How to build a TikTok marketing strategy for your business?
Published by Sadia
Jul 11, 202516 minutes
With over 1.5 billion active users globally and users spending an average of 58 minutes per day on the app, TikTok has evolved from a platform for dance videos into a robust marketing ecosystem that’s reshaping how brands connect with consumers.
But here’s the challenge: TikTok’s unique algorithm, fast-moving trends, and Gen Z-dominated culture require a completely different approach than traditional social media marketing. TikTok reached 1 billion users in just four years since its worldwide launch—a milestone that took Facebook and Instagram eight years to achieve, proving that speed and agility are crucial on this platform.
This comprehensive guide will equip you with the strategies, tools, and insights needed to build a successful TikTok marketing strategy in 2025. You can also learn how to utilize TikTok’s unique features to enhance brand awareness, increase engagement, and drive sales.
What is TikTok Marketing?
TikTok marketing is the process of utilizing TikTok and its content to promote a brand and its products or services through short-form video content that engages audiences and showcases business offerings. Unlike traditional social media marketing that creates cohesive strategies across all platforms, TikTok marketing focuses exclusively on TikTok’s unique content style and algorithm.
TikTok vs. Other social media platforms: Key differences
TikTok fundamentally differs from other social media platforms in several crucial ways:
Algorithm-driven discovery: TikTok prioritizes content discovery over showing you content from your friends. The For You Page prioritizes videos from creators you’ve never seen before, giving marketers unprecedented reach potential regardless of follower count.
Authentic, raw content: In the world of TikTok, genuine content reigns supreme. Users prefer raw and engaging TikTok videos over highly edited, curated posts that are more suitable for Instagram or Facebook.
Trend-driven culture: TikTok’s ecosystem revolves around rapidly evolving trends, sounds, and challenges that can propel content to viral status within hours.
Search engine functionality: 40% of young people, particularly Gen Z, primarily use TikTok and Instagram to search for things like restaurants, makeup tips, and more, making TikTok SEO increasingly important.
Plan, schedule, share, and analyze content for 15+ social media channels.
Ability to create an ecommerce storefront with TikTok Shop
Commercial music library access (business-safe sounds)
Contact information display (email, phone, website)
Third-party tool integration for scheduling and management
Custom call-to-action buttons
TikTok creator account benefits
Access to a complete music library (including copyrighted songs)
Creator Fund monetization opportunities
More detailed analytics on video performance
Creator Marketplace access for brand partnerships
Live streaming gifts and monetization features
Key limitations:
Business accounts have limited access to copyrighted music and trending sounds
Creator accounts cannot run paid ads or access business-specific tools
Recommendation: For marketing purposes, consider a Business account, despite the music limitations, as its advertising capabilities and analytics are essential for business growth.
Step 2: Account setup process
Download the TikTok app and create a new account
Navigate to your profile and tap the hamburger menu
Select “Settings and privacy.”
Tap on “Account.”
Choose “Switch to Business Account.”
Select your business category and register now.
Step 3: Profile optimization
Profile photo/video: Use a high-resolution version of your logo or create an animated logo video
Username: Match your business name (if possible) without spaces
Bio: Utilize all 80 characters to describe what your business does
Contact information: Add your business email and website link (available after reaching 1,000 followers)
Category: Select the most relevant business category
The 10 core TikTok marketing strategies
1. Trend participation and trendjacking
If you want to increase your chances of going viral, pay attention to trending audio clips, challenges, and video types. If you can use a popular trend to create a video that’s relevant to your business, do so!
Implementation strategy:
Monitor TikTok’s Discover page daily for emerging trends
Create a trend calendar to track seasonal and recurring trends
Adapt trends to fit your brand voice and message within 24-48 hours
Act quickly—trends have short lifespans (typically 3-7 days)
Real-life example: Relatable artist content
Artist Nataliia demonstrates perfect trend participation by adapting popular meme formats to her art niche. In her viral video “Every artist after finishing their artwork,” she:
Used the popular “Every [type of person] after [situation]” meme format
Made it relatable to her specific audience (artists and art lovers)
2. Authentic storytelling and behind-the-scenes content
TikTok audiences love authentic content. The more honest your marketing appears, the more likely viewers are to trust you. Behind-the-scenes content humanizes your brand and builds trust with your audience.
