TikTok allowing users to pay to promote videos on For You Page

TikTok is testing out a new feature globally that will allow users to pay to promote their videos on the For You Page. 

The app’s For You Page is widely praised for its impressive algorithm, expertly handing you videos that it predicts align with your interests, and while adverts do occasionally pop up, scrolling through is normally a seamless experience.

But now, creators and not just businesses will be able to partly control how many people see their content. While this new feature is not widespread, it has been rolled out to a lucky few who will be able to promote individual videos from their creator account.

How does the new feature work?

The feature gives users several options for how they’d like their campaign to go. First, you must pick from one of three options for how you want to boost your account: to bring followers to your website, to increase your followers, or boost your views overall.

The feature allows users to customize the demographic of their target audience, although there is also the option to go for ‘Automatic’ where TikTok picks the audience for you.

Creators can pay for this buy using TikTok coins, the in-app currency where 65 coins roughly amount to $1, and users can set a limit for how much they spend in a day. The length of the promotion can also be set. TikTok coins are also used in the app to send virtual gifts such as when a creator is going live.

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User WaveWyld explained this by adding that if a TikToker spends 400 coins (around $6.15) per day, over 2 days that will potentially boost a video by up to 11,575 views.

For any video that is promoted, it will be labeled as such.

How to promote your TikTok videos

1. If you’re one of the lucky few to have access to this feature, go to settings and click on ‘Creator Tools’
2. Click ‘Promote’
3. Scroll through your TikToks and pick which video to boost
4. Choose your video and then set your goal by picking from one of three options.
5. Set your target demographic as either Automatic or Custom.
6. Set your budget based on how many coins you would like to spend per day, over any number of days.

It is unclear exactly how long TikTok will be testing this feature.