15 Essential TikTok Statistics for Marketers in 2024

If you run a business aimed at a younger audience, chances are you’re already reaching them on TikTok. If not, it’s time to consider how the social media platform could fit into your marketing strategy.

One of the fastest growing and most downloaded social apps on the planet, TikTok is the place where trends are born, stars are made, and the hottest products sell out in minutes. Brands that understand TikTok trends and the unique content TikTok users want can achieve marketing goals with engaging videos and TikTok ads.

Not sure if TikTok is right for you or your brand? Dive into the latest TikTok usage statistics to understand the platform’s audience, average time spent on the app, and why partnering with TikTok creators is a smart influencer marketing tactic.

TikTok statistics for brands and marketers

How many people are on TikTok?
What are the age demographics of TikTok users?
What are TikTok’s gender demographics?
In which countries is TikTok most popular?
What is the total number of TikTok downloads?
How popular is TikTok compared to other social media?
How much time do TikTok users spend on the platform?
How popular is TikTok for ecommerce?
How much money does TikTok make?
How many influencers are on TikTok (and how influential are they)?
What’s the ROI of TikTok marketing?
What’s TikTok’s engagement rate?

The following TikTok statistics cover a number of topics, including TikTok audience demographics statistics, TikTok for ecommerce, TikTok ads and ROI, and how the social media platform stacks up against rivals.

1. How many people are on TikTok?

As of 2024, TikTok has reached more than one billion monthly active users. The platform joins a handful of other social media apps that have achieved the same number.

TikTok’s ascent to this milestone was faster than most—the company reached the one billion mark in 2021, less than five years after its 2016 launch. In total time to reach one billion, the TikTok app takes second place by a slim margin, behind Meta’s Facebook Messenger app. Competitors like WeChat, Instagram, and YouTube each took seven or more years to achieve the same numbers.

Launched in 2017 as the international version of Chinese-developed social media Douyin, TikTok rose to popularity in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, reaching a peak of approximately 313.5 million downloads during the first quarter of the year. In 2023, TikTok counted approximately 1.9 billion users worldwide.

As of 2024, TikTok has approximately 2.05 billion users in total. The popular social media platform is forecasted to reach approximately 2.35 billion users by 2029.

2. What are the age demographics of TikTok users?

As you develop your TikTok marketing strategy, you should hone in on your target audience rather than cast a wide net. But are your potential customers even using TikTok? While TikTok has high adoption among Gen Z and younger, other demographics are also using the platform more and more.

The latest TikTok user statistics show there are 1.58 billion TikTok users aged 18 and older. This is a significant number because these are the TikTok users brands can advertise to (the minimum user age is 13, but TikTok ads can only be shown to users over 18).

But how does the user age breakdown look among those over 18? As of April 2024, the TikTok users over 18 fell into the following age brackets.

18 to 24: 572 million users, or 36.2% of TikTok users over 18
25 to 34: 535.6 million users, or 33.9% of TikTok users over 18
35 to 44: 249.6 million users, or 15.8% of TikTok users over 18
45 to 54: 124.8 million users, or 7.9% of TikTok users over 18
55 and older: 98 million users, or 6.2% of TikTok users over 18

While it’s clear Gen Alpha and Gen Z users dominate the platform, there is usage among older generations, particularly millennials. This could be a signal that brands with older target audiences should seriously consider marketing on TikTok.

3. What are TikTok’s gender demographics?

According to one April 2024 study, TikTok’s distribution of gender identification among users was as follows:

45.7% of TikTok users identified as female
54.3% of TikTok users identified as male

This points to an opportunity for brands with a male target audience to advertise on TikTok.

This study did not include other gender representations, such as non-binary. However, it’s important to note that TikTok has attempted to position itself as a safe space for queer expression and gender expression, banning misgendering and deadnaming from TikTok videos and comments in 2022.

