15 Essential TikTok Statistics for Marketers in 2024 (2024)

If you run a business aimed at a younger audience, chances are you’re already reaching them on TikTok. If not, it’s time to consider the social media platform as part of your marketing strategy.

One of the fastest growing and most downloaded social apps on the planet, TikTok is the place where trends are born, stars are made, and the hottest products sell out in minutes. Brands that understand TikTok users and the unique content they want can achieve marketing goals with engaging videos and TikTok ads.

Still not sure if TikTok is right for you or your brand? Dive into the latest TikTok statistics to understand the platform’s audience, average time spent on the app, and why partnering with TikTok creators is a smart influencer marketing tactic.

15 TikTok statistics for brands and marketers

1. How many people are on TikTok?
2. What are the age demographics of TikTok users?
3. What are TikTok’s gender demographics?
4. In which countries is TikTok most popular?
5. What is the total number of TikTok downloads?
6. How popular is TikTok?
7. How much time do TikTok users spend on the platform?
8. How fast is TikTok growing?
9. EntryHow popular is TikTok for ecommerce?5
10. How much money does TikTok make?
11. How many influencers are on TikTok (and how influential are they)?
12. What’s the ROI of TikTok marketing?
13. What’s TikTok’s engagement rate?
14. What are the most popular hashtags on TikTok?
15. Who are the most popular users on TikTok?

The following TikTok statistics cover a number of topics, including TikTok’s audience and demographics, TikTok for ecommerce, trending TikTok sounds and hashtags in TikTok videos, TikTok ads and ROI, and how the social media platform stacks up against rivals.

1. How many people are on TikTok?

As of the end of 2022, TikTok had reached over 1.7 billion monthly active users. Not only is reaching one billion users a milestone that few other social networks have achieved, but the company reached it less than five years after its launch.

In total time to reach 1 billion, the TikTok app takes second place by a slim margin behind Meta’s Facebook Messenger app. Competitors like WeChat, Instagram, and YouTube each took seven or more years to achieve the same numbers.

TikTok’s growth has been unprecedented. At the start of January 2018, the platform had 55 million users. By 2027, it is projected that number will exceed 2.2 billion.

2. What are the age demographics of TikTok users?

As you develop your TikTok marketing strategy, you should narrow in on your target audience rather than cast a wide net. But are your potential customers even using TikTok? While TikTok has high adoption among Gen Z and younger people, other demographics are also using the platform more and more.

The latest TikTok user statistics show there are 1.09 billion TikTok users aged 18 and older. This is a significant number because these are the TikTok users brands can advertise to (the minimum user age is 13, but TikTok ads can only be shown to users over 18).

But how does the user age breakdown look among those over 18? As of 2023, the TikTok users over 18 fell into the following age brackets. The information in parentheses indicates the percentage change of TikTok users in each demographic between 2021 and 2023.

• 18 to 24: 419.9 million users, or 38.5% of TikTok users over 18 ( ⬇️ 11.9%)
• 25 to 34: 354.8 million users, or 32.5% of TikTok users over 18 ( ⬆️ 1.9%)
• 35 to 44: 170.0 million, users or 15.6% of TikTok users over 18 ( ⬆️ 20.0%)
• 45 to 54: 87.3 million users, or 8.0% of TikTok users over 18 ( ⬆️ 25.0%)
• 55 and older: 60.1 million users, or 5.5% of TikTok users over 18 ( ⬆️ 61.7%)

While it’s clear that Gen Z and Gen Alpha still dominate the platform, usage among older generations is growing steadily, with the largest jump happening in the 55 and above bracket. This could be a signal that brands with older target audiences should seriously consider marketing on TikTok.

3. What are TikTok’s gender demographics?

According to one 2022 study, TikTok’s distribution of gender identification among users was as follows:

• 55.3% of TikTok users identified as female
• 44.7% of TikTok users identified as male

This study did not include other gender representations, such as non-binary. However, it’s important to note that TikTok has attempted to position itself as a safe space for queer expression and gender expression, banning misgendering and deadnaming from TikTok videos and comments in 2022. TikTok’s own COO also came out as non-binary this year.

Five percent of young adults (under 30) in the US identify as trans or non-binary compared to 1.6% of the general US adult population. Mapping this data against TikTok’s own user demographics indicates the gender data above may be incomplete.

If your brand aims to connect with a younger LGBTQ+ community, TikTok may be the place to reach them.

4. In which countries is TikTok most popular?

TikTok is primed to reach two billion users in the next year or two. While the app has gained global acclaim (even though some countries have banned it outright), it is more popular in certain regions than others. As of April 2023, the countries with the most active TikTok users (over 18) are as follows:

1. United States: 116.5 million
2. Indonesia: 113 million
3. Brazil: 84.1 million
4. Mexico: 62.4 million
5. Russia: 51.2 million

Note: While China doesn’t make this list, it’s only because TikTok goes by a different name for Chinese users. There, the Douyin app (also owned by parent company ByteDance) boasts more than 780 million active users.

