How to Sell on TikTok in 2025: The Ultimate Guide to Success

As of early 2025, TikTok continues to be a dominant force in the social media landscape, boasting approximately 1.69 billion monthly active users worldwide. Users spend an average of 58 minutes and 24 seconds per day on the platform, reflecting a significant increase from previous years. This high level of engagement offers businesses ample opportunities to enhance brand awareness through creative video content. Moreover, TikTok’s in-app shopping features, available in select regions, enable brands to facilitate direct sales, thereby strengthening their e-commerce strategies.

With a presence in over 150 countries, TikTok has transformed the way online content is consumed. Despite political challenges—especially in the United States, where it faces potential bans—the platform remains a major force in social commerce. If a platform that was once dismissed as a “silly dance-video fad” has now become one of the top social media channels worldwide, why waste the opportunity to reach such a vast audience?

Here’s a breakdown of the Distribution of TikTok users worldwide as of February 2025, by age and gender

Many brands still debate whether investing in TikTok ads is worthwhile. Our answer? Yes. While having a TikTok Business Account—which provides insights into content performance and audience engagement—is an essential first step, creating an advertising campaign through TikTok Ads Manager offers even greater benefits, including:

• High Engagement Rates: TikTok’s unique algorithm promotes content discovery, leading to higher engagement rates compared to other platforms.
   
• Expanding User Base: With nearly 2 billion monthly active users worldwide as of early 2025, TikTok provides access to a vast and diverse audience.

• Influence on Purchase Decisions: Approximately 45.5% of U.S. users are expected to make a purchase on TikTok in 2025, the highest percentage among social platforms.

• Effective Ad Formats: Ad formats like TopView ads are preferred, with 50% leveraging emotional messaging to resonate with viewers.

• Cost-Effective Advertising: As of February 2025, TikTok’s average cost per thousand impressions (CPM) is $2.62, with an average cost per link click (CPLC) of $0.30, making it a cost-effective advertising platform.

If you want to sell effectively on TikTok, you must establish clear objectives for each campaign. While TikTok Shop is still rolling out in Europe, brands can rely on TikTok Ads to promote their products. TikTok Ads Manager allows brands to choose from three primary objectives:

1. Awareness: Reach as many viewers as possible (TOFU).
2. Consideration: Generate as much traffic and leads as possible (MOFU).
3. Conversions: Encourage as many viewers as possible to take action or make a purchase (BOFU).

Once your campaign objectives are set, the next step is to define your target audience. While your overall target market might be broad, you can create specific campaigns tailored to segmented groups. TikTok Ads Manager provides detailed targeting filters, including:

• Demographics (age, gender, location)
• Interests & Behaviours
• Audience targeting (retargeting engaged users)
• Device targeting

TikTok offers various ad placements and formats to suit different business needs:

1. In-feed TikTok Ads: These appear within users’ feeds and are created via TikTok Ads Manager. They include image ads, video ads, spark ads, Pangle ads, and carousel ads.
2. TikTok Ads for Managed Brands: Premium ad formats available for brands working with a TikTok Sales Representative. These include TopView ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges, and Branded Effects.

When creating TikTok ads, the platform itself recommends avoiding content that feels like a traditional advert. Instead, brands should aim for authenticity by producing ads that blend seamlessly with organic content. Partnering with influencers can also enhance credibility, as familiar faces help build trust with potential customers.

TikTok’s Dynamic Showcase Ads (DSA) allow brands to promote products in real-time through personalised video ads. For companies managing thousands of products, manually creating each ad would be time-consuming—but automation makes this process seamless.

Thanks to Lengow, the fast-fashion brand Pimkie was able to automate its product ads, launching over 2,000 items within just 15 days. As the first French brand to implement Dynamic Product Ads on TikTok, Pimkie achieved:

• Over 1 million user impressions
• 78% of impressions from users under 25 years old
• +10 percentage points increase in customer acquisition via their website

Beyond traditional advertising, TikTok Shop has emerged as a powerful tool for e-commerce brands and retailers. Available in the UK, Spain, Ireland, US, several Asian markets and soon all across Europe, TikTok Shop allows brands to sell directly through the platform, offering a seamless shopping experience without users needing to leave the app.

Unlike conventional e-commerce platforms, TikTok Shop leverages short-form videos and live streams to drive sales, capitalising on impulse-driven purchases. The platform has also introduced aggressive discounting strategies, subsidising promotions to entice sellers and buyers alike.

For brands looking to expand beyond traditional advertising and into direct sales, TikTok Shop presents a unique opportunity to tap into engaged audiences already primed for discovery and purchase.

The steps outlined above will help you navigate TikTok advertising and maximise your sales through both ads and in-app commerce. By utilising tools like Lengow, brands can streamline their campaigns and enhance their performance. With TikTok Shop expanding its reach and advertising formats constantly evolving, now is the perfect time to embrace this platform and secure a competitive edge in 2025.