TikTok works across the funnel

The full-funnel impact

At the top of the funnel, TikTok’s unparalleled content discovery mechanism, driven by the For You page, exposes users to new brands and products they might never have encountered otherwise. The platform’s algorithm serves personalised content that aligns with users’ interests, making brand discovery feel organic and engaging. Moving down one step on the funnel, TikTok’s emphasis on authentic, creative content allows brands to showcase their products in action, tell their brand story, and build meaningful connections with potential customers. Users on TikTok are 1.5x more likely to buy products they discover on the platform, highlighting its power in driving consideration and intent. [1]

At the bottom of the funnel, TikTok’s seamless integration of shopping features enables users to move from discovery to purchase without leaving the app. This frictionless experience accelerates the path to purchase, turning engagement into tangible business results.

But what truly sets TikTok apart is its ability to create a continuous loop of engagement. Post-purchase, users often become brand advocates, creating their own content about products they’ve bought. This user-generated content then feeds back into the top of the funnel, inspiring new potential customers and starting the cycle anew.

TikTok’s role in the path to purchase

At the heart of TikTok’s effectiveness is its ability to fuel consideration through authentic storytelling. Unlike traditional advertising platforms, TikTok allows brands to showcase their personality, values, and product benefits in a way that feels native to the platform. TikTok’s community-driven nature, with a mix of brand content and creator-generated material, builds trust and credibility while encouraging active engagement versus passive consumption. This organic interest, with increased likes, comments, sharing and UGC, can lead directly to purchase intent, shortening the journey from awareness to conversion.

By leveraging TikTok’s unique features and community dynamics, brands can create campaigns that simultaneously address multiple stages of the purchase journey. A well-crafted TikTok strategy doesn’t just move users from one stage to the next, it creates an environment where awareness, consideration, and conversion can happen almost simultaneously.

Maximising ROI with TikTok

Success on TikTok lies in optimising for the correct objectives and ad formats across the funnel, allowing brands to engage users at every stage of their journey. TikTok delivers 1.6x more ROI than other media platforms, underscoring the platform’s potential for driving real business results. But to truly maximise outcomes on TikTok, brands need to embrace holistic measurement solutions. Moving beyond last-click attribution and adopting outcome-based measurement is crucial. This approach allows brands to identify exactly what’s driving ROI, enabling them to optimise their strategies and improve marketing efficiency and agility.

Best practices for full-funnel success

To unlock the full potential of TikTok, brands should focus on these four key areas:

1. Optimise for full-funnel impact:

Leverage TikTok’s unique features to create content that serves multiple funnel stages. For example, use entertaining, trend-based content to drive awareness while incorporating product demonstrations to fuel consideration simultaneously.

2. Embrace holistic measurement:

Utilise TikTok’s advanced measurement tools to track the full customer journey. By looking at the full picture rather than isolated metrics, brands can gain a true understanding of their campaign’s impact, allowing for more accurate ROI calculations and data-driven decisions to improve performance.

3. Create authentic, TikTok-First content:

Develop content that aligns with TikTok’s entertainment-first approach. This means moving beyond traditional advertising to create videos that feel native to the platform, increasing the likelihood of user engagement and sharing.

4. Encourage community engagement:

Actively involve your audience in the brand narrative. Prompt users to create content around your products, fostering a sense of community and turning customers into brand advocates, which in turn drives organic growth and credibility.

The digital marketing landscape is evolving. It’s not just about views or likes anymore—it's about driving real, measurable impact across the entire customer journey. By embracing TikTok's potential across the funnel, brands can now transform passive scrollers into both active buyers and loyal advocates. So, what are you waiting for?

TikTok success stories

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[1] TikTok Marketing Science EUI TikTok for Full Funnel Research 2023 conducted by Material