Here’s your actionable roadmap to launching a TikTok influencer campaign, broken down by phase:

Phase 1: Strategy & Setup (Week 1)

Define Your North Star Metric

• Awareness: Focus on views, shares, and branded hashtag volume
• Consideration: Track profile visits, link clicks, and saves
• Conversions: Use TikTok Spark Ads with creator whitelisting + unique discount codes

Set Your Budget Structure

• Creator fees: 60-70% of budget (Nano: $100-500, Micro: $100-2k, Mid: $1k-10k, Macro: $10k+)
• Paid amplification: 20-30% for Spark Ads (boosting organic creator posts as ads)
• Content usage rights: 10% (negotiate 3-6 month usage for your own channels)

Choose Your Campaign Architecture

• Seeding: 20-50 micro-influencers, unboxing style, no posting requirements (authentic reviews)
• Hero Campaign: 1-3 macro creators + paid media support
• Always-On: Monthly roster of 5-10 creators for consistent content cadence

Phase 2: Creator Recruitment (Week 2)

Where to Find Them

• TikTok Creator Marketplace: Filter by engagement rate (look for 5-15%, not just followers), "Brainstormers" (high idea generation), and category
• Manual scout: Search relevant hashtags, check "For You Page" for creators already using your product category
• Agencies: Use for macro-influencers (100k+) or complex logistics

Vetting Checklist

• Authentic engagement: Comments should be conversational, not just emojis
• Previous brand work: Do they tag #ad properly? Does it feel natural?
• Audience alignment: Use TikTok’s analytics (or ask for screenshot) to verify age/geo match
• Content velocity: Posting 3-7x/week shows algorithm favor

Outreach Template

"Hi [Name], love your [specific video about X]. We’re launching [Product] and think your [specific style/tone] would resonate perfectly. Budget is $[X] for one video + usage rights. Interested in a creative brief?"

Phase 3: Creative Direction (Week 3)

The Brief (Keep It Loose) TikTok fails when brands are too prescriptive. Instead of scripts, provide:

• Talking points: 3 key benefits (not features)
• Hook suggestions: First 3 seconds are everything—give 3 options but let them choose
• CTA placement: Middle of video (not end) for better completion rates
• Do's/Don'ts: "Show the product in use" vs. "Don't use studio lighting"

Content Formats That Work

• Problem-Agitation-Solution: Creator shows struggle → your product fixes it
• POV: "POV: You finally found a [product] that doesn’t [pain point]"
• Day in Life: Natural integration during routine moments
• Stitch/Response: Reacting to your brand’s existing viral content

Technical Specs

• 9:16 vertical, 1080x1920
• Captions burned in (80% watch without sound initially)
• Hook within 0-1 seconds

Phase 4: Execution & Amplification (Week 4)

Content Review Process

• Legal check: Ensure #ad or #sponsored in first 3 lines of caption
• Authenticity check: Does it feel like their organic content?
• Quality gate: 720p minimum, clear audio, no excessive filtering

Amplification Strategy

• Spark Ads: Whitelist top performers (creator grants ad code) and run with "Lowest Cost" bid strategy initially
• Branded Mission: If using TikTok’s native tool, set engagement goals (views, clicks) not just reach
• CTA placement: Use the "profile visit" button for consideration campaigns, "Shop Now" for conversion

Phase 5: Optimization (Ongoing)

Metrics to Watch Weekly

• Hook Rate: % who watch past 3 seconds (aim for 30%+)
• View-Through Rate: Completion percentage (25%+ is strong)
• Engagement Quality: Comment sentiment analysis (manual spot-check)
• CPA: For conversion campaigns, benchmark against your Meta ads

Content Repurposing

• Turn winning creator content into:
  • Organic TikTok posts (with permission)
  • Meta ads (TikTok-style often outperforms native Meta creative)
  • Website UGC galleries

Critical TikTok-Specific Rules

1. Never request script approval—creators know their audience; you know your brand. Collaborate, don’t dictate.
2. Spark Ads are mandatory: Organic reach is unpredictable; paid amplification makes ROI predictable.
3. Trend-jacking window: If using trending audio, creator must post within 24-48 hours of approval or trend dies.

To tailor this further for you:

• What’s your approximate budget range (this changes creator tier strategy significantly)?
• Are you driving to e-commerce checkout or app installs?
• Do you have existing TikTok organic content, or are you starting from zero?

Or would you like me to deep-dive into writing creative briefs that don't kill authenticity or negotiating usage rights specifically?

