40+ TikTok stats digital marketers need to know

TikTok has proven itself more than the latest trending social craze.

Indeed, the social network for sharing short videos has established itself as an essential player in the consumer’s purchasing journey, particularly for product discovery.

Looking to make the business case for TikTok as part of your own digital marketing mix?

You will need data-driven reasoning to justify the investment.

Check out these fascinating stats and facts about TikTok that you can use to get your marketing team or customer on board.

TikTok’s user base is massive…

And it continues to grow.

• TikTok is over 1 billion monthly active users, as of September 2021.
• TikTok was the #1 app downloaded both globally and in the United States in 2021.
• TikTok now has more GenZ users than Instagram and is expected to overtake Snapchat in 2023.
• UK users spend the most time on the platform with an average of 27.3 hours per monthwhile US users spend 25.6 hours on TikToking and Canadians 22.6 hours.

Who uses TikTok?

Beyond demographics, understanding the mindset of TikTok users can help determine who your potential audience may be and what content will resonate best with them.

Here are some interesting things we know about who TikTok users are and what they want:

• 64% of global users say they can be themselves on TikTok.
• 53% of users worldwide say they trust others to be themselves on TikTok.
• 56% of TikTok users say they post videos on the platform that they wouldn’t post anywhere else.
• 59% of global users, on average, say they feel a sense of community when on TikTok.
• 70% of global users say TikTok is a platform they would recommend to others.
• 78% of users agree that the best brands on TikTok are those that share their ideas and work with users.
• 44% of daily TikTok users want branded content to be fun and entertaining.

TikTok attracts audiences from other types of media

Using TikTok impacts media consumption across other channels and platforms, as these facts demonstrate:

• 35% of TikTok users report spending less time watching TV or video content since they started using TikTok.
• 41% of Gen Z users say they have reduced podcast listening since joining TikTok, and 33% say they watch less TV.
• 79% of global TikTok users say content on TikTok is unique or different, and 68% find ad content to be specifically unique or different from any competing platform.
• 73% of global users report feeling a deeper connection to the brands they interact with on TikTok, compared to other platforms.

If you’re not connecting with audiences on TikTok, you could be missing out on valuable opportunities to get found.

TikTok users pay full attention to content

TikTok users tend to be fully engaged and ignore the rest of the world when using the platform.

• 46% of users interact with TikTok content without any other distractions.
• 84% of TikTok users say they come across content they can relate to on the platform.
• 77% of users worldwide say they have read comments on posts and videos on TikTok.
• 10.85 mins: the average user session duration, making TikTok the most engaging of all social media apps.

How are you going to make the most of these moments when you have to make an impression? Check out these TikTok marketing best practices and tips to help you get started.

TikTok users display great commercial intent

Showing up in front of a large audience can be flattering, but is pretty useless from a marketing standpoint, unless those people are ready to become customers.

This is another place where TikTok excels.

• 92% of users say that after watching a TikTok, they take action such as liking the content, sharing it with friends, following the brand, or researching or buying a product.
• 60% of global TikTok users report following brands on TikTok.
• 50% of Gen Z users report following the creator after watching TikToks.
• 52% of TikTok users worldwide say they search for products or buy on the platform.
• 67% of TikTokers say the content inspired them to make purchases even when they weren’t looking to.
• 39% of users say “lifting their spirits” is a key factor in TikTok purchase decisions.
• Consumer spending on TikTok increased by 77% in 2021.

How users spend their solo time on TikTok

TikTok users yearn to be entertained, educated, and inspired by the content they view. Here’s how they spend their time, according to TikTok Marketing Science Global’Study “Time well spent” by Kantar:

• 71% watch videos on TikTok.
• 69% use TikTok to find other creators to follow.
• 60% use TikTok to find new recipes and DIY projects.
• 59% use TikTok to learn about current events and trends.

TikTok is also social

TikTok is a great place for families and friends to co-create and discover new trends together as well. Kantar’s research found this is what users do when enjoying TikToks together:

• 67% share videos.
• 66% participate in TikTok hashtag challenges with family and friends.
• 65% participate in trends and pranks.
• 61% send messages to their friends.
• 57% use TikTok to learn new dance moves.
• 56% are filming new TikToks.
• 55% create original content.

TikTok Advertising Statistics

Is TikTok a good place to invest the social advertising budget? Consider these facts:

• The average ROAS of the TikTok campaign was 2X the median performance benchmark of campaigns in commissioned studies.
• Campaigns in the United States have seen a 14% higher Paid media ROAS versus all digital media measured in a recent Nielsen Media Mix Model meta-analysis.
• Ads Created for TikTok with Creator Partnership Achieved 65% higher 2-second view rate, based on first-party meta-analysis and third-party research.
• TikTok in-text calls to action (CTAs) have been shown to provide a 152% lift in conversion versus those that don’t give viewers a clear next step to take.
• Product use and comedy drive a 24% increase in TikTok ads watched to completion.
• Ad recall was 24% higher for TikTok-specific branded content created in collaboration with creators as part of a TikTok study.
• 312% lift In Conversion: The result of shooting TikTok videos at 720p or higher resolution, compared to lower resolution clips.

Many users seem satisfied with the advertising experience offered by TikTok, as 45% of “heavy” users said that the advertising was confused with other content.

You can learn more about TikTok search ads (currently in beta) here.

TikTok also offers a free 4-part course to help advertisers get the most out of their investment in the platform.

Matt Southern takes a look at the TikTok Tactics course and shares TikTok advertising best practices here.

Key points to remember

TikTok is here to stay and at least worth considering as part of your marketing mix.

It’s not a fad, and the audience isn’t limited to a narrow group or demographic. TikTok has become mainstream and people using it are showing a good level of commercial intent.

TikTok is a two-way channel where users expect a conversation and don’t like to be “sold”.

Users seek to be educated, entertained and engaged. Marketers who can achieve this will find a highly motivated audience open to product discovery, shopping, and sharing recommendations with family and friends.

You want to know more ?

Featured Image: Shutterstock/Chaay_Tee