Content categories
Product creation process: Show how your products are made
Team introductions: Introduce team members and their roles
Company culture: Share office moments and team interactions
Scrub Daddy has built a massive following by showcasing its product manufacturing process, team personalities, and honest reactions to customer feedback. Their behind-the-scenes content includes:
Factory tours showing sponge production
Team members testing products in real situations
Honest responses to customer complaints
Founder Aaron Krause’s involvement in content
Raw, unfiltered moments that showcase authenticity
Morning routine: Show how your team starts the day
Problem-solving: Document how you handle customer issues
Product development: Share the iteration process
Team meetings: Give glimpses into decision-making
Mistake recovery: Show how you handle errors transparently
3. User-generated content (UGC) campaigns
Nothing sparks social media engagement like a well-crafted challenge. Whether it’s a branded hashtag challenge or a fun, user-generated trend, influencers can engage their audience, thereby increasing their organic reach.
Unlike traditional influencer marketing strategies that rely on big-name personalities, TikTok suggests that brands partner with influencers and creators who can connect with specific communities.
Chipotle has built incredible success through authentic influencer partnerships, particularly with TikTok food reviewers Keila and Keith Lee. Their strategy included:
Identifying food reviewers with authentic voices
Allowing creators to maintain editorial control
Responding to viral reviews with menu additions
Creating long-term partnerships rather than one-off campaigns
Leveraging viral moments to create official menu items
Create content that teaches, informs, or solves problems for your audience. Educational content builds authority, trust, and keeps viewers coming back for more.
Follow-up: Respond to comments with additional tips
6. Interactive content and community Building
The more engagement a TikTok receives, the better it will perform in the algorithm’s ranking. Interactive content encourages participation and fosters a sense of community around your brand.
Interactive content types
Questions and polls: Use comments for audience feedback
Duet and stitch encouragement: Invite audience participation
Choose your own adventure: Let the audience decide the content direction
Voting content: Ask the audience to choose between options
Real-life example: Ryanair’s savage community management
Ryanair has built a cult following through its hilariously savage responses to customer complaints and those of its competitors. Their interactive approach includes:
Responding to negative comments with humor
Creating content based on customer feedback
Engaging in playful “feuds” with competitors
Duetting with customer videos
Using customer stories as content inspiration
Maintaining a consistent brand voice across all interactions
Create inside jokes and references for your community
Acknowledge and celebrate community milestones
7. TikTok live streaming for real-time engagement
TikTok allows viewers to send stickers and other accolades through live videos as a monetization perk, so your brand can add TikTok Live as an additional revenue stream.
Live streaming content types
Product launches: Unveil new products in real-time
Behind-the-scenes events: Share exclusive moments
Expert interviews: Host industry professionals
Customer service sessions: Address concerns live
Interactive tutorials: Teach while answering questions
Q&A sessions: Direct audience interaction
Collaborative streams: Partner with other creators
Real-life example: Sephora’s beauty tutorials
Sephora regularly hosts live streaming sessions featuring makeup tutorials, product demonstrations, and Q&A sessions with beauty experts. Their live strategy includes:
Use live streaming for time-sensitive announcements
Collaborate with other creators for cross-promotion
8. Cross-platform content repurposing
You may end up repurposing your TikTok videos for Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts to reach even more viewers. This strategy maximizes your content investment and extends your reach across platforms.
Repurposing Strategy Framework:
TikTok to instagram reels: Adapt for Instagram’s audience
TikTok to Twitter: Create short clips for Twitter videos
TikTok to LinkedIn: Professional content for business networks
TikTok to Pinterest: Create idea pins from tutorials
TikTok to Blog Content: Expand videos into written articles
Real-life example: Gary Vaynerchuk’s content model
Gary Vaynerchuk has perfected the art of content repurposing by creating a single long-form piece and breaking it down into multiple short-form videos tailored for different platforms. His strategy includes:
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With 51.9% of marketers actively selling through TikTok Shop, it’s clear that this new feature is being embraced for its potential to drive direct sales and streamline the shopping experience.
