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Should You Use TikTok Promotion Feature (Honest Review)

If you’ve ever opened TikTok, seen one of your videos stall, and thought, “Should I just boost this?”, then congratulations, you landed at the right place. TikTok’s Promotion feature shows up at the exact moment you start doubting yourself. A video is doing okay, not great, and suddenly TikTok is offering you more views for a few dollars. 

I’ve seen creators swear by it. I’ve seen others say it completely killed their engagement. And TikTok itself doesn’t do a great job of explaining what actually happens once you hit that Promote button.

So instead of repeating marketing claims, this blog breaks down what TikTok Promote really does, when it makes sense to use it, and when it’s a waste of money. We’ll be discussing all the essential stuff you wish someone told you before spending your own money. So, let's begin with it!  

Understanding TikTok Promotion Feature

The TikTok Promotion feature is TikTok’s built-in way to boost a video you’ve already posted. Instead of setting up a full ad campaign, you just tap “Promote” on one of your videos, choose a goal (like more views, more followers, or website visits), set a budget, and TikTok pushes that video to more people. It’s meant to feel simple and low-effort, especially for creators who don’t want to deal with complicated ad dashboards. 

Think of it like boosting a post on Instagram; you create the same momentum on TikTok as well. Your video, marked as Promoted most of the time, appears in numerous For You feeds, and TikTok determines the audience according to your goal and some very basic targeting options.

Is TikTok Promotion Actually Worth It?

The worth of TikTok Promote is a matter of personal goals and expectations. If you are looking for instant visibility, more views, or a rapid increase in followers, it will be beneficial. It is user-friendly, no ad skills are needed, and your content can reach an audience larger than your current followers. This amazing feature supports new creators or small businesses trying to understand how to promote on TikTok.

However, TikTok Promote is not a charm that works instantly for growth. Paid promotions do not always guarantee that the video will go viral, get high quality likes, or attract a large number of followers on TikTok. The results largely depend on how engaging and appealing your content is. While TikTok Promote can be effective for short-term reach, it works best when used strategically alongside other growth tactics, such as buying TikTok followers or likes rather than as a replacement. 

Pros and Cons of TikTok Promotion

The TikTok promotion feature has its advantages, but every coin has two sides. Here are the pros and cons to consider:

Pros

  • It makes more people see your content. Running a promotion on TikTok enables you to reach a significantly larger audience, become more familiar with your brand, and increase the likelihood of followers.

  • It is quite convenient and budget-friendly, as you can start promoting on TikTok with as little as $3 per day. 

  • It offers a fair conversion rate between 1.1% and 2.4%, and a $7.03 CPM, making it a good and profitable source of investment.

  • It allows small brands and businesses to boost influencer-created posts or LIVE videos to increase views and reach.

Cons

  • Promoted videos carry a “sponsored” tag, which may cause users to scroll past them more quickly than organic content, thereby decreasing engagement metrics.

  • It raises misinformation among the users. The ease and low cost of TikTok Promote can amplify false content, though TikTok is reducing this risk by restricting sponsored posts on sensitive topics.

Eligibility Rules for Using TikTok Promote

To start using the TikTok promotion feature, you need to meet some requirements and eligibility criteria. Let’s have a look at them:

  • You’ll have to be at least 18 years or older.

  • Account must be Creator or Business (no government or political accounts)

  • Accept Promote Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

  • Your video content must be public.

  • Use original sound or TikTok Commercial Music

  • Must follow TikTok’s advertising rules.

How To Use the TikTok Promotion Feature 

Using the TikTok promotion feature is quite easy and can be done conveniently within the TikTok app. Let’s understand step by step how you can use it:

Step 1: Pick the Right Video to Promote

Firstly, you should select a well-performing video. Typically, the videos with greater engagement get better results when promotion is applied. It is not wise to promote videos that are of inferior quality or have very few engagements.

Step 2: Tap the “Promote” Button

Check the “Promote” selection on your TikTok video once you have opened it. Usually, this button is found either next to the analytics of your video or below the three-dot menu.

Step 3: Set Your Goal

Among other things, TikTok brands allow you to set promotion goals like:

More Views: The views on TikTok will be increased by reaching a larger audience

More Followers: Bringing in new followers from the audience that got promoted

More Website Visits: Increasing the number of visits to the linked website

Step 4: Choose Your Audience

This options let TikTok automatically target an audience that is alike to your followers or to create a custom audience according to the location, interests, and demographics. Automatic targeting is easier, but custom targeting gives you more control, thereby enhancing your TikTok marketing strategy.

Step 5: Set Your Budget and Duration

Choose the amount of money you are willing to spend and the period you want the promotion to run. TikTok will give you a reach estimate based on your budget. If you are experimenting to find the best method, begin with a small amount.

Step 6: Launch and Monitor Your Promotion

Once everything is set, start running your promotion. Use TikTok growth analytics to monitor the results and check the views, engagement, and follower growth. You can also implement adjustments in future promotions according to what works best. 

What Type of Content Can Be Advertised on TikTok?

Of course, it is impossible to promote all TikTok videos. The content, however, that can be promoted on TikTok must meet the platform's rules and guidelines. Videos that are considered inappropriate, possess copyright issues, or violate community standards will not be able to be Promoted. 

As a rule, the best content to promote has to be engaging, high-quality, and relevant to your target audience. Videos that already show organic traction, such as more TikTok likes, comments, or shares, tend to perform better when promoted.

Why TikTok May Not Approve a Promotion

TikTok may not approve a promotion if the video violates its advertising or community guidelines. This includes using copyrighted music that isn’t allowed for ads, promoting restricted products or services, or containing misleading content. Even if a video is fine for organic posting, it can still be rejected for promotion because ad standards are stricter than regular content rules. 

Another common reason is account or technical issues, such as not having a Creator or Business account, missing required agreements, or targeting options that don’t align with TikTok’s policies. In some cases, videos are also rejected simply because they lack clarity or don’t meet quality standards. When this happens, reviewing TikTok’s feedback, making small edits, and resubmitting often resolves the issue. 

Final Thoughts

In a nutshell, the TikTok promotion is an excellent feature that helps brands and businesses boost their content on the TikTok platform. It’s a simple and low-effort feature, especially for creators who don’t want to deal with complicated ad dashboards. You can use the TikTok promotion feature, but it totally depends on your goals and objectives. Always remember to upload quality content and then run a TikTok promotion on it for better brand visibility and awareness. You’re all set to make it happen.

Visit Likesforyou if you’re looking for organic TikTok growth services and let your brand reach the levels of visibility!

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Article By

Inez Nevaeh

Inez Nevaeh is an author with a passion for social media growth. She specializes in creating engaging content and expert guides for social media success. Skilled in translating complex algorithms into actionable strategies, building striking online presences, and empowering creators to thrive. Inspired by a mission to make social growth accessible and easy.

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