Social media offers a wealth of earning opportunities for publishers, creators, and influencers across a wide variety of channels — including YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. But every social platform is unique, and diving into a new channel can be overwhelming.
In this article, we’ll explore affiliate marketing on TikTok, offering advice from several Sovrn team members who have found success on the short-form video app.
Why monetize on TikTok?
Despite its origins as a platform for dance videos and viral challenges, TikTok has become a powerful tool where content creators can captivate audiences — and capitalize on their attention. The TikTok app has more than 3 billion downloads and 1.7 billion active users each month, making it one of the biggest social media platforms on the planet. TikTok is especially popular among younger audiences, with nearly half of all users under age 25.
Beyond its massive appeal, TikTok makes it easy to publish videos, share them with your audience, and create earning opportunities. So while affiliate marketing on TikTok may not be a great fit for everyone, it can be a tremendous opportunity for video-focused creators — especially if your content is related to topics like:
- Health and fitness 🏃♀️💪
- Home renovation 🏡🛠️
- Beauty and skincare 💄
- Fashion 🛍️
- Cooking & recipes 👩🍳🍜
- Life hacks 🛟
- Pets 🐶🐱
- Outdoors 🏕️
Intrigued? Here are seven tips from our experts to help you get started:
- Find your niche.
When it comes to creating TikTok content, focus on a topic you’re passionate about so you can establish yourself as an expert. Sovrn senior product manager Brandon Oney tells us, “Everything is monetizable if you make it shoppable. You might think you can’t earn money by posting cute videos of your dog. But if you find the right audience and earn their trust, you can easily promote the products you’re using — whether that’s dog food, toys, treats, or even dog clothes and costumes.” - Build an audience through authentic content.
Success on TikTok is all about engagement, so make sure your content delivers what your audience expects. Videos should always be related to your core topic area — and any affiliate links you include should be a secondary focus. “It takes experience to learn when and how to include links without coming off as inauthentic,” Oney says. “For starters, don’t include a link with every single video.”
- Take advantage of each channel’s strengths.
The TikTok app makes it easy to share affiliate links, either in your video descriptions or your bio. When you add a link to a product, TikTok displays an “Eligible for Commission” button, which lets the user buy directly from your post. Sovrn account manager MacKenna Stang tells us, “Every channel is different, so I use them for different purposes. I find Instagram works better for sponsored content, while TikTok is more convenient for affiliate links.” - Use all the tools available to you.
TikTok provides a wealth of features to make your videos more engaging, including filters, stickers, songs, sound effects, and more. Live streaming lets you build a personal connection with your viewers, while robust tagging makes it easy to jump on trends for added visibility. “You should also use the analytics tools in the TikTok app to identify when your followers are most active and recognize when their active hours change,” says Oney.
- Find the right cadence.
When you understand your audience’s habits on TikTok, you can develop a posting schedule that will maximize visibility — and give your viewers a reason to keep coming back. “The best way to grow your audience is by posting on a set schedule, so people know when to look for your videos,” says Stang. “Posting every day can be overwhelming and it may be too much for your audience, but you need to be consistent.”
- Be the star of your own show.
As you’re getting started, it may take time to get comfortable being on camera. You may think your face looks weird when it’s inverted or maybe you hate the sound of your voice. Your audience is looking for fun, helpful content — not perfection. So if you want to succeed, the first step is to be real.
- Be patient.
Like other social media platforms, growing a dedicated audience takes time and commitment. Success on TikTok doesn’t happen overnight. One video may get 100k views, while the next ten might only get 100 views each. The most important thing is to be consistent and authentic.
How Sovrn can help
Getting started on a new social channel can be challenging, but choosing the right technology partner is simple. The Sovrn Commerce platform lets you easily build and manage affiliate links — whether they’re for your social channels, your website, or other online properties.
When you work with Sovrn, you get access to more than 50,000 brands and merchants, so you can always find an affiliate partner or product with an authentic connection to your content. And Sovrn Commerce provides robust reporting capabilities and real-time analytics for instant insights like which links are performing best, how much revenue you’re earning on every click, and what your followers are buying.
Ready to get started?
Sovrn Commerce is the fastest, most flexible way to build an affiliate marketing program, optimize your strategy, and earn affiliate revenue — no matter what channel you’re focused on. If you’re not using Sovrn Commerce yet, sign up now! It only takes a few minutes, and once you’re approved you can start earning right away.
If you’re already partnering with Sovrn, feel free to reach out with questions. Our support team is standing by to help you reach your audience — and your affiliate revenue goals.
Interested in affiliate marketing on other social media channels?
Check out these guides for more tips and tricks:
