Home / TikTok Ads Academy / TikTok Promote: Is it Worth it?

TikTok Promote: Is it Worth it?

TikTok Promote: Is it Worth it?
Share
TABLE OF CONTENTS
🤔 Low views? Minimal engagement? Zero viral moments? TikTok Promote could be your solution.
In this article, We're breaking down all the essentials - what it is, how it works, why it's different from regular ads, and most importantly, if it's the right strategy for your content goals.

What is TikTok Promote?

TikTok Promote is a simple, powerful tool to amplify your best content. It turns your organic videos into ads, helping you reach beyond your current followers.
What is TikTok Promote?
No matter where you are in your business journey, Promote's custom objectives help get you to the next level.
Drive Conversions:
  1. Product purchases on videos and LIVEs
  2. Website visits
  3. Messages
  4. Website conversions
Improve Awareness:
  1. Video views and LIVE views
  2. Followers
  3. Profile views
  4. Website visits

How to Use TikTok Promotion: Step-by-step Guide

To help you better understand the promotion process, let's first look at what you can promote on TikTok:

How to Use TikTok Promotion: Step-by-step Guide

  • Promote Your TikTok Videos(Your Own Content)
  • Before TikTok LIVE:Promote your LIVE ahead of time to get more viewers.
  • During TikTok LIVE: Drive traffic to your LIVE while streaming.
  • Promote Other Creators Content: Promote partner videos for shared success.

Now that you understand what to promote, let's create a step-by-step guide using "Increase Views" as our promotion object:

Step 1: Log into Your TikTok Account  - >  Turn Into Business Account

How to Use TikTok Promotion: Step-by-step Guide

Tips: First-time Promote users can get a 30% discount coupon by switching to a Business Account. (Regional and time restrictions may apply)
 
Step 2: Tap Profile's Menu bottom - > Select TikTok Business Suite - > Find "Promote" in More Tools. 
Or you just need to post a video - > Find "Increase View" in More Options. 
How to Use TikTok Promotion: Step-by-step Guide
Step 3: Select Promote Objectives - > Choose promotion pack or Customize your audience - > Set budget and duration - > Payment
How to Use TikTok Promotion: Step-by-step Guide

Tips:How to stop TikTok Promotion?

Canceling a promotion on TikTok is straightforward. Simply tap "End Promotion" in your order details. Your unused budget will automatically return to your Promote balance. You can use it for future promotions or withdraw it from your account.

Step 4: Review your promotion analytics
How to Use TikTok Promotion: Step-by-step Guide

 

TikTok Promote VS TikTok Ads

TikTok Promote VS TikTok Ads

To be simple, the key difference is CONTROL. TikTok Ads provides advanced marketing features and detailed customization through Ads Manager, while Promote offers a simplified, in-app promotion solution.
  • TikTok Promote: It’s designed for quick and easy use, letting you boost existing content with minimal setup. Perfect for creators or small businesses looking for simple solutions.
  • TikTok Ads: You can customize every aspect of your campaign, from advanced targeting to budgeting and creative optimization. Ideal for businesses aiming for more precise and scalable advertising.
Tips: Discover our complete TikTok Ads guide [TikTok Advertisement] for more advanced advertising strategies.

How much TikTok Promote cost and compare with TikTok ads?

TikTok Promote Budget Range:
  • Daily spend: $3-$1,000
  • Duration: 1-7 days
  • Total weekly campaign cost: $3-$7,000
TikTok Ads minimum spend requirements:
  • Campaign level: $50
  • Ad group level: $20
For beginners, TikTok Promote offers a more budget-friendly starting point at just $3/day, while TikTok Ads is better suited for larger budgets and advanced advertising strategies.

