The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to TikTok Affiliate Marketing
Thinking about making money on TikTok? Not sure where to start with TikTok affiliate marketing? Or maybe you’re looking to become an affiliate on TikTok? Either way, you definitely don’t want to miss this article.
Let’s get started!
What is TikTok Affiliate Marketing?
TikTok affiliate marketing is a way for creators to earn money by promoting products or services in their TikTok videos. They use unique affiliate links or promote codes, and when their followers buy something through those links or codes, the creators get a commission. This commission usually ranges from 10% to 40% of the sale. This marketing method works well because TikTok has a huge audience of over 1.6 billion monthly active users. Additionally, TikTok’s unique algorithm helps videos get noticed, so creators don’t need a lot of followers to be successful.
Why You Should Consider TikTok Affiliate Marketing？
With its large user base, youthful audience, strong engagement, high conversion rates, and flexible monetization options, TikTok has become a promising new frontier for affiliate marketing. The platform offers various tools for promoting and selling products, making it an attractive option for both individual creators and affiliates:
Growing User Base
TikTok is projected to reach 1.8 billion monthly active users by 2026, with a significant portion of its audience (70%) aged 18-34, a demographic known for its purchasing power.
High Engagement Rates
TikTok boasts an average engagement rate of 5.2% for affiliate links, which is 160% higher than Instagram. Micro-influencers (those with fewer than 50,000 followers) see engagement rates as high as 30.1%, significantly enhancing the potential for conversions.
Purchasing Intent
About 78% of users have bought a product after seeing it featured in content on the TikTok.
Revenue Potential
TikTok affiliate marketing is projected to generate $9.1 billion in affiliate-driven sales by 2025. Creators can earn between $200 and $6,600 monthly, depending on their follower count and engagement levels. For example, creators with 1,000 to 10,000 followers typically earn between $20 and $150 per sponsored post, while those with over 1 million followers can earn $1,200 or more per post.
Ways to Make Money using TikTok Affiliate Marketing
TikTok Shop Affiliate Program
TikTok’s official in-app affiliate program connects creators with brands and products listed on TikTok Shop. Creators can browse thousands of products, request samples, and promote them directly in their videos or livestreams. Sales made through their unique links or product tags earn the creator a commission.
First, you need to apply to the TikTok Shop Affiliate Program. Once you’re approved, you can browse products in the TikTok Shop marketplace. If available, you can request samples to create authentic content. When you create your videos or livestreams, make sure to tag the products you’re featuring. For every sale made through your tagged products, you’ll earn a commission.
Requirements:
- At least 1,000 followers and 50+ video views in the last 28 days.
- Must comply with TikTok’s affiliate policies and content guidelines.
- A business or creator account is recommended for analytics and link access.
Third-Party Affiliate Programs
You join affiliate programs outside TikTok (e.g., Amazon Associates, EVERAD, CJ Affiliate, Rakuten, ClickBank) , select products to promote, and create TikTok content around those products. You place your affiliate links in your TikTok bio or through a link-in-bio tool, since TikTok does not allow clickable links in video captions.
Start by signing up for a third-party affiliate program and selecting products that are relevant to your audience. Next, create engaging videos such as reviews, demos, tutorials, or unboxings to showcase those products. Be sure to instruct your viewers to visit your bio for the affiliate link, using tools like Linktree or Beacons to make it easy. For every sale made through your links, you’ll earn commissions.
Requirements:
- No minimum follower count for most third-party programs, but a larger, engaged audience increases success.
- Must adhere to TikTok’s external link policies (no direct affiliate links in captions; links must be in bio or comments).
- Some affiliate programs might have their own requirements for those who can join.
Promo Codes Provided by Brands
Partner with brands that provide affiliate promo codes. Then, promote the code in your video using on-screen text, voiceovers, captions, or pinned comments. When viewers use the code to make a purchase, you’ll earn tracked commissions.
Requirements:
- Usually requires a direct partnership or application with the brand.
- No strict follower minimum, but brands prefer accounts with engagement and niche relevance.
Multi-Platform Affiliate Funnels
You can use TikTok to drive traffic to other platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or your own website, where you have more freedom to place affiliate links and provide detailed content. To do this, create short, attention-grabbing TikTok videos that tease or introduce a product, and then direct viewers to your other platforms for full reviews, tutorials, or access to links. By placing your affiliate links on those platforms, you can earn commissions from cross-platform conversions.
Requirements:
- Requires accounts on other platforms and a link-in-bio tool.
