How to Promote TikTok Videos: Promote, Spark Ads and Free Ways
TikTok has two official ways to pay for more reach. Promote boosts a video from inside the app, and Spark Ads run an existing post, yours or a creator’s, as an ad in TikTok Ads Manager. Brands that want creators to make videos for them can find them in TikTok One. The free route is TikTok’s own advice: post good videos regularly and talk to your viewers.
Promote a video in the TikTok app
Before you start, check that you can use Promote:
- You must be at least 18 (TikTok Ads Help).
- Only public videos can be promoted.
- The sound has to be original or cleared for commercial use.
- Political content isn’t allowed, and accounts of governments, politicians and political parties can’t use Promote (TikTok Ads Help).
- Open the video, tap the three dots and choose Promote. You can also start from TikTok Studio or Business Suite in your profile menu, or on the web (TikTok Ads Help).
- Choose a goal: Boost account (video views, followers or profile views), Get leads, Get sales (website visits or purchases) or Boost LIVE. Promoting a LIVE needs at least 1,000 followers.
- Pick a ready-made promotion pack with a set budget, duration and audience, or build your own.
- Pay and start the promotion.
Promote accounts have a Promote balance, and if you link TikTok Ads Manager you can add funds there for use in Promote (TikTok Ads Help). The app shows the budget options before you pay.
Spark Ads: run a post as an ad
Spark Ads use your own TikTok posts, or other creators’ posts with their authorization. Engagement from the ad counts toward the original post, and videos up to 10 minutes long can be used (TikTok Ads Help).
- Creator: on the video, tap the three dots, then Ad settings, and tap Generate to get a post code. Send the code to the brand.
- Brand: in Ads Manager, open TikTok posts and choose Add post to enter the code. Up to 20 codes can be added at once (TikTok Ads Help).
There’s a shortcut too: when a creator tags a brand in a video’s content disclosure, the brand gets ad authorization for 60 days by default (TikTok Support).
Work with creators through TikTok One
TikTok One is where creators, advertisers and brands collaborate. In the app it still appears as Creator Marketplace. To join as a creator you need an account in good standing, to be 18 or older, at least 10,000 followers, at least 1,000 post views and 3 posts in the last 30 days; the age and follower limits can vary by region. Go to your profile menu, TikTok Studio, Monetization, Creator Marketplace, then Check eligibility (TikTok Support).
Free ways to get more reach
TikTok’s own advice for growing an audience (TikTok Support):
- Upload high-quality videos on a regular basis.
- Make some videos longer than one minute.
- Reply to comments and go LIVE.
- Check your analytics to see what works.
- Team up with other creators through Duet and Stitch.
TikTok has said that captions, sounds and hashtags are among the signals it uses to recommend videos, and that follower count isn’t a direct factor (TikTok Newsroom). For more ideas, see how to get more views on TikTok and how to go viral on TikTok.
If you want a new video to start with more views, our TikTok views service adds views to the video you choose.
FAQ
How much does it cost to promote a TikTok?
You set the budget yourself, either with a ready-made pack or a custom amount. The app shows the options before you pay.
Why can’t I promote my video?
Common reasons: you’re under 18, the video isn’t public, the sound isn’t cleared for commercial use, or the content is political.
What’s the difference between Promote and Spark Ads?
Promote works inside the TikTok app, with packs and simple goals. Spark Ads are set up in TikTok Ads Manager and can use a creator’s post with their authorization.
Can I promote someone else’s video?
Use Spark Ads with the creator’s authorization. Since 2025, Promote can also boost other accounts’ videos that talk about your brand (TikTok).