TikTok Influencer Marketing: How to Succeed in 2025

TikTok has rapidly become one of the most powerful platforms for brands looking to connect with younger, highly engaged audiences. With its short-form video format, viral trends, and creator-first ecosystem, TikTok has redefined how people discover products and interact with brands. And at the heart of this evolution is influencer marketing.

Unlike traditional advertising, TikTok influencer marketing leverages the trust and authenticity creators have built with their followers. It’s not just about reach — it’s about resonance. Whether it’s a nano-influencer sharing their skincare routine or a macro-creator showcasing a clothing haul, brands can tap into genuine conversations and communities.

This blog breaks down everything you need to know to run a successful TikTok influencer marketing program. We cover everything from understanding the value and different influencer types to planning campaigns, best practices, and real-world examples.

Let’s dive in.

TL;DR

1. Boost Brand Awareness and Engagement: TikTok influencer marketing helps increase brand awareness, engage younger audiences, and create viral, authentic content.
2. Set Clear Goals and KPIs: Establish campaign goals, workflows, and KPIs to ensure measurable success and strong influencer partnerships.
3. Choose the Right Influencer Type: Different influencer types (mega, macro, micro, nano) offer varied reach and impact; choose based on your goals.
4. Find Influencers Strategically: Discover influencers via TikTok Creator Marketplace, TTShop, hashtag searches, and by reviewing past brand collaborations.
5. Empower Creative Freedom and Experiment: Give influencers creative freedom and experiment with content formats like tutorials, challenges, and storytelling.
6. Leverage Hashtags and Incentives: Use trending hashtags, discount codes, and affiliate links to boost reach and conversions.
7. Prioritize Engagement Quality: Focus on meaningful interactions (comments, shares) over just views or likes to measure true audience connection.
8. Track and Optimize Campaigns: Use TikTok analytics to monitor campaigns and optimize content in real-time for better results.

Types of TikTok Influencers

TikTok influencers come in different sizes and niches, each offering unique advantages. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Mega-Influencers
   • Followers: Millions
   • Features: Celebrity status or viral fame
   • Strengths: Massive reach and brand visibility
   • Considerations: Higher costs, less niche targeting
2. Macro-Influencers
   • Followers: Hundreds of thousands to a few million
   • Features: Broad appeal with strong engagement
   • Strengths: Good balance of reach and authenticity
   • Considerations: Moderate collaboration flexibility
3. Mid-Tier Influencers
   • Followers: 50K to 250K
   • Features: Growing audience with engaged followers
   • Strengths: Approachable and flexible for partnerships
   • Considerations: Smaller reach but higher engagement quality
4. Micro-Influencers
   • Followers: 10K to 50K
   • Features: Niche-focused content creators
   • Strengths: Highly engaged and trusting audiences
   • Considerations: Ideal for targeted campaigns and conversions
5. Nano-Influencers
   • Followers: Under 10K
   • Features: Personal, close-knit communities
   • Strengths: Authentic content and cost-effective outreach
   • Considerations: Limited reach but strong loyalty

Choosing the right influencer type depends on your campaign goals, budget, and target audience. Mixing different tiers can optimize reach and engagement.

Benefits & Value of TikTok for Influencer Marketing

TikTok influencer marketing offers unique advantages that can significantly boost brand growth and engagement:

1. Access to Younger Audiences: TikTok’s user base skews younger, making it an ideal platform to connect with Gen Z and Millennials who are highly active and engaged.
2. High Engagement and Viral Potential: TikTok’s algorithm favors creative and authentic content, increasing the chance that influencer posts will go viral and reach a wider audience organically.
3. Enhanced Brand Authenticity: Influencers create content that resonates personally with their followers, lending credibility and trust to the brand message.
4. Improved Brand Awareness and Loyalty: By partnering with influencers who align with your brand values, you build long-term relationships with audiences, driving repeat engagement and loyalty.
5. Targeted Reach with Niche Influencers: Micro and nano-influencers offer access to niche communities, enabling precise targeting and more meaningful interactions.
6. Measurable Conversion Tracking: Tools like TikTok’s Shop and engagement calculators help track conversions and ROI directly linked to influencer campaigns.
7. Cost-Effective Marketing: Compared to traditional advertising, influencer collaborations often yield better results at a fraction of the cost, especially when working with micro or nano-influencers.

Leveraging TikTok influencer marketing taps into authentic storytelling, community engagement, and the platform’s powerful viral mechanics — all key to driving brand growth in today’s digital landscape.

How To Plan & Execute TikTok Influencer Campaigns

1. Finding & Selecting The Right TikTok Influencers

TikTok is a great place for brands to to build an influencer program who can help promote their products or services.