How to Create a TikTok Influencer Marketing Campaign (2026 Guide)

TikTok influencer marketing in 2026 leverages the platform's algorithm for massive reach, with micro-influencers (10K-100K followers) delivering up to 17.9% engagement rates and $1-6 ROI per $1 spent. Focus on authenticity, UGC (user-generated content), and TikTok's built-in shopping features like TikTok Shop. Use TikTok Creator Marketplace (TCM)—TikTok's official platform—as your hub for discovery, outreach, and payments (access via TikTok Ads Manager or TikTok One).

Follow these 9 actionable steps to launch and succeed:

1. Define Clear Objectives (SMART Goals)

• Set specific, measurable goals: e.g., 500K views in 30 days, 500 sales via promo codes, 10K new followers, or 50 UGC videos with a branded hashtag.
• Align with business needs: awareness (views/impressions), engagement (likes/comments/shares), traffic (bio links/CTAs), or conversions (TikTok Shop sales).
• Action: Document KPIs in a one-page brief. Use TikTok Creative Center (ads.tiktok.com/business/creativecenter) for trending insights.

2. Set Your Budget

• Allocate 10-50% of marketing spend; start small ($1K-5K for 5-10 micro-influencers).
• Costs by tier: Nano (1K-10K followers): $10-250/post; Micro: $150-1K; Mid-tier: $1K-5K; Macro: $1K+.
• Include gifting (free products), affiliates (commissions), or boosts via Spark Ads (amplify creator content).
• Action: Factor in 20% buffer for ads/UGC contests. No TCM minimum spend required.

3. Identify and Vet Influencers

• Target micro-influencers for niche alignment and high engagement (67% of brands prefer them).
• Search via:
  • TCM: Filter by location, category (e.g., #BeautyTok), audience demographics, engagement rate (>5%), and past brands.
  • TikTok app: Hashtags, Discover page, competitor collabs.
  • Tools: TikTok Creative Center for top creators.
• Vet: Check content authenticity, genuine comments (no bots), audience overlap (use TCM analytics).
• Action: Build a shortlist of 20-50. Aim for 5-20 creators initially.

4. Build Relationships (Optional Pre-Outreach)

• Engage first: Like/comment/DM on their posts, seed free products to build rapport.
• Action: Send 10-20 product kits with a note: "Loved your [specific video]. Try this and share thoughts—no strings!"

5. Outreach and Pitch

• Via TCM messaging or DM/email: Personalize ("Your #Skintok vids are spot-on for our serum"), outline goals, deliverables, comp, timeline.
• Sample: "Hi [Name], We're [Brand] launching [Product]. Love your authentic style. Paid collab: 1 video + story, $100 + product. Thoughts?"
• Action: Pitch 2-3x your target number. Response rate: 20-30%.

6. Develop Campaign Strategy and Brief

• Content ideas: Trends/challenges, unboxings, "day-in-life," before-afters (15-60s videos).
• Include: Hashtag (e.g., #YourBrandChallenge), CTAs (promo code/bio link), disclosures (#ad/Paid Partnership).
• Duration: 1-4 weeks; stagger posts.
• Action: Create a TCM Campaign Brief template:

  Element	Details
  Goals	e.g., 100K views
  Deliverables	1 video + 3 Stories
  Timeline	Draft by Day 5, post Day 10
  Guidelines	Use product naturally, no scripts

7. Negotiate Terms and Sign Contract

• Agree on: # posts, usage rights (repurpose UGC?), payment (upfront 50%/post-payment), revisions (1-2 rounds).
• Use simple contract: Google Doc or TCM tools.
• Action: Offer affiliate commissions (e.g., 10% sales) for long-term ties. Ensure FTC/TikTok compliance.

8. Launch, Monitor, and Amplify

• Approve content, coordinate posts.
• Track real-time: TikTok Analytics (views/engagement), promo codes/UTMs for sales.
• Engage: Reply to comments, repost UGC.
• Boost winners with Spark Ads.
• Action: Daily check-ins first week. Run UGC contest for virality.

9. Analyze Results and Optimize

• Metrics: ROI (sales ÷ spend), engagement rate, lift in brand mentions/TikTok Shop.
• Tools: TikTok Analytics, Shopify/Google Analytics for attribution.
• Follow up: Thank creators, share results, propose next collab.
• Action: Report: "Campaign hit 120% of views goal, 3x ROI." Scale top performers.

Best Practices for 2026 Success

• Prioritize micro-influencers + UGC: 77% more likely to buy authentic content.
• Trend-jack: Use sounds/hashtags from Creative Center.
• Hybrid model: Paid posts + affiliates + TikTok Shop.
• Scale with TCM: Verified data, payments, analytics in one place.
• Risks: Monitor for brand misalignment; start small.

This gets you from zero to launch in 4-6 weeks. Budget $1K+ for first campaign.

What's your brand/product niche, target audience, budget, and main goal (e.g., sales/awareness)? Share details so I can refine this with custom examples or tool setups!