TikTok may have come late to the social media game, but it’s proven time and time again that there’s always room for more. This short-form video platform has captured the attention of young audiences around the world, making it a place businesses and brands want to be. In our previous blog, we talked about the rise of TikTok and what it is about.
What exactly does TikTok have to offer marketers that other platforms don’t? And more importantly, is TikTok here to stay?
After looking at some generic social media statistics it's time to dive into some of the most essential TikTok stats, facts, and details that will help you craft a winning social media strategy.
Table of Contents:
Facts & Numbers About TikTok
General TikTok Stats
TikTok Statistics on Revenue
TikTok Demographics & User Stats
Stats on TikTok Behaviors
TikTok Advertising Stats
TikTok Influencer Stats
TikTok Shopping Stats
Where To Find More TikTok Stats
Facts & Numbers About TikTok
Before we dive into the specific TikTok numbers and statistics, it’s important for you to know more about the platform itself. Here’s what you need to know about TikTok:
- TikTok is a Chinese-based social media app that specializes in short-form videos.
- TikTok is owned by ByteDance.
- ByteDance purchased and merged the lip-syncing app Musical.ly with TikTok in 2018.
- In China, where the original app was released in 2016, TikTok is known as Douyin.
- The app has been called the “world’s most valuable startup.”
- TikTok is available in 75 different languages and more than 155 countries.
Source: Business of Apps
General TikTok Stats
As more and more marketers use TikTok for brand awareness and public relations, their quest for information on TikTok grows deeper.
Though some users once deemed the app a passing fad, its sustained growth, usage, and revenue have declared it anything but temporary.
These TikTok numbers paint a compelling picture:
- TikTok earned over 500 million users during its first year. (Business of Apps)
- TikTok is the sixth most-popular social network in the world. (Statista)
- How many people use TikTok? The app currently boasts more than 834 million active users worldwide. (Statista)
- Globally, 6.1% of active social media users say TikTok is their favorite social platform. (Global Digital Report)
- TikTok was the most downloaded app in the world in 2022, earning over 850 million downloads. (Business of Apps)
- TikTok was the first non-Meta-owned app to surpass 3 billion downloads globally. (Sensor Tower)
TikTok Statistics on Revenue
TikTok’s rapid growth is backed by a surge of revenue that continues to grow year over year. Here’s a snapshot of TikTok revenue, its valuation, and where its revenue comes from.
Source: eMarketer
- TikTok's in-app purchase revenue was about $680 million in the third quarter of 2023 alone. (Statista)
- ByteDance saw revenue growth of about 30% in 2023 to reach more than $110 billion. (Bloomberg)
- The parent company of TikTok was valued at $268 billion in December 2023. (CNBC)
- TikTok is expected to generate about $18.5 billion in global ad revenue in 2024. (Statista)
TikTok Demographics & User Stats
TikTok demographics help brands learn more about who is using TikTok. What’s the typical TikTok age range? Where are the most active TikTok users?
We've rounded up some key TikTok user statistics to help you find your TikTok target audience. See how much time they’re spending on the platform and discover effective ways to connect with them.
TikTok Age Demographics
- TikTok average age: About 50% of TikTok creators worldwide are between the ages of 18 and 24. (Statista)
- About 18% of TikTok users are women aged 18 to 24 years. By comparison, about 18% of the platform's users are men of the same age. (Statista)
- The highest proportion of TikTok's ad audience (38.5%) are between the ages of 18 and 24. (DataReportal)
Source: Oberlo
TikTok Users in the World
- How many users will there be on TikTok? By 2027, there are expected to be more than 1.7 billion TikTok users worldwide. (Statista)
- How many people use TikTok in 2024? There are expected to be more than 900 million active TikTok users in 2023. (Statista)
- How many US TikTok users are there? The United States has the most active TikTok audience, with more than 150 million users. (TikTok)
TikTok Audience Demographics
- 63% of U.S. teens use TikTok. (Pew Research Center)
- TikTok is used slightly more by men (50.8%) than women (49.2%). (Statista)
- Marketers can reach 1.092 billion TikTok users aged 18 and above, as of April 2023. (DataReportal)
Stats on TikTok Behaviors
TikTok users are among the most engaged social media users. They’re leveraging the app to create and share videos, discover new products, make purchases, cross-promote content, and find a never-ending source of content.
