Why Q5 is a golden opportunity for advertisers on TikTok

Invisible quarter. Visible results.

Many marketers view the post-holiday period (often referred to as "Q5" or the "invisible quarter") as a time of slowdown, but on TikTok, it's marked by high attention, strong engagement, and lower ad costs. Q5 may be invisible on the calendar, but for brands on TikTok, it drives real results.

The post-holiday window that performs

While most platforms quiet down after the holidays, TikTok keeps buzzing. As the gifting season fades, people shift their attention from others to themselves, downloading new apps, starting new routines, and discovering what's next.

81% of TikTok users say they spend the same amount of time or more on TikTok during Q5, compared to the rest of the year, and 94% have at least one personal goal for the new year.¹

1 in 3 TikTok users say that searching on TikTok is a key step in achieving their goals for the new year. As a result, searches for habit, fitness, lifestyle, and productivity apps surge during the post-holiday period,² while 1 in 4 say they plan to download a new app or service in Q5 to help reach those goals.¹

This is a mindset of momentum, built on curiosity, intent, and inspiration that brands can uniquely capture on TikTok. And with lower CPMs across the board, Q5 presents a rare opportunity where engagement and efficiency rise in tandem. It's not about spending more. It's about spending smarter when others pull back.

Smart+ turns efficiency into outcomes

Smart+, TikTok's next-generation automation solution, helps advertisers capture performance with increased efficiency, turning lower costs and higher intent into measurable outcomes.

Smart+ removes the guesswork from campaign management. It tests, learns, and optimizes delivery in real-time to identify your best-performing audiences. During Q5, when attention is high and auctions are less crowded, that intelligence works overtime.

Advertisers have already seen the impact: in tests, 80% of advertisers using Smart+ for Apps achieved better performance, including a 14% lower cost per conversion, while 75% plan to keep using it.³

How Q5 shows up across every Industry

Q5 isn't confined to a single product category. It unlocks performance across a range of verticals.

Apps: Turn downtime into downloads

For app marketers, Q5 is when intent turns into installs. 68% of TikTok users plan to spend the same amount of time or more downloading apps after the holidays.¹ With Smart+, TikTok's AI-powered automation solution, you can also efficiently reach new audiences while re-engaging existing ones through App Retargeting and Event Optimization.

Commerce: Keep carts moving when others stop

After the gifting rush of the holiday season, shoppers shift their attention to themselves. 75% of TikTok users plan to spend the same amount of time or more shopping in Q5, compared to the rest of the year.¹ Smart+ helps commerce brands stay visible and drive ROI with automated solutions like Smart+ Catalog Retargeting and GMV Max, turning inspiration into action long after peak season ends.

Gaming: Level up while others log off

Gamers stay active long past the holidays. In Q5, 64% of TikTok users spend the same amount of time or more gaming, compared to the rest of the year.¹ Whether launching new titles or re-engaging lapsed players, Smart+ and App Promotion Campaigns help gaming advertisers scale installs and engagement when CPMs drop.

Across every vertical, the formula stays the same: audiences remain active, costs fall, and Smart+ makes your performance dollars work harder for less.

Momentum that lasts beyond the holidays

The marketers who win Q5 are building momentum for the rest of the year. Every campaign that goes live in Q5 not only captures short-term wins but also fuels long-term learning. Those insights carry into Q1, helping advertisers start the year with more data, stronger audiences, and sharper creative direction.

Lower CPMs and higher engagement create a compounding effect; each impression becomes more efficient and each campaign more informed. Smart+ learns faster, optimizes better, and continues to drive results even after the quarter ends.

Q5 isn't a bonus period. It's a strategic unlock that rewards consistency, creativity, and smart investment. The brands that treat it as such see lasting advantages, from stronger app installs and retention to improved ROAS, which continues well into the new year.

Make Q5 your competitive edge

Lower CPMs, higher engagement, and Smart+ automation make Q5 the ideal time for running campaigns on TikTok. Because while the rest of the world takes a break, the TikTok community and Smart+ stay active.

👉 Download TikTok's Q5 Playbook for Apps, Commerce, and Gaming

Sources

1. TikTok Marketing Science Global Custom Q5 Survey via AYTM, September 2023, NA results

2. TikTok Internal Data, December 2024-January 2025, US.

3. TikTok Smart+ App Promotion Beta Test Report, Aug - Sep 2024