One mistake brands interested in influencer marketing on TikTok often make is looking at it as only an awareness channel instead of a revenue channel as well. This often affects (not in a good way) their strategy and overall results.
While an awareness point of view only focuses on checking follower count, likes, and views, which are vanity metrics, optimizing for revenue checks more convertible metrics like watch time, click-through rates, and cost per acquisition, amongst others.
We’ll explain more in the course of this guide.
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How to Get The Right Results from Influencer Marketing on TikTok
The first thing to do is to change your perspective on TikTok marketing. Understand that you can achieve real business results if your TikTok marketing strategy is done properly. Only then can you follow the steps below.
Set Clear Performance Objectives
If your goal isn’t tied to sales, conversions, or measurable actions, you’re in the awareness territory again.
You want to focus on goals that bring you direct business benefits, like driving product sales, boosting app installs, increasing UGC that feeds into paid funnels, etc. When your objective is revenue, you’ll choose influencers and content that speaks directly to purchase intent.
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Match Influencers to Your Audience
Choose creators whose followers match your target market. These creators may not necessarily have a large following because it’s not about the big numbers but about relevant engagement and content style that feels native to TikTok.
On TikTok, it’s easy to confuse high views with high engagement. So, you want to check that the influencer’s audience isn’t just viewing their content but also commenting, liking, and sharing.
Create Content That Feels TikTok, Not Like an Ad
Whenever this point comes up, the #GuacDance challenge by Chipotle comes to mind. The brand didn’t just pay influencers to post. They launched a branded challenge that invited users across TikTok to participate in a fun dance for free guac.
The result? Over 250k user-generated videos and massive engagements tied to a real offer.
The lesson here is that successful campaigns don’t feel like commercials on TikTok. Your influencers should be able to create stories, demos, challenges, or trends.
Turn Influencer Content Into Scalable Paid Ads
The real magic happens when you amplify high-performing influencer posts through paid ad channels. Don’t stop at organic reach. Recycle and promote the best content to reach a wider, targeted audience.
Track the Right Metrics
Focus on these few vital metrics.
- Conversions: Measure how many people completed the action you wanted. This is usually a purchase, sign-up, or app install.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): This shows the percentage of people who clicked your link after watching the content.
- Revenue Per Creator: When you track this, you easily see who performs and who doesn’t. This prevents you from renewing contracts based on performance instead of profitability.
- Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): If you paid $5,000 for a campaign and got 100 purchases, your CPA is $50. It is the amount you paid to get one customer. This number must make sense relative to your profit margin.
Learn From Brands That Nailed It
Here are some examples of brands that used influencer marketing on TikTok to achieve real business results.
| Brand | Influencer/Strategy | Campaign Approach | Results |
| Aerie | Charli D’Amelio | Positivity-focused challenge aligned with brand values | Skyrocketed engagement, boosted followers, and strengthened brand affinity. |
| Too Faced Cosmetics | Influencer-driven reveal format | #TFDamnGirl campaign built around a viral product launch | Generated massive engagement and visibility that translated into strong product interest. |
| Walmart | Multiple TikTok creators | Holiday hashtag challenge with gift card incentives | Produced millions of views and high user participation. |
| Medicube | Celebrity endorsement, including Kylie Jenner + coordinated creator strategy | Influencer-led promotion integrated with TikTok Shop | Drove significant revenue growth and strong TikTok Shop performance. |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Do We Align Influencer Campaigns With Our Sales Goals?
Ensure your revenue objective is clear and that your creative, landing page, and tracking setup reflect it. For example, if your goal is to attract email sign-ups, your influencer should be briefed with clear CTAs around your offer that reflect the benefits of signing up, like a discount.
2. Do Follower Count and Engagement Rate Matter More, or Is Content Quality More Important?
While follower count can amplify reach, and engagement can indicate audience activity, neither guarantees sales. What actually moves revenue is how well the creator communicates value. So, content quality and conversion intent matter more.
3. What Type of Content Performs Best on TikTok?
Content that feels organic, not scripted, like problem-solution videos, honest product demos, and relatable storytelling. People are more prone to buying if it’s a recommendation than if it’s a commercial.
4. How Do We Track ROI From Influencer Campaigns?
You can use unique discount codes, UTM links, TikTok Pixel tracking, or TikTok Shop analytics. Then measure conversions, cost per acquisition, and return on ad spend. You can read this article to learn more about tracking ROI from influencer campaigns.
5. How Do We Measure Revenue per Creator?
Calculate the total revenue attributed to each influencer’s link, code, or tracked campaign. Then compare it to what you paid them.
Let Vivian Agency Handle Your Influencer Marketing Strategy
TikTok influencer marketing can be effective for brands that apply the right strategy. However, it can get tricky because you have to ensure that your goals are being met, which can be challenging if you can’t build a system to track progress.
This is why working with Vivian Agency is necessary. We’ve built and managed influencer marketing strategies for several brands and would be your best shot at a successful TikTok influencer marketing campaign.
Our experts are ready to help you kickstart or elevate your affiliate program; get your free consultation today!
