Complete Guide To Affiliate Marketing on TikTok 2023

TikTok is now captivating essential user demographics, previously dominated by platforms like Facebook and, notably, YouTube, serving as evidence that no social media platform is irreplaceable. This application is causing a significant stir in the market, leading to the emergence of new horizons and accompanying marketing prospects.

There is always a potential for profit in any form of Digital Gold Rush. Consequently, it’s important to delve into the specifics of how affiliate marketing functions on TikTok…or does it?

Affiliate marketing is a powerful and profitable model we’ve thoroughly explored, even crafting a comprehensive Ultimate Guide to Affiliate Marketing. Affiliate marketing is the process of endorsing and selling another business’s products or services in exchange for a commission. It offers an avenue for you (the affiliate) to generate online income without the complications of product development or establishing a full-fledged retail business.

Instead, businesses with ready-made products initiate an affiliate program, inviting online marketers to persuade their audience to purchase them. Each affiliate marketer is given a unique link that enables product creators to track the consumers brought to their site by the affiliate and consequently pay them a share of the revenue they generate.

Successful affiliate marketers typically have a large following of potential consumers, often through a social platform, blog, podcast, or video-streaming channel. Currently, TikTok influencers, popular among the younger demographics, are proving to be highly effective affiliate marketers.

In this ultimate guide to affiliate marketing on TikTok, we will explore how you can generate extra income on this rapidly growing social media platform favored by Generation Z and Millennials.

Why Would You Consider Affiliate Marketing on TikTok?

This is 2023; after the pandemic, people start thinking differently. Mostly people in every field took their business online instead of physically. And many people thinking about creating multiple sources of income. Some people started Amazon and sold digital products, and some started earning money through blogs. TikTok membership increased by 100% after the lockdown, so TikTok introduced a new feature TikTok Shop.

In 2021 and 2022, TikTok asserted its dominance as the most downloaded application across iOS and Android platforms, surpassing major competitors like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. User engagement on TikTok exceeds that on these rival platforms. TikTok users are also willing to make in-app purchases. Sensor Tower data reveals that in February 2021, TikTok led the charts as the highest-grossing non-gaming app, with user expenses exceeding $110 million.

Despite ending the year as the highest earner overall, it only secured fourth place on Google Play, trailing behind Google One, Piccoma, and Disney+. A significant portion of TikTok’s users are young, with Statista showing that 32.5% of US users are aged between 10 and 19, while another 29.5% fall in the 20-29 age group. If your TikTok account garners popularity and you skillfully select products that resonate with your audience, you can achieve success through affiliate marketing. Many marketers have yet to fully explore TikTok’s potential, leaving the affiliate market far from overfilled.

The crucial factor to remember is to choose affiliate offers that echo your TikTok audience’s interests. Selling a product just because it promises a high commission can backfire if it does not appeal to your followers. For instance, if your audience predominantly consists of people in their twenties, promoting products like stairlifts or walking sticks aimed at older individuals might be ineffective. Instead, focus on affiliate offers concerning fashion, lifestyle, technology, and consumer goods.

How to Do Affiliate Marketing on TikTok?

Let’s explore how to use TikTok’s considerable reach for your affiliate marketing endeavors. Utilizing the untapped potential of free organic traffic is undoubtedly a valuable strategy for TikTok. The platform, unlike others, doesn’t seem to restrict the traffic a content creator can attract. On the other hand, it’s more than willing to give you exposure to millions of views completely free of charge. For instance, consider my experience – merely 24 hours after posting my first TikTok video, which, I admit, was far from perfect.

1. The Merchant (or Vendor) – refers to the entity that designs or provides the product and opts to deploy an affiliate marketing model for its sales. This can be either a manufacturing or retail business that integrates affiliate marketing to accelerate its sales volume.
2. The Affiliate Network (optional) – If product creators do not wish to liaise directly with affiliate marketers, they may choose to engage an affiliate network as a go-between. This network amasses a range of products from various creators, thus managing the daily communications with affiliates.
3. The Affiliate Marketer – this individual enrolls with a specific product creator or affiliate network to endorse their products to their online audience. In the context of TikTok affiliate marketing, these marketers integrate the promotion of affiliate products within their TikTok videos.
4. The final buyer of the affiliate product. Within the TikTok affiliate marketing framework, the end-user is typically a viewer of the affiliate marketer’s TikTok videos.