While the US and Indonesia currently have the most active users, TikTok is growing fast in other markets. These include the following, which showed high growth of Apple App Store downloads in the first half of 2022 (% growth between Q1 and Q2):

• Colombia: 59.4%
• Mexico: 23.9%
• Egypt: 18.2%
• Nigeria: 12.8%

5. What is the total number of TikTok downloads?

In 2022 alone, TikTok downloads exceeded 672 million worldwide, making it the number one downloaded app among entertainment and video streaming apps. The next most downloaded app in the category is Netflix, with 165 million downloads in 2022. The social app also beat out YouTube, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video for total global downloads that year.

But TikTok didn’t just dominate downloads in its own category in 2022. It also beat out all other social media apps—and all mobile apps—including Instagram, WhatsApp, CapCut, and Snapchat.

While TikTok downloads experienced a surge at the height of the pandemic before cooling again, they are on an upward trend into the second half of 2023.

In total, the TikTok app has racked up more than 3.5 billion downloads since its inception.

6. How popular is TikTok?

Although TikTok dominates in growth and is the most downloaded app in the entertainment category, it still has a way to go to catch some of the other social media giants. TikTok is currently the sixth-most-popular social network globally (closing in on WeChat), ranked by number of active users:

• Facebook: 2.99 billion
• WhatsApp: 2.7 billion
• YouTube: 2.68 billion
• Instagram: 2.5 billion
• WeChat: 1.67 billion
• TikTok: 1.67 billion

TikTok is forecasted to reach 2.25 billion users by 2025 and its growth rate is exceeding that of its competitors, therefore it won’t be surprising to see TikTok climb in the ranks in coming years.

7. How much time do TikTok users spend on the platform?

Social media users in the US report that the majority of their time spent on social apps is dedicated to TikTok. The popular video sharing app accounts for 32% of users’ social media time, while in second place, Instagram and Facebook account for only 20% each.

But what does this mean in terms of actual time spent on the app? In 2023, the average user spends 55.8 minutes per day creating and browsing TikTok videos—a figure that is projected to increase to 58.4 minutes by 2024.

TikTok isn’t just diverting social network users’ attention away from other social media apps. According to TikTok’s own user data, 41% of Gen Z TikTok users worldwide surveyed say they spend less time listening to podcasts since starting to use TikTok. Brands can capitalize on the increasing time spent on TikTok by producing engaging TikTok videos and in feed ads.

🎵 Learn more: Best Times To Post on TikTok

8. How fast is TikTok growing?

Despite its massive growth over the past few years, bolstered by its popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and the gains it has made among the top social media apps by user count, TikTok isn’t the fastest-growing social media app in the world. In fact, it ranks fourth behind BeReal, Twitch, and Linkedin, with a 16% growth rate between May 2022 and January 2023.

9. How popular is TikTok for ecommerce?

Social commerce is expected to reach $80 billion in the US by 2025. As younger internet users forgo conventional search engines and turn to their favorite social networks for product discovery—and even completing a sale—social commerce continues to grow in popularity.

In 2023, TikTok alone hopes to snap up $20 billion in sales through its own platform, quadrupling its gross merchandise value (GMV) the previous year. And younger users will help the company get there, already signaling that TikTok is their go-to shopping and discovery platform. TikTok reports that 81% of users who made a back-to-school purchase said the platform played a role in their decision.

The good news for brands is that selling on TikTok is simple due to the platform’s native tools and powerful integrations with ecommerce platforms like Shopify. Product links embedded in Live content, shoppable TikTok videos, and a storefront tab on your brand’s profile are just some of the ways to seamlessly convert fans to buyers.

10. How much money does TikTok make?

TikTok’s parent company ByteDance led unicorn companies in valuation as of April 2023, beating out giants like SpaceX, Shein, and Stripe. ByteDance is valued at $200 billion in 2023. TikTok itself is the fastest-growing media brand globally, with a 215% brand value growth rate as of 2022.

In-app purchases on TikTok grew from just $4.57 billion in the first quarter of 2018 to $497.69 billion in the first quarter of 2023. TikTok ad revenues topped $9.9 billion, an increase of 155% over the previous year.

11. How many influencers are on TikTok (and how influential are they)?

It is estimated that there are more than 100,000 influencers on TikTok. The breakdown of influencer numbers on TikTok by audience size is as follows:

• 5,000–10,000 followers: 1,839
• 10,000–50,000 followers: 25,293
• 50,000–100,000 followers: 41,879
• 100,000–250,000 followers: 35,503
• 250,000–1 million followers: 23,024
• 1 million+ followers: 8,931

As a brand, you can find influencers with as few as 1,000 followers. These are called nano-influencers. Brands with small marketing budgets may choose to work with smaller, niche influencers with engaged followings. Rates for working with influencers vary but tend to increase by audience size.

