TikTok by the Numbers: Stats and Facts for Digital Advertisers

Despite a US law threatening a ban—now delayed multiple times by the Trump Administration—and ongoing privacy and cybersecurity scrutiny around the globe, the TikTok era of social advertising marches on.

Far beyond its origins as a lip-syncing app for teens, TikTok has transformed expectations of social networks and become an essential platform for many advertisers.

Powered by a dynamic algorithm that quickly gauges individual user preferences and then curates a highly personalized “For You” page (FYP), TikTok doesn’t have its users tell the platform what they want to see: Rather, it tells them. Those users seemingly can’t get enough—and neither can advertisers, who have been drawn to the app for its unmatched ability to capture attention and spark engagement, especially with younger audiences. In blending entertainment, community, and commerce, the platform has become a powerful space for both brand storytelling and direct sales.

Of course, TikTok is not without its troubles and controversies. In 2024, former President Biden signed a bill into law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to a US company or face a nationwide ban. Since then, enforcement has been repeatedly delayed under President Trump, leaving the platform in a holding pattern. With the latest extension set to expire on September 17, TikTok is reportedly developing a US-specific version of the app in preparation for a potential sale—a shift that could leave advertisers operating on a platform different from the one they know today.

While TikTok’s future remains uncertain, advertisers haven’t pulled back on their investments in the platform. Here, we explore the evolution of this paradigm-shifting app through a collection of stats and facts. We’ll cover all the good stuff and all the ban-related stuff as we paint a picture of why TikTok continues to be the talk of the digital advertising town.

TikTok’s Meteoric Rise In Popularity

It is, quite literally, a multi-billion-dollar question: Just how did TikTok go from being a niche player to one of the most popular apps on the planet?

The reality is there is no single answer, but instead a combination of factors: simple and easy-to-use video creation tools that blur the metaphorical line between creator and consumer, a vast library of licensed music that allows users to easily enrich their clips with audio without fear of copyright infringement, and a community and collaborative feel within the platform (think hashtag challenges and Stitch). The model is so successful, in fact, that it has frightened Meta and YouTube (among others) into disrupting their own businesses—Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, anyone?

• In 2025, there are approximately 116.6 million TikTok users in the US. That number is forecast to grow to 135.2 million in 2029.
• After peaking during the pandemic, TikTok usage has leveled off—but US users are still expected to spend about 52 minutes per day on the app this year, more than on any other social platform.
• TikTok continues to expand faster than most rivals. Its US user base is set to grow 4.7% in 2025—outpacing Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest—showing that ongoing uncertainty around a potential ban hasn’t significantly slowed adoption.

The TikTok Effect On Marketing And Advertising  

“Don’t make ads, make TikToks.”

That was the invitation TikTok laid out for advertisers when it opened its brand-facing wing way back in 2020. And with the company’s revenues skyrocketing, it appears that challenge has been gleefully accepted.

TikTok’s ad business made its first foray into performance marketing with lead-generation ads that empower brands to collect information from prospective consumers through forms and contests. Since then, TikTok has been busy expanding upon those offerings, rolling out formats like interactive add-ons, search ads, and collection ads that together play a fundamental part in the app’s monetization strategy.

• Global TikTok ad revenues are projected to reach $32 billion in 2025, growing 24.5% year-over-year (assuming the app is not banned in the US).
• In the US, the app is forecast to garner $11.8 billion in ad spend this year, up 21% from 2024 and outpacing total social media ad spend growth (again, assuming the app is not banned).
• This year, TikTok will make up 4.2% of the total US digital ad market, 3.4% of the total media ad market, and 13.9% of the total social ad market.
• Based on engagement rate per follower, sports teams (9.2%) and nonprofits (5.2%) are producing the most engaging posts on TikTok. Ranking lowest on the list? Home decor (2.5%) and financial services (1.9%).
• Small to midsize restaurants and retailers report getting more engagement on TikTok than on other social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X.
• 92% of TikTok users take some type of action after watching a video and 37% have purchased something they discovered through the app.

