Video TikTok Marketing: What Actuall advice has gotten complicated with all the outdated tips and platform changes flying around. Here’s what actually works in 2026.
TikTok Marketing: What Actually Works
Everyone says you need to be on TikTok. Here’s what that actually looks like if you’re doing it for business.
The Platform Reality
TikTok rewards content that keeps people watching. The algorithm doesn’t care how many followers you have – a video from a brand new account can go viral if it’s engaging.
This is different from Instagram or Facebook where follower count matters more.
What Works for Brands
Behind-the-scenes content: How things are made, day in the life, warehouse tours. People like seeing the human side.
Educational content: Quick tips, how-tos, industry knowledge. Position yourself as useful.
Trends (done right): Participating in trending sounds and formats can boost reach. But only if it makes sense for your brand. Forced trend participation is cringe.
User-generated content: Repost customers using your product. Social proof plus content you didn’t have to create.
What Doesn’t Work
Polished ads. TikTok users scroll past anything that looks like a commercial. The aesthetic is raw and authentic.
Being corporate. If your videos feel like they went through a legal review, they’ll flop.
Posting without watching TikTok. You need to understand the platform’s culture before creating for it.
Posting Strategy
Post consistently. Once a day is ideal, minimum 3-4 times per week. The algorithm favors active accounts.
First few seconds matter most. Hook immediately or people scroll.
Test different content types. What works is unpredictable. Your serious product demo might flop while a silly warehouse video goes viral.
Paid Ads vs Organic
Organic reach on TikTok is still good – unlike Facebook/Instagram where you basically have to pay. Try organic first.
Ads work but the best TikTok ads don’t look like ads. “Spark Ads” that boost organic content often outperform traditional ad formats.
Measuring Success
Views, engagement rate, profile visits, link clicks (if you have 1000+ followers), and ultimately conversions on your site.
One viral video isn’t a strategy. Consistent growth over time is what matters.