According to the most recent available surveying, around 5% of young adults (under 30) in the US identify as trans or nonbinary, compared to 1.6% of the general US adult population. Mapping this data against TikTok’s own user demographics indicates the gender data above may be incomplete.

If your brand aims to connect with a younger LGBTQ+ community, TikTok may be the place to reach them.

4. In which countries is TikTok most popular?

While the app has gained global acclaim (even though some countries have banned it outright), it is more popular in certain regions than others. As of April 2024, the countries with the most active TikTok users (over 18) are as follows:

Indonesia: 127.5 million
United States: 121.52 million
Brazil: 101.8 million
Mexico: 77.93 million
Vietnam: 69.67 million

Note: While China doesn’t make this list, it’s only because TikTok goes by a different name for Chinese users. There, the Douyin app (also owned by parent company ByteDance) boasts more than 755.5 million daily active users.

While Indonesia and the US currently have the most active users, TikTok is growing fast in other markets. These include the following, which showed high growth of Apple App Store downloads in the last quarter of 2023 (% growth between Q3 and Q4):

China: 39.01%
Japan: 33.6%
South Korea: 24.62%
Australia: 20.14%

5. What is the total number of TikTok downloads?

In 2023, global TikTok downloads continued to grow:

Q1 2023: 238.93 million
Q2 2023: 256.11 million
Q3 2023: 273.31 million
Q4 2023: 232.22 million

In 2023 TikTok exceeded 1 billion downloads worldwide.

In total, the TikTok app has racked up more than 4.366 billion cumulative downloads since its inception. While TikTok has held the place as the number one downloaded app for years, it was surpassed by Instagram in 2023.

6. How popular is TikTok compared to other social media?

Although TikTok dominates in growth, it still has a way to go to catch up with many of the other social media giants. As of 2024, TikTok is the fifth-most-popular social network globally (beating out WeChat), ranked by number of active users:

Facebook: 3 billion users
YouTube: 2.7 billion users
WhatsApp: 2.4 billion users
Instagram: 2.4 billion users
TikTok: 1.6 billion users
WeChat: 1 billion users

TikTok is forecasted to reach 2.136 billion users by 2025, and its growth rate is exceeding that of its competitors. Therefore, it won’t be surprising to see TikTok climb in the ranks in the coming years.

7. How much time do TikTok users spend on the platform?

Global internet users spent an average of 143 minutes per day on social media in 2024, a decrease from 151 minutes daily in 2023. Much of this time is spent on TikTok.

Social media users in the US report that the majority of their time spent on social apps is dedicated to TikTok. The popular video-sharing app accounts for 32% of users’ social media time, while in second place, Instagram and Facebook account for only 20% each.

But what does this mean in terms of actual time spent on the app? In 2024, the average user in the US spends 58.4 minutes per day creating and browsing TikTok videos. Comparatively, they spend 48.7 minutes on YouTube.

Brands can capitalize on the increasing time spent per day on TikTok by producing engaging TikTok videos and in-feed ads.

8. How popular is TikTok for ecommerce?

Late 2022 ushered in the rise of TikTok Shop, a native ecommerce feature integrated directly into the TikTok app. This platform allows users to browse and purchase products without leaving the app, combining the entertainment of social media with shopping experiences.

By the end of 2024 in the US, TikTok is expected to have 35.8 million social commerce users. This number is smaller than Facebook’s 67.8 million and Instagram’s 45.3 million social shoppers. However, it surpasses Pinterest’s figure of 17.5 million social shoppers.

TikTok’s ecommerce platform is a global phenomenon. Here is the distribution of TikTok Shops worldwide by country, as of 2023:

Indonesia: 20.52%
Thailand: 18.29%
Vietnam: 17.54%
Malaysia: 12.94%
United States: 11.83%
Philippines: 11.64%
United Kingdom: 6.19%
Singapore: 1.004%

For 2024, the platform has set a goal of $17.5 billion in ecommerce sales for the US market. To make the shopping experience easier, TikTok is rolling out new features, including live shopping events, shoppable video content, and in-app stores. This move marks a shift for TikTok from a pure social media platform to an ecommerce contender, diversifying its revenue streams beyond traditional advertising.