The product progenitor or the affiliate network (if applicable) furnishes each affiliate marketer with a unique identifier. These marketers then feature this code in their TikTok content (or include a link containing the code on their TikTok bio page).

How to Utilize Your Organic Traffic on Video for Affiliate Marketing on TikTok?

If You want to become an affiliate marketer on TikTok, There is need to worry. There is no secret that successful affiliate marketers on TikTok use a variety of strategies. The most direct approach is tapping into the stream of organic traffic directed to your TikTok videos.

However, this assumes that your videos are already attracting a substantial viewership, ideally with viewers who actively engage with your content. If your organic traffic levels are not at this point yet, you might want to try some of the tips we shared in Decoding The TikTok Algorithm, which can help you craft videos in a way that triggers the TikTok algorithm to favor them.

1. Focus on a subculture/niche (Topic).
2. Keep your videos short (No need to make long videos).
3. Make the first few seconds count.
4. Leverage popular hashtags.
5. Use trending audio to your advantage. (Use Simple voice with your product-relevant audio)
6. Make your captions relevant and engaging.

You must build a substantial following before diving into affiliate marketing on TikTok. Without an established audience, you may depend more on paid views for your promotional content.

Marketing to Your Organic Traffic (Viewers)

TikTok primarily engages Generation Z users, although it is also becoming increasingly popular among Millennials and the rising Generation Alpha. Therefore, defining a unique niche and creating content that resonates with that demographic is essential. Similarly, any affiliate products you promote should align with your audience’s preferences. For instance, endorsing hunting gear on a channel primarily centered around teenage beauty tips would be futile.

Generation Z is known for its aversion to conventional advertisements. Therefore, seamlessly integrating affiliate products into your videos is crucial. This task becomes more straightforward when choosing products your viewers would naturally gravitate towards. The goal is to position your product so its inclusion feels subtle and inherent to the content.

Include a Link in Your Bio

You need to include your Affiliate link to your bio. So that people will get to know what you are selling through your profile. Placing a link directly in your TikTok videos or captions is not typically allowed, although TikTok has occasionally tested this feature.

You might follow Instagram’s approach and insert a link in your TikTok bio as a workaround. This is the most effective organic method for directing traffic off TikTok, making it the optimal spot for your custom affiliate link. You can subsequently mention this link in your videos. However, not all users can include bio links on TikTok. If you cannot do so, consider joining the TikTok tester program. Switching to a TikTok Business account is also necessary if you currently use a personal account.

1. Click on the “Profile” tab.
2. If there is an option to include a link in your bio, you’ll see a section for URL input. Here, paste your affiliate link provided by your affiliate company or network or a link to your website or custom landing page if you have one. When promoting multiple products with different links, choose the most relevant link to your current affiliate marketing campaign. Repeat this process for each product promotion. Consider using a URL shortening tool for a cleaner look.
3. Click on the “Submit” button.
4. Verify if your link is visible and clickable in your bio (use your mobile to confirm).

Including a link to a landing page or website extends the opportunities for affiliate product promotion, particularly if you’re marketing several products. However, it’s crucial to develop an informative website or landing page to which you can direct potential leads from your TikTok account.

Once your bio includes a clickable link, you can promote it in your TikTok videos. Be wary of hard selling, as it can deter Generation Z viewers. Your followers and the TikTok algorithm, which curates the “For You” feeds, will appreciate affiliate product promotion if your videos maintain a balance of being educational and entertaining.

Use Koji to Supercharge Your Social Commerce Business

There are multiple tools to boost your sales on TikTok Koji is one of them. As the pioneer eCommerce tool developed expressly for social media marketers, Koji is highly recommended for enhancing your affiliate marketing efforts on TikTok. Its library of hundreds of customizable templates is an invaluable resource for increasing sales across TikTok and other social media platforms.