Integrate Promote with TikTok Ads Manager

It's easy to integrate Promote with TikTok Ads Manager. Here's a step guide:
TikTok Promote VS TikTok Ads

Benefits of Integration

You can maximize advertising impact through Promote-TikTok Ads Manager integration:
  • View all campaign reports in one place (desktop)
  • Easily manage campaigns (mobile and desktop)
  • Shared fund pool, easy balance top-up
  • Gain deep insights and optimize performance with Pixel
  • Access lower-funnel conversion objectives
  • Enjoy the convenience of autopay

Is TikTok Promote Worth It? (Experience & Findings)

We gathered feedback from creators and Reddit communities about TikTok Promote, and the results were largely disappointing. Here's what users are saying:
  1. Fake Engagement

Is TikTok Promote Worth It? (Experience & Findings)

Many creators report that the likes and followers gained through TikTok Promote seem inauthentic, almost like they’re from bots. While the numbers might look good, the quality of engagement feels questionable.
  1. Minimal Interaction

Is TikTok Promote Worth It? (Experience & Findings)

Even though TikTok Promote boosts video views, it often doesn’t lead to meaningful results like more likes, comments, or genuine followers.
  1. Performance Drops Later

Is TikTok Promote Worth It? (Experience & Findings)

Some creators noticed that after using Promote, their next videos didn’t do well—some even performed worse than before, making them doubt if Promote is really helpful.
  1. It’s Expensive: A lot of creators feel the cost doesn’t match the results.
When considering low-quality engagement and limited long-term impact, most creators conclude the investment brings minimal value to their content strategy.

How to Use TikTok Promote Effectively

Our research shows that many disappointing results with TikTok Promote aren’t because of the tool itself but because of misunderstandings about how to use it. Success often comes down to using the right optimization strategies.
Here are the best practices we’ve put together to help you use TikTok Promote effectively:
  1. Revive Engagement on Your Account
If you haven’t posted in a while and want to re-engage your audience, use Promote on high-quality existing videos. This can boost likes and interactions, helping to warm up your account and maintain user engagement.
  1. Extend the Reach of Viral Videos
For videos that have performed well recently, Promote can help you gain even more likes and engagement. This can either extend the viral life of your content or even spark a new wave of viral success.
  1. Promote Older Videos for Better Targeting
Promoting videos that are a few weeks old can lead to better results. TikTok’s algorithm will base its audience selection on the original viewers of the video, leading to more precise targeting and better engagement compared to random audience placement.
  1. Focus on High-Quality Content
Always choose videos that are already performing well. For example, promote videos that are at least one week old and have around 10,000 views. This ensures the content is engaging enough to get the best results from your campaign.

FAQs

  1. When you promote a video on TikTok, does it show as an ad?

Yes, when you promote a video on TikTok, it is displayed as an ad. TikTok Promote is an advertising tool that boosts the engagement and visibility of your posts by showcasing your content to a wider audience in an ad-like format.
  1. Why is my TikTok video not getting views?

Your TikTok video may not be getting views due to reasons like low-quality content, lack of relevant hashtags, poor timing of posting, or not engaging with current trends.
Additionally, TikTok's algorithm may take time to assess and distribute your video, especially if your account is new or has low activity.
  1. How to get more TikTok views?

To get more TikTok views, you need to create engaging content that resonates with your audience, use strategic hashtags, maintain a consistent posting schedule, interact with your followers, utilize TikTok‘s features, and share your content across social platforms.
  1. How much does it cost to promote on TikTok?

TikTok Promote offers flexible budgeting options, starting from $3 daily and scaling up to $1,000 per day. It depends on your advertising goals.
  1. TikTok Shop promo VS TikTok Promote
TikTok Shop promo targets e-commerce goals, helping sellers boost product visibility and sales within the shopping platform.
TikTok Promote is a broader advertising tool designed to increase video views, account followers, and website visits.
Share
Tejal Sushir
Tejal Sushir

I'm a Marketing Manager who believes in the power of collaboration and impactful campaigns. My approach is rooted in a deep understanding of consumer behavior, and I strive to create strategies that are both engaging and effective. I'm driven to elevate brands and achieve business goals.