The good news for brands is that selling on TikTok is simple, due to the platform’s native tools and powerful integrations with ecommerce platforms like Shopify. Product links embedded in Live content, shoppable TikTok videos, and a storefront tab on your brand’s profile are just some of the ways to convert fans to buyers.

9. How much money does TikTok make?

As of December 2023, ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is offering to buy back shares from shareholders at $160 per share, valuing the company at approximately $268 billion. This valuation is derived from the share price offered in the buyback program, which aims to spend up to $5 billion repurchasing stock.

As of 2024, TikTok/Douyin is amongst the most valuable brands in the world, trailing closely behind brands like Samsung Group and Walmart. Its brand value is $84.2 billion.

TikTok’s global revenue from in-app purchases reached approximately $707 million in Q4 2023. The platform experienced remarkable growth in these in-app purchase revenues from late 2021 to early 2022. Specifically, the income from in-app purchases surged from $286 million in Q3 2020 to more than $606 million by Q4 2021.

It’s estimated that TikTok will generate $17.2 billion in net revenue in 2024, a 30.7% rise from 2023.

10. How many influencers are on TikTok (and how influential are they)?

It is estimated that there are more than 100,000 influencers on TikTok. Most of them are creators with less than 10,000 followers.

The latest breakdown of influencer numbers on TikTok, worldwide, by audience size is as follows:

1,000 to 10,000: 66.96%
10,000 to 50,000: 23.06%
50,000 to 500,000: 9.04%
500,000 to 1,000,000: 0.53%
1,000,000 and above: 0.41%

Here’s what that TikTok influencer breakdown looks like in the US:

5,000 to 10,000: 1,839
10,000 to 50,000: 25,293
50,000 to 100,000: 41,879
100,000 to 250,000: 35,503
250,000 to 1,000,000: 23,024
1,000,000 and above: 8,931

As a brand, you can find TikTok influencers with as few as 1,000 followers. These are called nano-influencers. Brands with small marketing budgets may choose to work with smaller, niche influencers with engaged followings. In 2023, nano-influencers on TikTok with 1,000 to 10,000 followers had the highest engagement rate, with 11.97%. Rates for working with influencers vary but tend to increase by audience size and engagement rates.

While there are plenty of influential creators to work with, you are not guaranteed a return on your investment (ROI). It’s important to work with influencers who are relevant to your brand so they can be authentic voices.

11. What’s the ROI of TikTok marketing?

Now that you know working with TikTok influencers can be beneficial to your business, what’s the overall ROI of marketing on the platform? According to one study, 24% of marketers report that TikTok has the highest ROI among other social platforms.

Over half of marketers (50.1%) consider TikTok the most profitable platform for influencer marketing using short-form video content. Instagram Reels ranks second, with 29.9% of marketers favoring it for ROI. YouTube Shorts comes in third, preferred by 12% of marketers for influencer marketing returns.

In another survey of small business owners, of the companies investing in TikTok advertising, 51% report a positive return on investment. Forty-five percent of brands running paid ads on the platform are achieving a break-even point on their ad spend.

With these results, it’s no surprise many marketers plan to increase their use in the future. Fifty-six percent reported they plan to increase their investment in TikTok ads and content—higher than any other social app.

12. What’s TikTok’s engagement rate?

With a median engagement rate of 2.63% in 2023, TikTok dominated against social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. While this signals that brands can get a ton of engagement value out of creators they work with, they should be sure to check each creator’s individual rate.

With an average engagement rate of 11.97% in 2023, nano-influencers (those with 1,000 to 10,000 followers) have the best engagement among influencers. This is great news for brands. Working with smaller influencers usually means lower rates and accessing highly engaged audiences.

Choosing to use TikTok for your brand may also depend on your industry. Certain content performs better on the platform, and some industries and topics demonstrate above average engagement rates.