However, there are many different types of creators on TikTok, so it's important to consider what type of creator you want to work with and what kind of content they will be able to create for you.

Here are some things to think about:

• What kind of content are you looking for? Is it a UGC ad, a conversion-focused campaign, or something else? What kind of media is the creator going to use? Are there specific colors or themes?
• Look at their previous work. If you're looking for a specific type of video, look at the kind of videos they've created in the past. For example, if you're trying to find someone who creates beauty tutorials, then look at their profile and see how many beauty tutorials they've done in the past. You can get a sense of what kind of videos they like creating and how they might naturally integrate your product into their content.
• How much budget do you have available for this campaign? Do you want to pay for this work upfront, or do you want creators to be paid based on views or other relevant metrics?You can check out these creator incentive models to come up with what works best for your brand.
• Find out if they have done any brand collaborations before. If they have done successful TikTok campaigns, they will likely be a good fit for yours. This way, you don’t have to spend time and effort looking for new people who may not be suitable.

The best way to gauge this is to see the likes and comments under older sponsored posts, are they good? See how well their audience receives brand collaborations, as that indicates how successful your partnership would be with them.

Here's an expert advice we got from Lindsey Bond, who runs Pluto Ventures. It is a consultancy firm that specializes in TikTok. She spent 4 years working at TikTok where she specifically helped fast growing and venture backed companies use TikTok to scale. Here's what she had to say about working with influencers on TikTok:

The biggest thing to keep in mind when working with influencers, or on TikTok "creators," is that the typical influencer looks different on TikTok than it does on instagram.

To start, TikTok has three kinds of creators: UGC creators, traditional creators, influencers, and in-house creators.

With UGC creators, I recommend being very specific about the kind of content you want filmed. I also recommend thinking about these video assets in three parts: hook, body, call to action. Rather than having them film one video, I recommend three individual videos. ~ Lindsey Bond

But where do you find people willing to collaborate with your brand? How do you know if they're a good fit? And how do you make sure that they will deliver quality content?

Here are some ways:

1 — Look for Hashtags

You can also find influencers using hashtags who have already created relevant content related to your brand. For example, search for hashtags like "healthy" or "vegan" to find influencers if you're launching a new food product.

Here are 7 ways you can predictably find creators for your brand.

2 — Searching Within the App – TikTok Creator Marketplace

TikTok has a creator marketplace that's a great place to look for influencers. The marketplace is a directory of creators looking to collaborate with brands on campaigns.

You can browse based on region, niche, reach, average views, and more to find creators who fit your needs. Once you've found someone whose style matches what you're looking for, just click on their profile to know more before finally reaching out to them directly.

Seth Newman, Director of marketing and advertising at Sporting Smiles, shares his experience with TikTok Marketplace:

“TikTok Marketplace is excellent as it shows you all kinds of stats from the creator's average video view, the demographics of their audience, where they are located, and how authentic their audience is.Some TikTokers may buy views or followers, but TikTok Marketplace cuts through that and shows you the real stats of each content creator. It comes with an easy outreach tool and sorting features, and you can offer deals right on the platform that goes through TikTok. Great platform for businesses looking for brand ambassadors!"

But, hiring influencers from marketplaces doesn't always turn out to be a good strategic move as the top creators already work with a lot of brands(maybe even your competitor) and hence there's no room for brand exclusivity if you wanna partner up with anyone. So, go through influencer profiles and their past work carefully when surfing for creators on marketplaces.

3 — Work with an agency

Get in touch with an influencer marketing agency about working together on a TikTok campaign. This is especially true if they already run influencer marketing campaigns regularly — they've likely built relationships with some of the best creators in your niche! They can help you find the right people to partner with and give tips on what works best.

We don’t recommend this long-term, though, as influencer relationships are meant to be yours. But agencies can definitely help get you up to speed. Here are some agencies we recommend.

To build your relationships in-house, consider using an influencer marketing platform like SARAL, where you find and manage influencers and creators without spending too much time looking for them.

Here’s how it works:

2. How To Reach Out To TikTok Influencers:

Once you’ve found the influencers that match your values and brand, there are many ways to reach out to them for your TikTok influencer program.

Here are some of them:

• Use the direct messaging feature in the TikTok app.
• DM (direct message) on different social media platforms.
• Do some research and send them a personalized email outreach.
• Use influencer marketing platforms like SARAL to find, send emails to, and manage relationships.
• Get referrals from creators who are already promoting you.

During your influencer outreach process, send them a personalized email that explains why you think they'd be a good fit for your campaign and why they should work with you over other brands/companies (including any incentives).

Have a look at this template, for instance:

Keep it short and sweet, add a human element, and tell them how their posts resonate with your brand.

