TikTok Says Creators Deliver 159% Better Engagement Than Ads
As brands gear up for the end-of-year push, TikTok is once again emphasising the effectiveness of working with creators – highlighting new data that suggests influencer-led campaigns outperform traditional ads on the platform. According to TikTok’s latest analysis, ads that feature creators generate a 70% higher click-through rate (CTR) and a 159% higher engagement rate than non-creator ads at the same cost per thousand impressions (CPM).
The rationale is straightforward: creators inherently understand TikTok’s culture, trends, and format. When they craft brand messaging, they tailor it in a way that aligns with community norms – making content feel less like a polished commercial and more like a native post. TikTok points out three major strengths creators bring to marketing campaigns: their ability to “translate” brand messages into TikTok-native storytelling, their capacity to quickly produce high-volume content, and the trust they carry with their existing audiences.
Rather than relying solely on static image ads or generic video content, campaigns that leverage creators – especially those embedded in niche communities — stand a much better chance of resonating with users. Independent analyses echo TikTok’s conclusions. TikTok suggests a dual strategy: deploying “buzzy campaign moments” for product launches or seasonal promotions, combined with an “always-on” rhythm of creator content in between major pushes.
Similar TikTok studies over the past few years hint that this is a trend – creator-led continues to outpace brand content across key metrics, particularly in categories like beauty and lifestyle, where authenticity and relatability matter most. That said, success still depends on execution, and matching the right creator to the right branding or collaboration or audience could become an even more important of building TikTok marketing campaigns in the near future.