Once you’ve chosen a template, you can tailor it to your liking. A unique link will then be generated for you to include in your TikTok bio. Not only can you embed it in your bio, but you can also integrate it into your TikTok stories or share it via direct messages. However, it’s important to remember that a minimum of 1,000 followers is required to add a clickable website link to your TikTok profile.

Your link repertoire can extend beyond just affiliate links. For instance, you might find it more advantageous to link to blog posts or extended YouTube videos to more comprehensively discuss the merits and functionalities of the products you’re endorsing. With Koji, you have the added benefit of showcasing three highlights and unlimited links.

Link to Your Other Social Pages

You can also link your other social media accounts so that people will also reach you out on other platforms too. In order to initiate your affiliate marketing journey on TikTok, navigate to the ‘Me’ section and select the ‘Edit Profile’ option. TikTok conveniently provides fields where you can link your Instagram and YouTube accounts. This simplifies the process of directing your TikTok audience towards your various other platforms and promotional content. These integrated links appear as social buttons on your profile, enhancing the overall visibility of your posts.

Use Coupon Codes

As an affiliate marketer on TikTok, it’s common to receive discount codes from the brands you’re promoting. You can disseminate these codes to your audience through TikTok videos and video descriptions. However, informing your followers about any restrictions attached to these codes, such as an expiration date, is crucial.

Mention Dedicated URLs in Your Videos for Your Audience

Suppose you’ve successfully established yourself as an influencer and consistently drive significant traffic to your affiliate partner or network’s website. In that case, they may find it beneficial to provide you with a unique, memorable URL for your marketing efforts. This allows any visitor who purchases something from the given webpage to be automatically attributed to you, securing you a predetermined commission for the sale.

Use TikTok Paid Advertising to Promote Your Affiliate Products

If your TikTok follower base isn’t large or engaged enough, You can Use paid advertising is likely the most feasible approach for promoting affiliate products on TikTok. Even if you have a substantial follower count and your videos regularly appear on users’ For You feeds, a mix of organic video posts and paid ads could potentially yield better results.

Paid advertising on TikTok operates in a manner akin to Facebook and Instagram. You bid to get your ads displayed on users’ screens, with in-feed ads appearing as full-screen videos lasting 5 to 60 seconds in users’ For You page. You can choose to target your ads towards specific demographic and psychographic groups, with the cost dependent on the bid necessary to secure your desired slots in a silent auction. TikTok offers other more prominent ad spots like TopView Ads. Still, these tend to be pricier and may not be cost-effective except for the most successful affiliate marketers with large audiences.

Final Words

In this blog, I describe TikTok Affiliate Marketing Step by step, How you can promote your products on TikTok and increase your product sales using your organic video-watching audience. If you need any help with this topic, kindly let me know so I can give you proper results according to your questions.

Faqs

Q: Can you do affiliate marketing on TikTok?

A: You can do affiliate marketing on TikTok easily.

Q: Are TikTok ads good for affiliate marketing?

A: Yes, TikTok is the best place for affiliates. You just need to know the interests and region of your audience then you can successfully start affiliate marketing on TikTok.

Q: How much are ads on TikTok for affiliate marketing?

As per the guidelines set by the platform, the baseline Cost Per Mile (CPM) is defined at $10 for every 1,000 impressions. Furthermore, it’s important to note that each campaign requires a minimum investment of $500.

Q: How do I make money with a TikTok affiliate?

A: To generate earnings via TikTok and capitalize on your profile, incorporate a link within your profile; guide audiences to your various social profiles to boost your follower count; showcase discount codes and URLs within your video content; embed an affiliate URL within your TikTok descriptions.

Q: How much commission does a TikTok affiliate have?

A: There’s been a flurry of inquiries about the commission rate for TikTok Affiliates. To clarify, TikTok offers a 10 percent commission on the affiliate program. This means affiliates earn this percentage from each sale of the product they promote. Therefore, ramping up your promotion efforts can significantly boost your earnings.