Pro Tip:

Brenton Thomas, CEO of Twibi Digital Marketing Agency, suggests:

“Don't just settle for massive influencers; go for those with the audiences that suit your goals. This means that if you sell clothing, makeup, tech, and snacks, influencer marketing is a good choice, but if you sell tools or insurance, then it won't be a good investment."

It’s also a good idea to use influencer marketing platforms like SARAL to find authentic, high-quality influencers for your brand.

3. Negotiation & Communication With TikTok Influencers

Once you've found an influencer that fits your brand's needs, begin the negotiation process.

TikTok influencers are usually paid per video or view. The price can vary widely depending on the influencer's following and the type of content they create. You may also find that some influencers charge more for certain types of content, such as product reviews or tutorials (where they show how to use your product).

According to a report, mid-influencers (75k-250k) on TikTok may charge anything between $1,250–$3,500, while macro-influencers (250k–1m followers) charge about $3,500–$12,000.

Use SARAL’s fair fee metric to begin negotiations with influencers and refrain from doing pay-per-post deals when you start. Here are more ways to incentivize creators.

Nevertheless, it's important to negotiate with creators before you start working with them on an ongoing basis. This will help you understand what type of content they produce, how much it costs, and how much work goes into making each piece of content.

When negotiating with a creator, consider asking about:

• What’s the flat fee they usually charge for collaborations? If you're looking for specific types of videos (such as product reviews), this can help you find someone who fits your budget.‍
• How long does it take them to make each video? If they're only able to make one video every few months, that might not be a good fit for your campaign. Remember, you want to work with someone who posts about you consistently for a long period of time.‍
• While you have already researched their audience demographics, confirm with them again. What kind of people are watching? Where do they live? How old are they? What kinds of things do they like to watch? This information can help you tailor your message for maximum impact.‍
• Their schedule for posting videos. Are there certain days or times when they have more free time? Making sure that their schedule aligns with yours can help ensure that all parties involved are happy with the arrangement.‍
• Research their past work firsthand. Take a look at the videos they've posted over the last few months or years to make sure that they align with your expectations. You should do this before you reach out, but it’s worth doing a final check before you proceed!‍

Don’t forget to tell them what’s important to you. If it's clicks, conversions, impressions, or anything else, tell them your campaign's goal and what you will measure to determine its success. This allows them to tailor their efforts to make sure they are hitting those targets.

Here’s a dealmaking cheat sheet that will help you sign influencers for no money upfront:

4. Shipping products to TikTok Influencers

When you work with influencers, it's important to ensure they have everything they need to get started. This includes seeding free products to get UGC, marketing materials, and other items that will help them create content for your brand.

In order to make sure that your campaign goes smoothly, these are some of the things you should consider shipping to an influencer:

• If you send samples to your influencers, ensure they have everything they need. For example, if you're sending cosmetics samples, include an eyeliner or lipstick pencil so they can create a makeup look. This will give their viewers a better idea of how well it works in real life as well.‍
• Make sure you include any marketing materials that might help create content around your brand or products. This could be anything from posters and banners to pens and notebooks.‍
• If there are any instructions or special requirements for using your product, include these in your package so that they know what they should do with the item when they receive it.‍
• Try including a personalized video or note with it to really blow them away with the unboxing experience. Don’t make it a simple cardboard box 📦

For example, here’s how Obvi added a personalized note in their products for their influencer seeding process:

5. How to track the performance of your TikTok influencer program

There are many metrics that you can use to track the ROI of your influencer marketing program. Here are some of the most important ones:

• Reach – How many people saw the post?‍
• Engagement Rate – How many people took action (bought your product, for instance) after seeing the post?‍
• Cost per conversion — This is the holy grail. How many sales did the creator get you, and how much did each sale cost?

But how do you really track these metrics?

You might want to use a tracking tool, but don’t do that when you start. Just create discount codes and special UTM links inside SARAL and track your ROI directly inside your Shopify dashboard. Once you mature, you can also use tools such as Refersion to generate cookie-based affiliate links and implement more advanced tracking. Here's how you can track your influencer campaigns on SARAL:

6. Building long-term relationships with TikTok Influencers

The key is creating authentic and long-term relationships with creators, so they're comfortable working with you. You can do this by being friendly and responsive when they reach out and offering new ideas or suggestions when appropriate.