Industries on TikTok with the highest engagement rates include:

Higher education (9.23%)
Sports (4.43%)
Food and beverage (3.95%)
Travel (3.5%)
Non-profits (2.85%)
Financial services (2.43%)

Summary: 2024 TikTok statistics

Here’s a quick summary of the top TikTok stats of 2024:

As of April 2024, TikTok had reached more than 1.582 billion monthly active users.
572 million, or 36.2%, of TikTok users worldwide are between the ages of 18 and 24.
TikTok’s distribution of gender identification among users is 54.3% male and 45.7% female (without substantial data on non-binary gender usage on the platform).
The country with the most active TikTok users over the age of 18 is Indonesia, with 127.50 million users. The Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, has more than 755.5 million daily active users.
In 2023 TikTok exceeded 1 billion downloads worldwide. In total, the TikTok app has racked up more than 4.366 billion cumulative downloads since its inception.
TikTok is currently the fifth-most-popular social network globally, ranked by number of active users.
In 2024, the average user in the US spends 58.4 minutes per day creating and browsing TikTok videos.
In 2024 in the US, TikTok is expected to have 35.8 million social commerce users.
TikTok’s global revenue from in-app purchases reached approximately $707 million in Q4 2023.
In 2023, nano-influencers on TikTok with 1,000 to 10,000 followers had the highest engagement rate, with 11.97%.
Twenty-four percent of marketers report that TikTok has the highest ROI among other social platforms.
Over half of marketers (50.1%) consider TikTok the most profitable platform for an influencer marketing strategy, using short-form video content.
Fifty-one percent of small businesses using TikTok ads reported a positive return on investment in a 2023 survey.
Fifty-six percent of marketers would increase their investment in TikTok ads and content—higher than any other social app.
TikTok achieved a median engagement rate of 2.63% in 2023, outperforming other major social media platforms.

Now that you understand the power of TikTok and its popularity versus other social media platforms, you’re ready to craft your own TikTok strategy to reach global audiences with branded, entertaining content and TikTok ads that convert.

TikTok statistics FAQ

Is TikTok decreasing in popularity?

The number of TikTok downloads peaked at 313.53% in Q1 of 2020, at the start of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. However, TikTok has continued to see rapid growth worldwide, with 232.22 downloads in Q4 of 2023. TikTok downloads aren’t the only measure of success. The TikTok app is growing fast compared to other platforms, reaching more than one billion TikTok users worldwide faster than many other apps, and marketers are increasingly using the app for its excellent ROI.

How fast is TikTok growing?

TikTok’s growth has been unprecedented. At the start of January 2018, the app had just 55 million users. By 2027, it is projected that TikTok users worldwide will exceed 2.2 billion. In 2023 alone, TikTok downloads exceeded one billion worldwide.

What is the age demographic of TikTok?

The largest demographic among monthly active TikTok users is users between 18 and 24. 572 million, or 36.2%, TikTok users over 18 years old worldwide fall into this age bracket.

How many monthly active users are on TikTok in the US?

As of March 2023, the number of monthly active users on TikTok in the US is 150 million. As of April 2024, worldwide, TikTok boasts 1.582 monthly active users.

What is the time spent on TikTok by average users?

In 2024, the average TikTok user spends 58.4 minutes on the social network.

What is the main goal of TikTok?

For creators, TikTok’s goal is to provide tools and opportunities to build a following and monetize their content. For brands, the platform offers innovative advertising options and access to a large and highly engaged audience. For users, TikTok delivers a personalized and entertaining experience that keeps them coming back for more.

What is TikTok most famous for?

TikTok is best known for its viral dance challenges, lip-sync videos, and its highly personalized For You page algorithm. The platform has also evolved into a content powerhouse, featuring everything from educational videos to comedy, and has become a significant player in global social media. With its popularity and widespread use, TikTok faces ongoing scrutiny in the US, with potential bans proposed due to national security concerns related to its Chinese ownership.