In fact, it’s because of this endless feed that many users spend more time on the platform than they may have intended.
Here’s a glimpse of how others are using TikTok on a daily basis:
- How many videos are on TikTok? It's hard to say, but what we do know is that more than 1 million videos are viewed there each day. (Oberlo)
- The average user spends 23.5 hours per month on TikTok. (Global Digital Report)
- TikTok users are 1.3x more likely than users of other platforms to buy products to make them feel better. (TikTok)
- 74% of TikTok users say they can find relatable people on the app. (TikTok)
- More than half (64%) of TikTok users want to watch livestreams from brands. (TikTok)
- 66% of TikTok users feel safe on the app. (TikTok)
- More than half (55%) of TikTok users use the platform to find new products and services. (TikTok)
- Nearly 80% of TikTok users are able to find content they like on the platform. (TikTok)
- More than half 54% of Gen X TikTokers rely on the algorithm for what to watch. (TikTok)
TikTok Advertising Stats
TikTok marketing for businesses has become a target in the marketer’s scope in recent years. With such a massive user base and a direct gateway to Gen Z and Millennial consumers, it’s no surprise that more companies and brands are focusing their video sharing and content marketing budgets here.
- TikTok’s ad revenue is greater than Snapchat and X (formerly known as Twitter) combined. (Ad Age)
- Brands can advertise themselves on TikTok using TikTok hashtags and via brand takeovers, hashtag challenges, video ads, influencer marketing, augmented reality lenses, branded filters, and more. #FYP is the top hashtag on TikTok, attracting more than 34.9 trillion views since the app launched. (Global Digital Report)
- A brand takeover can cost anywhere from $50K to $120K per day. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
- A hashtag challenge costs $150K for six days. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
- Videos up to three minutes long can be uploaded to TikTok, but videos recorded in the app have a 60-second limit. (TikTok)
- TikTok ads start at $10 per 1000 views with a $500 minimum per campaign. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
- TikTok has the highest ad reach in the United States at 113.2 million users. (Global Digital Report)
- Despite the higher costs, engagement rate tends to be higher on TikTok. On average, median brands are seeing an average engagement rate of 4.1% per follower — 6x higher than Instagram. (RivalIQ)
TikTok Influencer Stats
This social media platform has become a hot spot for mega-influencers and micro-influencers alike. In fact, TikTok is even paying content creators to join the social network as a way to foster growth.
Source: Global Digital Report
Here’s more on the platform’s influencer marketing statistics:
- The company was reportedly paying TikTok creators $500 to join the platform and create content. (Wallaroo Media)
- Khabane Lame is TikTok’s most popular influencer as of January 2023 and has more than 153.9 million followers. (Global Digital Report)
- TikTok created a $1 billion Creator Fund to support influencers and build stronger relationships with them. (Wallaroo Media)
- Influencer Charli D'Amelio is the highest-earning influencer on TikTok, making a reported $17.5 million per year. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
Tip: Take a look at these global TikTok accounts with the most followers. If you're looking for local TikTokers to partner with, take a look at the top TikTok influencers in Malaysia and the top South African TikTokers.
TikTok Shopping Stats
There’s a lot of truth to the “TikTok made me buy it” phrase.
Here’s what the platform brings to the world of eCommerce:
- 2 out of 3 users are likely to make an in-app purchase while using the platform. (TikTok)
- Half of all TikTok users have made a purchase after watching a TikTok Live. (TikTok)
- TikTok is 150% better at convincing users to try a product or service. (Material and TikTok)
- Users are twice as likely to recommend a product or service they discovered on TikTok compared to other social media networks. (Material and TikTok)
Where To Find More TikTok Stats
TikTok is unlike any of the other social media networks, and that’s a good thing! The app gives brands new ways to build connections with their audiences in the Gen Z age group, show a different side of their company, and build ongoing trust and brand loyalty.
At Meltwater, we’re helping brands keep up with consumers in real-time and discover trending topics. Identify what users are into, see what they’re engaging with, and use real data-driven insights to grow your strategy.