If you want to build a stronger relationship with a creator, here are some things you can do:

• Respond quickly when they reach out - This shows that you're interested in their work and invested in their career growth. You can track your emails and get notified inside SARAL when they email you, so you’re on top of things.‍
• Have open communication - This will allow both parties to understand what needs to be done for everyone involved to succeed!‍
• Be honest - Honesty is always the best policy when it comes to building strong relationships with others!‍
• Make them your brand ambassadors - Partner with influencers who share your values, and then make those partnerships permanent by offering them full-time roles as brand ambassadors.‍
• Do special things for them - Send them an unreleased product, invite them to a factory tour, send them a gift for their kid’s birthday, and so on. Be creative. Treat them like a friend, and you’ll build a food relationship without overthinking it!

Leveraging TikTok’s Unique Features for Influencer Marketing

TikTok offers a range of native tools that go beyond simple video posts — giving brands creative ways to collaborate with influencers and drive real results. From Duet & Stitch collaborations to live shopping and shoppable content, using these features strategically can boost visibility, engagement, and conversions. Here's how brands can make the most of TikTok’s built-in features for influencer marketing:

1. Use Duet & Stitch to spark conversations: Encourage creators to react, remix, or respond to your videos using TikTok’s Duet and Stitch features. These collaborations help amplify your message through user-generated trends and make your campaign feel interactive and viral-ready.
2. Launch branded hashtag challenges: Challenge-based content like a branded hashtag challenge can inspire mass participation. Pair it with custom AR filters or branded effects to make the content more fun, memorable, and visually distinctive.
3. Tap into TikTok Shop and shoppable content: Enable product tags directly in influencer videos to turn engagement into instant action. Combine TikTok Shop with affiliate links and creator partnerships to drive seamless purchases without users leaving the app.
4. Host live shopping events with creators: TikTok Live is a powerful tool for real-time engagement. Partner with influencers to host live shopping events, demonstrate products, answer questions, and create urgency around limited-time offers.

For example, Sephora hosts a launch party for every new member. They fly everyone down to a single location for the launch party. It's a 4-5 day event where they meet everyone, give goodies, and most importantly, create content.

Best Practices and Tips for TikTok Influencer Marketing

1. Give Influencers Creative Freedom: Let creators produce content in their own authentic style to boost engagement and build trust with their audience.
2. Experiment with Different Content Types: Test various formats like tutorials, challenges, or storytelling to find what resonates best with your target audience.
3. Use Trending Hashtags and Incentives: Leverage trending hashtags and include affiliate links or discount codes to increase reach and drive conversions.
4. Focus on Engagement Quality: Prioritize meaningful interactions like comments and shares over just likes or views to measure real audience connection.
5. Track and Optimize Campaign Performance: Set clear KPIs and use TikTok analytics to monitor results and optimize content in real-time for better outcomes.

Common Mistakes and Pitfalls to Avoid

Many brands stumble on TikTok by applying old marketing habits to a platform that thrives on authenticity and creator-led content. TikTok is built around subcultures, niche content, and trend-driven creativity, not polished ads or rigid branding. Below are five of the most common pitfalls brands should avoid, along with tips to stay aligned with platform culture and make the most of their influencer collaborations.

1. Treating TikTok like an ad platform: Ad-like content and overly polished videos tend to flop. TikTok is a creator-first space where raw, real, and relatable stories perform best. Let creators do what they do best — entertain and connect.
2. Forcing heavy branding and messaging: Packing videos with branding elements or strict messaging priorities can make content feel inauthentic. Collaborate with creators to weave your product into their style organically, without overpowering their voice.
3. Ignoring platform culture and subcultures: TikTok isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s driven by niche communities — from skincare routines to finance tips. Brands that don't understand these subcultures or try to generalize their message often miss their mark.
4. Jumping on trends without strategy: Not every viral moment is right for your brand. Chasing trends just to stay relevant can backfire. Instead, focus on trends that naturally fit your product and allow creators to bring their spin to it.
5. Setting unrealistic expectations and tracking poorly: Expecting every video to go viral sets you up for disappointment. Success on TikTok is about long-term influence, not instant reach. Make sure you’re also tracking engagement and conversions, not just views and likes.

Final Thoughts:

If you are looking to reach GenZ and Millenials, capturing their interest with a lucrative TikTok influencer program might be the perfect way to capture their attention.

In this guide, we've explored the ins and outs of TikTok influencer marketing. It’s your turn to reach out to influencers and ask if they'd be willing to post about your brand on TikTok.

But most brands get stuck because of manual, tedious work – tracking posts, finding the right influencers, following up with creators, and tracking results, etc. That's exactly why we built SARAL.

It's an all-in-one influencer marketing platform that can help you:

• Find influencers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube
• Reach out to them
• Manage relationships
• Ship out your free products
• Create coupon codes, and track results

…and do so much more.

It handles all the tedious work so you can focus on building genuine relationships with influencers who love your brand.

Book a free demo here, and let us show you how it can help you build a successful, profitable influencer marketing program.