So, you’ve decided to take your affiliate game seriously on TikTok instead of dancing…
Excellent choice.
This will be your go-to guide for TikTok Affiliate Marketing.
No fluff, just practical tips to maximize commissions on this platform.
I’ll show you what you’re missing out.
Key Takeaways:
- TikTok’s huge audience and viral videos make it a goldmine for affiliate marketing. Massive potential reach.
- Show and tell. Make helpful, entertaining videos demonstrating or reviewing products.
- Add a clickable affiliate link in your TikTok bio. Mention shortened links in videos.
- Pay to promote videos and reach more users quickly via In-Feed and Spark Ads.
- Pros: Huge audience, high engagement. Cons: No clickable links, younger demographics.
- Top programs: Amazon, Sephora, ShopStyle. Focus on Gen Z/millennial appealing products.
What Is Affiliate Marketing on TikTok?
TikTok affiliate marketing involves making videos on the platform to promote affiliate products. You earn commissions when your audience clicks and buys through your links.
To succeed in affiliate marketing on TikTok, make content that is fun, engaging, and informative. This will attract your target audience.
Aside from potentially massive organic reach from viral videos…
TikTok also offers several options for paid advertising for marketers who want to reach a wider audience faster.
Many affiliates use TikTok as part of their affiliate marketing efforts…
Typically in conjunction with other traffic sources like blogs and other social media platforms.
Why Should You Use TikTok For Affiliate Marketing?
TikTok videos aren’t just fun to watch.
They are a powerful marketing tool because it’s effective at keeping high engagement rates.
70% of marketers are turning to video as a key part of their marketing efforts.
Here are some reasons why you should consider using TikTok for affiliate marketing:
- TikTok is expected to have two billion monthly active users by the end of 2024. It was also the most downloaded app for three years straight in over 40 countries including the US, China, Indonesia, and Brazil.
- TikTok gets the highest engagement rate (17.96%) among other apps like Instagram and YouTube.
- 40% of the Gen Z population use TikTok as a search engine to find information and research products. 55% of TikTok users say it helps them discover new things, brands, and products.
- 70% of Gen Z users seek more information about a product after seeing an ad on the social media platform.
- TikTok is the top app for consumer spending generating over six billion dollars in 2022.
- #tiktokmademebuyit is a constantly trending hashtag on TikTok with over 12.4 billion video views last year.
- Four in 10 users immediately buy a product they discover on TikTok. This goes up to five in 10 users for TikTok LIVE videos. This means the marketing funnel is really short and you don’t need to jump through hoops to get your audience to click your links.
- The entertainment factor makes shoppers 1.4x more likely to purchase directly from TikTok.
In short…
There are a lot of people on TikTok who are willing and eager to spend and you can capitalize on this by promoting your affiliate links on the platform.
How To Do Affiliate Marketing on TikTok?
There are many ways to increase affiliate commissions on TikTok.
Let’s examine each one.
1. Use Organic Reach
Nothing beats organic reach when it comes to promoting affiliate products:
- It’s free and (often) generates long-term ROI
- People hate ads but love consuming content online
- It’s more sustainable long term versus paying for ads
TikTok is one of the best platforms to get massive organic reach.
The platform is literally designed for videos to go viral.
Here’s how to create viral TikTok videos to promote your affiliate offers:
Research Trends
Go to TikTok’s creative center to find all the trending videos, songs, and hashtags you can use in your own videos.
Create Affiliate Content
Tutorials and demos are great for TikTok’s user base.
These types of affiliate content allow you to give practical advice and useful tips while showing how your affiliate products work and how they can benefit your viewers.
Use TikTok’s Editing Features
It’s easy to shoot and edit videos straight through the TikTok app.
Make use of creative effects and filters and incorporate catchy music and trending transitions.
Add A CTA
Don’t forget to add a call to action in all of your videos and video descriptions.
Try these:
- Visit here [insert short link] to learn more
- DM for the exclusive offer
- Click the link in my bio
Add Relevant Hashtags
Hashtags aren’t as crucial on TikTok as, say, Instagram.
But…
They’re still a big factor in helping people find your content.
I recommend adding two to three relevant and trendy hashtags in your video descriptions.
Many affiliates also mention their affiliate product’s name in their hashtags.
Post Consistently
The downside of TikTok is that videos only appear on the feed for a short period of time.
You need to create and upload videos consistently to stay visible.
2. Place Affiliate Links In Multiple Places
TikTok is a bit indecisive as to whether you can add clickable links to videos.
This is a problem for affiliate marketers.
Luckily… There are a few ways to get around it.
First, you need to upgrade to a business account.
This will give you access to:
- Email Button
- Lead Generation
- Ads Manager
- Business Creative Hub
- Commercial Music Library
More importantly…
This will enable you to display a link on your profile.