TikTok And The Highly Coveted Gen Z Audience

TikTok has disrupted how an entire generation connects, shops, entertains and educates itself, and ultimately perceives the world. To understand why TikTok is so popular with Gen Z is to understand that generation’s most broadly-shared characteristics. For example, authenticity is one of this generation’s top values—which explains why the “messy realness” of TikTok resonates so well. Gen Z is also the first generation of digital natives, which means they are well-acquainted with digital advertising tactics and therefore naturally drawn to fresh ideas and creative storytelling (for example, unfiltered videos!). In other words, TikTok and Gen Z were made for one another.

• Gen Z is projected to be the largest and most wealthiest generation ever, and is forecast to hold $12 trillion in spending power by 2030.
• Gen Z is the only generation that spends more time with social media than with streaming video.
• Gen Z represents 49.3% of total TikTok users in the US, with millennials accounting for 35.3%, Gen X for 15.9%, and baby boomers for 9%. The share of Gen Z users will gradually increase over the next few years, reaching 51.7% in 2029.
• Close to half of Gen Z adults (48%) report using TikTok daily.
• Gen Z users are increasingly turning to TikTok for uses beyond entertainment, with more than half saying they choose TikTok over Google as their preferred search engine.

TikTok’s Appeal Goes Beyond Short-Form Video

TikTok’s expansion into search and commerce media indicate that the app is not content to simply sit in the realm of short-form video. The diversification of its portfolio could pit TikTok against the likes of Apple, Amazon, and Google as it transforms into a public square for news and commerce, in addition to entertainment.

• The app’s role as a news source is climbing, further cementing its position as a go-to search tool for users. In 2024, 52% of TikTok users reported regularly getting news from the app, a notable increase from the 22% who reported the same in 2020.
• Beyond using TikTok to stay up to date on current events, users are increasingly leveraging it as a discovery engine for everything from restaurants to clothing.
• To capitalize on its growing role as a search engine, TikTok launched search ads in 2024.
• TikTok is driving the growth of social commerce in the US, with US commerce sales on the platform rising by 26% in 2024.

An Uncertain Road Ahead

After the US federal government and numerous states outlawed use of TikTok on government-issued devices (something many other countries have done as well), former President Joe Biden signed a law in 2024 forcing ByteDance to sell the wildly popular app or face an outright ban across the US. That law was upheld by the Supreme Court in January 2025, and TikTok briefly halted service in the US just before the divestiture deadline of January 19.

Then, on the first day of his second term, President Trump signed an executive order delaying enforcement for 75 days. He has since issued two more 75-day extensions, keeping TikTok operating for the time being while divestment talks continue. A wide array of potential buyers have been named in recent months, from Oracle to AI company Perplexity to social media influencer MrBeast.

To prepare for a potential sale, TikTok has reportedly been working on a new version of the app specifically for US users, with a rumored launch  planned for September 5. For advertisers, the potential transition to a different version of TikTok presents a variety of weighty questions: With ByteDance repeatedly claiming that it won’t sell the algorithm that fuels TikTok (otherwise known as its “secret sauce”), how different will the new app’s algorithm be from the original’s? Will advertising profiles automatically be ported over to the new app, or will advertisers need to rebuild them? How will US user numbers be impacted?

As long as these questions remain unanswered, marketers may want to avoid overleveraging their TikTok spend and, instead, employ a diversified paid social strategies.

• 39 states have banned TikTok on government-issued devices, including all mobile phones, tablets, and computers.
• Many public universities across the US have also made the decision to ban the app from their servers and/or have recommended their students remove it from their personal devices. Auburn University, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas-Austin, and Texas A&M—the biggest college campus in the US—are on the growing list.
• If TikTok were to get the axe, Google and Meta would stand to benefit the most. It’s estimated that Meta could draw up to 60% of the app’s US ad revenue, where YouTube might acquire 25%.

TikTok By The Numbers—Wrapping Up

TikTok grew into a digital advertising powerhouse seemingly overnight. Its consumer appeal and high engagement rates across numerous verticals make it a worthy option for ad spending for a wide variety of marketing teams. But with the threat of a ban looming, marketers would be wise to start scenario planning and maintain flexibility with social ad buys so they can quickly pivot to an alternative video platform quickly if needed.

One thing is for sure: For now, at least, TikTok remains social media’s golden child—and there are great rewards available to those that get it right.

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Interested in learning about how to make the most of TikTok? Check out our webinar, Seizing the TikTok Advertising Opportunity, for guidance from TikTok advertising experts.