E-commerce strategy components
TikTok shop integration: Set up in-app shopping
Product showcase videos: Highlight products in use
Shoppable live streams: Sell products during live sessions
Affiliate marketing programs: Partner with creators for sales
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Product integration: Naturally incorporate products into content
Social proof: Show real customers using products
Urgency creation: Use limited-time offers and scarcity
Seamless experience: Make purchasing as easy as possible
Follow-up content: Create unboxing and review videos
Customer Service: Address questions and concerns promptly
10. Performance analysis and optimization
Pay attention to your TikTok analytics. You can connect your TikTok business account to your social media dashboard to access analytics and continuously improve your strategy.
ROI measurement: Calculate return on TikTok investment
The business benefits of TikTok Marketing
1. Massive reach and engagement potential
TikTok offers brands a unique opportunity to reach a wider audience than they can on other platforms, thanks to its discovery-focused algorithm. Even accounts with zero followers can achieve millions of views if their content resonates with the algorithm.
2. Direct sales impact
71.2% of TikTok users have reported shopping after stumbling upon something on their feed or Stories, and 58% of users say they’ve at least used TikTok for shopping inspiration. The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has generated over 7.2 million posts, demonstrating the platform’s influence on purchasing decisions.
3. Cost-effective marketing
You don’t need a blockbuster budget to make waves; you need content that resonates with your audience. TikTok’s emphasis on authentic, lo-fi content means high production values aren’t necessary for success.
4. Influencer marketing opportunities
Influencer marketing is huge on TikTok, making it even easier for your brand to get discovered by new people in your target audience. The platform provides numerous opportunities to collaborate with creators across all follower tiers.
Connect your TikTok profile to ContentStudio
Getting started with TikTok using ContentStudio streamlines your content creation and management process. Here’s how to set it up:
Step 1: Create your ContentStudio account
Sign up for a ContentStudio account at contentstudio.io
Choose your plan based on your marketing needs
Complete the onboarding process
Step 2: Connect your TikTok business account
Navigate to the “Social Accounts” section in your ContentStudio dashboard
Click on “Add Account” and select TikTok
Follow the authorization process to connect your TikTok business account
Grant necessary permissions for posting and analytics
Step 3: Create and schedule your first post
Click “Create Post” from the ContentStudio dashboard
Select your TikTok account from the profile picker
Upload your video content (ensure it meets TikTok’s requirements)
Add your caption with relevant keywords and hashtags
Choose your posting time:
Immediate: Post right away
Scheduled: Set specific date and time
Optimal Time: Use ContentStudio’s AI recommendations
ContentStudio benefits for TikTok marketing:
Bulk scheduling: Plan multiple posts in advance
Analytics integration: Track performance across platforms
Teamcollaboration: Work with multiple team members
Cross-platform publishing: Repurpose content for other social media
Conclusion
TikTok marketing in 2025 represents one of the most significant opportunities for brands to connect with engaged audiences and drive real business results. With TikTok driving over $1 billion in monthly U.S. sales and users spending 58 minutes daily on the platform, the growth potential is unprecedented.
Remember that TikTok marketing is not about perfection—it’s about authenticity, creativity, and genuine connection with your audience. Whether it’s a sneak peek behind the curtain, a challenge that showcases your product in action, or just something that gets people talking, it’s the relevance and relatability that matter.
The easiest way to manage and grow your social channels.
TikTok is used for marketing through organic content creation, influencer partnerships, paid advertising, user-generated content campaigns, trend participation, TikTok Shop integration, and community building through engagement.
2: How to get 1000 views on TikTok?
Create compelling 3-second hooks, use trending sounds, post at optimal times, include 3-5 relevant hashtags, engage with comments quickly, keep videos 15-30 seconds, add captions with keywords, and post consistently 3-5 times per week.
3: How do I promote my TikToks?
Promote TikToks by optimizing posting times, cross-posting on other platforms, collaborating with creators, using TikTok ads, engaging authentically, joining trending challenges, creating series content, and encouraging user interaction.
4: Is TikTok still good for marketing?
Yes, TikTok remains excellent for marketing with 1.5 billion users, highest engagement rates among social platforms, $1 billion monthly U.S. sales, and 71.2% of users shopping based on TikTok content.
5: How much does TikTok marketing cost?
TikTok marketing costs vary significantly based on your approach:
Organic marketing: Free (only time investment)
TikTok Ads: Minimum $50 daily budget for campaigns, $20 for ad groups
Influencer partnerships: $100-$10,000+ depending on follower count
Content creation tools: $0-$50/month for scheduling and analytics tools