PostEaseThe short answer
TikTok Promote is TikTok’s in-app way to pay to show a post to more people. You pick a video, photo post or LIVE you have already made, choose a goal such as views or followers, set a budget and length, and TikTok shows it to more viewers as an ad once it passes review.
TikTok’s Creator Academy describes it as an “in-app ads tool” and sums it up in one line: “Promote puts paid support behind a post you already believe in.” It runs from the post itself; only some sales options need TikTok’s full Ads Manager.
The goals you can choose
Every Promote campaign starts with a goal. From TikTok’s Creator Academy, updated October 2026:
| Goal | What it optimises for |
|---|---|
| Boost account | More likes and comments, video views, followers or profile views, through the For You feed |
| Get sales | Website visits, website conversions (needs Ads Manager) or TikTok Shop purchases |
| Boost LIVE | More LIVE viewers or followers, promoting the stream itself or separate videos |
| Get leads | TikTok messages, phone calls, instant forms or other messaging apps |
| Promote another creator | Boost account, Get sales or Boost LIVE on someone else’s post, once they approve |
How a campaign runs
Start from the post (the three-dot menu, then the flame icon), from TikTok Studio, or from the LIVE panel. Pick the goal, then either a promotion pack, which sets the outcome in one step, or custom mode, which targets by age, gender, location or interest. Review and pay.
Every order is reviewed against TikTok’s Community Guidelines and Advertising Policies:
| Question | What TikTok says |
|---|---|
| When is a video reviewed? | After payment, typically within 48 hours, with an inbox notification |
| And a LIVE? | Active once paid, and reviewed continuously and automatically while it runs |
| If it is rejected? | The order ends and unused money returns to your Promote balance |
| Can I appeal? | Yes, when the status is Not delivering or Partially delivering |
| Withdrawing the balance? | Possible, except for payments made with Apple Pay, Google Pay or coins |
| Music? | Background music must be commercial music, or Promote asks you to change it |
Who can use it
TikTok lists three conditions:
- People aged 18 or older.
- Accounts registered in a country where Promote is available; if the option is missing, it may not have reached your country.
- A TikTok app newer than version 18.5.
When paying makes sense
Promote buys reach, not a better video, so it works best on posts already proving themselves:
- Boost a video that is doing well organically, to show it to more of the people it already suits.
- Test whether a new direction lands with a defined audience before making more of it.
- Use the commercial-music rule early: pick audio from TikTok’s Unlimited Sounds Library if you might promote the video later.
- Send people somewhere specific, such as your link-in-bio page or a shop, with a sales or traffic goal.
Questions
How long does TikTok Promote review take?
For a video, typically within 48 hours of payment. A promoted LIVE starts once paid and is reviewed automatically while it runs.
What happens if my Promote order is rejected?
The order ends and the unused money returns to your Promote balance. You can appeal if the status is Not delivering or Partially delivering.
Can I promote someone else’s TikTok?
Yes. Request to promote their post from the flame icon; once they approve, set up the campaign as usual.
Why does Promote ask me to change my music?
Promoted content must use commercial music. TikTok suggests audio from its Unlimited Sounds Library.
Sources
- TikTok, Accelerating your growth with Promote, September 2026.
- TikTok, Setting up your Promote campaign, October 2026.
- TikTok, Answering your Promote FAQs, August 2026.