Once you’ve upgraded to a free business account…
Populate (not spam) your profile and videos with your affiliate links.
Here’s how:
Add A Link In Bio
Put your website URL or affiliate link on your TikTok bio.
If you’re promoting multiple offers or you’re doing affiliate marketing without a website…
Create a bridge page using Zaap to host all your links in one place and display the link in your TikTok bio.
Mention Short Links in Your Videos
You may not be able to add clickable links in your descriptions…
But you can announce a link and instruct your viewers to type it into their browsers.
The key is to keep it short, clear, and easy to remember.
You can display this link in the video and the description.
Use Coupon Codes
Some affiliate programs provide coupon codes or even dedicated URLs to their affiliates.
You can mention this code/URL in your videos or package it as an “exclusive offer”.
Link To Other Platforms
Aside from adding a link in your bio…
You can also display your Instagram and YouTube accounts on your TikTok profile.
Connecting with your audience across several platforms means more time and opportunities for them to see your content…
And hopefully, get convinced to click your affiliate links.
3. Use TikTok Paid Advertising
Ads are the fastest way to get in front of your target market.
This is a potentially lucrative option for beginner affiliate marketers looking to generate commissions quickly and for more experienced affiliates to boost their income.
TikTok offers many types of ads.
However…
- Not all of them are available to all countries
- Certain ad formats may not be allowed by your affiliate program
- Some can cost an arm and a leg
Here are what I recommend for affiliate marketing:
In-Feed Ads
These appear as “normal” videos that appear on the For You Page (FYP)…
In-feed ads tend to get high engagement since viewers can like and comment on them.
These ads also come with a clickable button and a CTA where you can put your affiliate link.
Spark Ads
This lets you turn your organic content into ads by temporarily boosting their visibility.
The videos then remain on your profile after you stop paying for promotion.
I suggest promoting videos that clearly demonstrate the affiliate product’s benefits and display a dedicated URL since Spark Ads don’t come with a button.
Pros and Cons of TikTok Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing on TikTok comes with its fair share of pros and cons.
It’s important to consider these factors if you want to start affiliate marketing on the platform.
Let’s look at some of them.
TikTok Affiliate Marketing Pros:
- TikTok is currently the fastest-growing social media platform.
- It’s relatively quick and easy to create bite-sized content.
- The platform makes it easy to get high engagement with just a few videos.
- There are options for both organic and paid reach.
- Mainstream and fringe affiliate marketing niches alike have a place on TikTok.
- It’s still fairly new and not yet oversaturated with competitors.
TikTok Affiliate Marketing Cons:
- You can’t add clickable links to your videos.
- Most of its ad formats are expensive.
- It’s hard to stay updated on fast-changing trends.
- TikTok’s user base is primarily teens and young adults making it unsuitable for niches that cater to an older demographic.
TikTok Rules on Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is allowed on TikTok.
That said…
TikTok does not allow clickable links in video descriptions.
This rule seems unlikely to change in the near future as TikTok pushes for paid advertising.
You can get around this by:
- Adding a link in bio
- Mentioning short links in your videos and video descriptions
- Using coupon codes
- Linking to other platforms
Don’t forget to include an affiliate disclosure when promoting any kind of affiliate offer.
This can be as simple as adding “#affiliate” in your video descriptions.
Best Affiliate Marketing Programs and Networks for TikTok
Affiliate programs and networks that will do well on TikTok are those that cater to a young audience…
And fit into one of these niches:
- DIY and home renovation
- Sports and fitness
- Beauty and skincare
- Fashion and lifestyle
- Cooking and baking
- Consumer goods
- Pets
In short… Fun, everyday stuff.
I recommend using other platforms for more “serious” niches like X (Twitter) for tech or LinkedIn for business solutions.
That said…
Here are the best affiliate programs I found for affiliate marketing on TikTok:
Amazon Associates
Amazon is a massive, multibillion-dollar hub of all sorts of products you can imagine.
You won’t run out of options regardless of which niche you’re in.
That’s why it’s the top option among TikTok affiliates.
Not a day goes by that I don’t see a TikTok video of someone reviewing viral Amazon products.
It also helps that you get to earn commissions from a buyer’s total purchase.
That’s a huge thing considering Amazon’s not-so-attractive commission rates.
Sephora
Beauty products are a highly visual niche.
That’s why it does well on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
TikTok is rife with makeup tutorials, hauls, and reviews.
According to my wife (and every other millennial out there)…
Sephora is the best place to shop for beauty products both for new and established brands.
They also offer a 5% commission rate.
Not the best…
But considering how expensive makeup products are and how much women are willing to spend on them?
It’s certainly a lucrative affiliate program.