While there are plenty of influential creators to work with, you are guaranteed a return on your investment (ROI). It’s important to work with influencers that are relevant to your brand so they can be an authentic voice. According to TikTok’s own research, users turn to influencers to make purchase decisions:

• 74% of Gen Z social media and video platform users perceive TikTok creators as reliable.
• Gen Z TikTok users are twice as likely as non-users to join a livestream to buy something promoted by an influencer.
• 78% of TikTok users purchased a product after seeing it featured in TikTok creator content.

12. What’s the ROI of TikTok marketing?

Now that you know that working with influencers on TikTok can be beneficial to your business, what’s the overall ROI of marketing on the platform? According to one study, TikTok is tied in second place with Instagram and YouTube, with 16% of marketers citing it as having the best ROI.

In another 2022 survey of small business owners, 78% of this group said they received a positive ROI through TikTok marketing.

With these results, it’s no surprise that many marketers plan to increase their use in the future. 56% reported that they would increase their investment in TikTok ads and content—higher than any other social app.

13. What’s TikTok’s engagement rate?

With an average engagement rate of 5.69% in 2023, TikTok dominated against social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. While this signals that brands can get a ton of engagement value out of creators they work with, they should be sure to check each creator’s individual rate. Some of the biggest names on TikTok actually have lower than average rates of 3% or less.

With an average rate of 15.2% in 2022, nano-influencers (those with 1,000 to 10,000 followers) have the best engagement among influencer tiers. This is great news for brands. Working with smaller influencers usually means lower rates and accessing highly engaged audiences.

Choosing to use TikTok for your brand may also depend on your industry. Certain content performs better on the platform, and some industries and topics demonstrate above average rates. Those categories are:

• Higher education (16.26%)
• Sports (9.18%)
• Travel (7.43%)
• Financial services (7.41%)
• Non-profits (7.36%)
• Food and beverage (6.84%)

14. What are the most popular hashtags on TikTok?

Hashtags are a critical part of the discovery experience on TikTok. But loading your branded posts with random hashtags isn’t going to move the needle. When using TikTok for business, research hashtags to help find a balance of those relevant to your brand and community as well as trending hashtags of the moment.

As of January 2023, the top hashtags on TikTok ranked by post views are as follows:

• #fyp: 35 trillion views
• #foryou: 21 trillion views
• #foryoupage: 13 trillion views
• #viral: 13 trillion views
• #tiktok: 4 trillion views
• #trending: 3 trillion views
• #duet: 3 trillion views

While these are popular hashtags, they are also saturated. What will be more useful to your brand is keeping in touch with emerging hashtag trends that fit with your business and products. TikTik’s own ads platform allows you to see hashtag data and sort by timeframe and industry.

15. Who are the most popular users on TikTok?

If you’re serious about using TikTok for your brand, you’ll have to learn from the best. That means taking a look at popular accounts and content to get inspired and understand what the TikTok audience likes.

According to the latest numbers, Khaby Lame, an Italian social media personality, ranks first, with 155.1 million followers, recently taking the top spot from Charli D’Amelio. The most popular TikTok creators by follower count are:

1. Khaby Lame: 155.1 million
2. Charli D’Amelio: 150.1 million
3. Bella Poarch: 93 million
4. Addison Rae: 88.8 million
5. MrBeast: 78 million

Summary: 2023 TikTok statistics

Here’s a quick summary of the top TikTok stats of 2023:

1. As of the end of 2022, TikTok reached more than 1.7 billion active users.
2. 419.9 million, or 38.5%, of TikTok users worldwide are between the ages of 18 and 24.
3. TikTok’s distribution of gender identification among uses is 55.3% female-identifying and 44.7% male-identifying.
4. The country with the most active TikTok users over the age of 18 is the United States, with 116.5 million users. The Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, has more than 780 million active users.
5. TikTok was downloaded 672 million times worldwide in 2022, making it the most downloaded entertainment and video streaming app.
6. TikTok is currently the sixth-most-popular social network globally.
7. The average TikTok user spends 55.8 minutes per day using TikTok.
8. TikTok had a 16% growth rate between May 2022 and January 2023.
9. TikTok projects $20 billion in sales through its own platform in 2023, quadrupling its GMV from the previous year.
10. TikTok ad revenues topped $9.9 billion, an increase of 155% over the previous year.
11. 78% of TikTok users purchased a product after seeing it featured in TikTok creator content.
12. 16% of marketers cite TikTok as having the best ROI among social platforms.
13. With an average engagement rate of 5.69% in 2023, TikTok dominated against social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
14. The top hashtags on TikTok, ranked by post views are #fyp, #foryou, and #foryoupage.
15. The most popular TikTok creators by number of followers are Khaby Lame and Charli D’Amelio.

Now that you understand the power of and its popularity versus other social media platforms, you’re ready to craft your TikTok marketing strategy to reach global audiences with branded, entertaining content and TikTok ads that convert.