. So, how do you make sure your business stands out in this fast-paced, trend-driven space?

In this article, we'll uncover the best practices for marketing on TikTok so you can effectively grow your brand and connect with your audience. Grab your notebook (or just your phone—it's TikTok, after all), and let's dive in!

1. Understand Your Audience

Before you jump in and start posting random videos, take a step back. Who are you trying to reach?

TikTok's audience skews younger, with a large percentage of users between 16-34 years old. If your brand targets Gen Z or Millennials, you’re in the right place. But even if your business caters to an older crowd, don’t write off TikTok—its user base is expanding every day.

How to Identify Your Ideal Audience:

- Check TikTok Analytics (if you have a business account).
- Spy on your competitors and see who's engaging with them.
- Follow trending hashtags relevant to your industry.

Once you know who your audience is, you can create content that resonates with them instead of just throwing stuff at the wall and hoping it sticks.

2. Create Content That Feels Native to TikTok

TikTok isn’t the place for overly polished, professional ads. Users scroll for entertainment, not sales pitches. That means your content should be fun, relatable, and engaging – not a traditional commercial.

What Works Best on TikTok?

✔ Short, snappy videos (under 60 seconds, though 15-30 seconds is the sweet spot).
✔ Trendy challenges and memes that align with your brand.
✔ Behind-the-scenes content to show your brand’s personality.
✔ User-generated content and duets to engage with your community.
✔ Educational and how-to content (teaching something useful boosts engagement).

Brands that embrace TikTok’s casual, fun vibe will perform better than those that try to force traditional advertising tactics onto the platform.

3. Jump on Trends (But Make Them Your Own!)

Trends dominate TikTok – but simply copying what’s trending won’t necessarily work. You need to put your own creative twist on things.

How to Find and Use Trends Effectively:

- Check TikTok’s "For You" page daily to see what’s hot.
- Use trending sounds and hashtags, but apply them in a way that fits your brand.
- Act fast! Trends move fast, and what’s popular today might be forgotten next week.

Example? If there's a dance trend, don’t just copy it—maybe tweak it to match your product or service in a clever way. If there's a popular audio clip, find a way to make it relevant to your niche.

4. Leverage Hashtags the Right Way

Hashtags help TikTok categorize your content and push it to the right audience. But spamming #fyp on every post isn’t a winning strategy.

Best Practices for TikTok Hashtags:

- Use a mix of trending and niche hashtags.
- Keep them relevant to your content (random hashtags = wasted effort).
- Stick to around 3-5 hashtags per post.

For example, if you're marketing a skincare brand, good hashtags might be #GlowUp, #SkincareRoutine, #SelfCareTips rather than just #Viral, #FYP, #TikTokTrend.

5. Collaborate With Influencers

Influencer marketing thrives on TikTok. But unlike Instagram, where polished influencer partnerships reign, TikTok works best when collaborations feel natural and entertaining.

How to Find the Right TikTok Influencer:

- Look for micro-influencers (10K–100K followers) in your niche. They often have higher engagement than big names.
- Check their past collaborations—do they align with your brand?
- Give them creative freedom; strict scripts kill authenticity.

When done right, influencer marketing on TikTok feels like a referral from a friend rather than a hard sell.

6. Engage With Your Audience

TikTok is all about community interaction. If you’re not engaging with your followers, you’re missing a huge opportunity.

Engagement Strategies That Work:

- Reply to comments on your videos.
- Use the "Reply with Video" feature to create content based on comments.
- Duet or stitch other videos to interact with your audience and other creators.
- Go live to connect in real-time.

The more you interact, the more likely TikTok’s algorithm will boost your content to a wider audience.

7. Use TikTok Ads (Strategically!)

Organic reach on TikTok is powerful, but ads can take your success to the next level. The key? Making your ads feel like organic content rather than obvious commercials.

Types of TikTok Ads:

- In-Feed Ads – Appear in users' "For You" feeds, looking like regular videos.
- Branded Hashtag Challenges – Encourage users to create content using your branded challenge.
- Spark Ads – Boost your existing organic posts as ads.
- TopView Ads – Appear immediately when users open TikTok (high visibility but pricey!).

Pro Tip: Test different formats and tweak your approach based on performance. TikTok’s ad system is data-driven—use it to your advantage!

8. Post Consistently (But Don’t Spam!)

Unlike Instagram or Facebook, where quality often trumps quantity, TikTok rewards consistent posting. But that doesn’t mean spamming low-effort videos!

How Often Should You Post?

- A good starting point: 3-5 times per week.
- If possible, aim for one post per day for maximum reach.
- Avoid burnout—focus on quality + consistency over sheer volume.

Remember, TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes engagement. If you post frequently but your videos aren’t getting likes, comments, or shares, the algorithm won’t favor them.

9. Track Your Performance and Adapt

What works for one brand won’t necessarily work for another, so tracking your analytics is essential.

Key Metrics to Watch:

✔ Views – Are people watching your content?
✔ Watch time – The longer, the better (indicates high engagement).
✔ Comments and shares – More engagement = more reach.
✔ Follower growth – Are people sticking around?

Use TikTok Analytics (available for Business and Creator accounts) to see what’s working, then adjust your strategy accordingly.

10. Stay Authentic and Have Fun!

At the end of the day, TikTok is about entertainment and connection. If you're not having fun with your content, neither will your audience.

Final Takeaways:

- Be yourself. Don’t be afraid to show your brand’s personality.
- Test different content styles to see what resonates.
- Engage, engage, engage! The more interactive you are, the better.

Marketing on TikTok is like joining an ongoing party—don’t just stand in the corner, jump in and make some noise!