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

In fact, the short-form video sharing social network has emerged as a key player in the consumer path to purchase, particularly for product discovery.

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

You’re going to need some data-backed reasoning to justify the investment.

Check out these fascinating TikTok statistics and facts you can use to get your marketing team or client onboard.

TikTok’s User Base Is Massive…

And it’s still growing.

• TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users, as of September 2021.
• TikTok was the #1 downloaded app both worldwide and in the U.S. in 2021.
• TikTok now has more GenZ users than Instagram and is expected to surpass Snapchat in 2023.
• U.K. users spend the most time on the platform at an average of 27.3 hours per month, while U.S. users spend 25.6 hours TikToking and Canadians 22.6 hours.

Who Uses TikTok?

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

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

• 64% of global users say they can be their true selves on TikTok.
• 53% of users worldwide say they trust others to be their real selves 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 they are 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 ones that share their ideas and work together with users.
• 44% of daily TikTok users want branded content to be fun and entertaining.

TikTok Is Pulling Audience From Other Types Of Media

TikTok usage is impacting media consumption in other channels and platforms, as these facts demonstrate:

• 35% of TikTok users say they’ve spent less time watching TV or video content since they started using TikTok.
• 41% of Gen Z users say they’ve cut down on 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 advertising content specifically to be unique or different from any competitive platform.
• 73% of global users say they feel a deeper connection to brands they interact with on TikTok, compared to other platforms.

If you aren’t connecting with the audience on TikTok, you could be missing out on valuable opportunities to get found.

TikTok Users Give The Content Their Full Attention

TikTok users tend to be fully engaged and tune the rest of the world out when they’re using the platform.

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

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

TikTok Users Display Great Commercial Intent

Getting in front of a large audience may be flattering but is pretty pointless from a marketing perspective unless those people are open to becoming customers.

This is another place 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 say they follow brands on TikTok.
• 50% of Gen Z users say they follow the creator after watching TikToks.
• 52% of TikTok users worldwide say they search for products or shop on the platform.
• 67% of TikTokers say the content has inspired them to shop even when they weren’t looking to do so.
• 39% of users say that “lifting their spirits” is a key factor in TikTok purchasing decisions.
• Consumer spending on TikTok increased by 77% in 2021.

How Users Spend Their Solo Time On TikTok

TikTok users long to be entertained, educated, and inspired by the content they engage. Here’s how they spend their time, according to the TikTok Marketing Science Global ‘Time Well Spent’ study 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 Social, Too

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

• 67% are sharing videos.
• 66% participate in TikTok hashtag challenges with family and friends.
• 65% take part in trends and pranks.
• 61% message their friends.
• 57% use TikTok to learn new dance moves.
• 56% are filming new TikToks.
• 55% are creating original content.

TikTok Advertising Statistics

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

• The average TikTok campaign ROAS was 2X the median campaign performance benchmark in commissioned studies.
• Campaigns in the U.S. saw 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 rates, according to first-party meta-analysis and third-party research.
• Calls to action (CTAs) in TikTok text have shown to provide a 152% lift in conversion compared to those that do not give viewers a clear next step to take.
• Product use and comedy drive a 24% increase in TikTok ads being watched to the end.
• Ad recall was 24% higher for TikTok-specific branded content created in collaboration with creators in a TikTok study.
• 312% lift in conversion: the result of shooting TikTok videos at 720p resolution or higher, as compared to lower-res clips.

Many users seem satisfied with the advertising experience on offer at TikTok, as 45% of “heavy” users said that advertising blends in with other content.

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

TikTok offers a free 4-part course to help advertisers make the most of their investment in the platform, too.

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

Key Takeaways

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

It isn’t a fad, and the audience is not limited to one narrow group or demographic. TikTok has become mainstream, and the people who use it demonstrate 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 are looking to be educated, entertained, and engaged. Marketers who can achieve that will find a highly motivated audience open to product discovery, shopping, and sharing recommendations with family and friends.

Want to learn more?

Featured image: Shutterstock/Chaay_Tee