- No strict TikTok follower minimum, but audience trust and cross-platform presence are key.
Paid TikTok Ads for Affiliate Offers
You can run TikTok ads through TikTok Ads Manager to promote affiliate products and drive more targeted traffic to your affiliate links. To get started, you need set up a TikTok Ads account and create ad campaigns that showcase your affiliate products. Make sure to direct the traffic to your bio link, landing page, or an external site that contains your affiliate links.
Requirements:
- Ad budget (cost varies by campaign).
- Compliance with TikTok’s ad and affiliate policies.
- Strong understanding of ad targeting and creative best practices.
Livestream Shopping with Affiliate Products
You can go live on TikTok to showcase and demonstrate affiliate products in real time, tagging products from TikTok Shop directly during the livestream. To do this, start your livestream and select the products you want to feature. While you demonstrate, review, or answer questions about the products, viewers will have the opportunity to purchase them directly through the product tags displayed during the stream.
Requirements:
- Access to TikTok Live (usually requires 1,000+ followers).
- Participation in TikTok Shop Affiliate Program.
- Good on-camera presence and engagement skills.
Using GeeLark for TikTok Affiliate Marketing
Multi-Account Management
GeeLark creates real, isolated Android environments for each TikTok account, complete with unique device fingerprints and proxy support. This dramatically reduces the risk of TikTok bans and restrictions, allowing affiliates to safely run dozens or hundreds of accounts at the same time.
Assign each account to a different audience segment, content strategy, or product vertical. This allows for targeted campaigns and A/B testing at scale, increasing the likelihood of finding high-converting approaches.
Automation to Save Time
GeeLark’s automation tools and no-code RPA scripts let you schedule and automatically post videos, distribute affiliate links, and interact with your audience across multiple accounts—all without manual intervention.
Automate tasks like warming up your account, following, liking, commenting, and even engaging across different accounts to enhance your credibility and increase your organic reach.
How to Define Your Niche for Affiliate Marketing on TikTok
Defining your niche is the essential first step for successful affiliate marketing on TikTok. It shapes your content, attracts the right audience, and increases your chances for conversions. Here’s a step-by-step guide, including specific actions to take on TikTok:
Step 1: Assess Your Interests and Strengths
Pick a niche that you’re really passionate about and know a lot about.
What topics excite you? What do you spend your free time researching or doing? Your enthusiasm will translate into more engaging content.
Step 2: Research Trends and Market Demand
Use TikTok’s Discover page and trending hashtags to see what’s popular in your areas of interest.
Use tools like Google Trends to validate demand for your niche.
Analyze top-performing TikTok videos in your potential niche: Look at view counts, likes, comments, and shares to gauge engagement.
Look at successful creators in your niche. See what content works and identify any gaps you could fill.
Step 3: Define Your Target Audience
Consider who’s most likely to be interested in your content and affiliate products. Think about their age, interests, and what problems you can help them solve.
Take some time to research your audience’s demographics and interests using TikTok Analytics or other tools. This will give you a better idea of who your viewers are and what they care about.
Step 4: Confirm Earning Potential
Check if there are relevant affiliate programs and products available for your chosen niche (e.g., TikTok Shop, Amazon Associates, ShareASale).
Evaluate commission rates and product demand to ensure your niche is profitable.
Step 5: Optimize Your TikTok Profile
Switch to a TikTok Business Account for analytics and add a clickable link to your bio.
Choose a username and write a bio that reflects your niche and value proposition.
Add a link-in-bio tool (like Linktree) to promote multiple affiliate products.
Step 6: Test and Refine Your Content
Start creating and posting content related to your niche—product reviews, tutorials, unboxings, comparisons, etc.
Monitor video performance using TikTok Analytics. See which topics and formats get the most engagement.
Engage with your audience: Use polls, questions, and comments to get feedback and refine your niche focus.
Additionally, using GeeLark Cloud Phone allows you to manage multiple accounts, giving you the ability to test different strategies and approaches effectively.
Step 7: Stay Consistent and Adjust
Post regularly to build authority and trust within your niche.
Use analytics to refine your approach: Double down on what works and pivot if needed based on audience response and engagement.
To identify your niche for affiliate marketing on TikTok, combine your interests with market research, audience analysis, and platform optimization. Take concrete actions on TikTok — such as switching to a business account, optimizing your profile, and consistently testing content — to build authority and attract a loyal, engaged audience within your chosen niche.