ShopStyle
Fashion is another massive niche on TikTok and ShopStyle is a huge online shopping platform for fashion and lifestyle products.
It caters to both men and women and even has a decent selection of home goods.
It’s quite popular for TikTok affiliates and influencers.
They also offer two types of monetization programs — one for beginner affiliates and another for creators with a substantial following.
TikTok Affiliate Marketing Examples
There are thousands of affiliates on TikTok…
Some with millions of followers.
Here are some of them.
Rachel Meaders
Rachel has over 2.3 million followers who are obsessed with her “Amazon Finds” videos.
She promotes all sorts of consumer goods including home decor, travel essentials, and baby products.
Her videos regularly get hundreds of thousands of views.
She hosts all her affiliate links in her Linktree.
Heart Defensor
Heart really loves unboxing things…
And so do her 4.2 million followers.
She usually unboxes lifestyle and beauty products on her TikTok.
These products can be found on her ShopLTK page. It’s an influencer platform that displays a creator’s posts with commissionable affiliate links to any featured products.
BetterGifts
BetterGifts recommends the coolest gift ideas for any occasion.
They have over 380,000 followers and are currently on part 77 of their “Amazon products you need” video series.
His clever demonstration videos are a prime example of how to do affiliate marketing without showing your face as he mostly uses POV-style shots in his videos.
Sabrina Tan
Sabrina is “here to help make your house feel like home.”
She makes videos about aesthetic and functional home decor pieces along with personal life updates.
Some of her videos have gotten millions of views, and she currently has 250,000 avid followers.
Zach Dunnett
Zach has over 800,000 followers on his TikTok account where he recommends the best kitchen products from Amazon.
He has less than 50 videos on his page but most of them have millions of views.
TikTok Affiliate Marketing (FAQs)
Do I Need a TikTok Business Account To Start Affiliate Marketing?
You can start affiliate marketing on TikTok with a Personal Account.
However…
A Business Account gives you access to more insights and analytics as well as other marketing features such as the Creator Hub and Ads Manager.
You will also need a Business Account to add a clickable link in your bio.
How Many Followers Do You Need on TikTok for Affiliate Marketing?
You can start affiliate marketing on TikTok even with zero followers as long as you create targeted content so it can show up on your audience’s FYP.
That said…
You need at least 1,000 followers to be able to add a clickable link in your bio.
Can I Monetize My TikTok Account?
TikTok offers several avenues for monetization.
These include:
• Receiving coins during LIVE videos
• Receiving tips or “Diamonds” during regular videos
• Selling access to exclusive videos through TikTok Series
• Working with brands through the Creator Marketplace
• Selling through TikTok Shopping
•Affiliate marketing
How Much Are Ads on TikTok for Affiliate Marketing?
TikTok Ads can cost anywhere between $0.50 to $1.00 per click.
The CPM for TikTok ads is around $10.
The platform also requires a minimum spend of $500 or $50 per day for an ad campaign.
That said…
Big brands sometimes spend up to six figures to launch campaigns on the platform.
How Can I Leverage TikTok for Affiliate Marketing?
You can promote affiliate products on TikTok through engaging videos. While you can’t add affiliate links directly to your videos, you can include them in your TikTok profile or on a separate landing page.
How Does TikTok Affiliate Marketing Work?
TikTok affiliate marketing involves promoting a product and earning a commission from sales made through your referral link. This link can be added to your profile or a custom landing page. If you don’t have a large, engaged TikTok following, consider using paid advertising to promote affiliate products.
How Can I Successfully Leverage TikTok Influencer Marketing for Affiliate Products?
Align yourself with TikTok influencers who resonate with your brand’s audience. You can collaborate with them to create unique content for your affiliate products. The influencers can include your affiliate link on their profile or in their TikTok stories, increasing your visibility and potential sales.
What Makes TikTok a Promising Platform for Affiliate Marketing?
TikTok’s wide and diverse audience, user-friendly interface, less competitive landscape, and engaging video content format make it a promising platform for affiliate marketing.
How Does TikTok Compare to Other Social Media Channels for Affiliate Marketing?
While TikTok has a high user engagement and growth rate, the best platform for affiliate marketing depends on your product and target audience. It’s recommended to test different platforms to find the best fit.
Can You Make Money Through Affiliate Marketing on TikTok?
Yes, you can earn money through affiliate marketing on TikTok. This can be achieved by selecting high-quality products that resonate with your audience, creating engaging video content, collaborating with influencers, and using your profile link effectively.
To Sum Up
So, is it a good idea to do affiliate marketing on TikTok?
Yes, if you have a younger target market it’s a great free traffic source for affiliate marketing.
But always diversify your traffic sources and don’t rely on it as your only one.
Alright, good luck!
