How to Boost on TikTok

You’ve seen one of your TikToks take off, pulling in more views and comments than usual, and you’re wondering how to pour a little fuel on that fire. TikTok’s “Boost” feature is the answer, offering a straightforward way to amplify your best content without getting lost in a complex ad manager. This guide will walk you through exactly what boosting is, how to do it step-by-step, and the strategies you need to know to get the most out of your budget.

What Exactly is "Boosting" on TikTok?

Think of boosting as a direct line to a larger audience. Formally called "Promote" inside the app, it's TikTok's built-in advertising tool that lets you turn any of your existing organic videos into a paid ad. Unlike running campaigns through the full TikTok Ads Manager, which is designed for more complex advertising funnels, boosting is user-friendly and can be done straight from your phone in just a few taps.

When you boost a post, you're paying to push it into the "For You" pages of users who don't already follow you. You get to set a goal, pick an audience, define a budget, and let TikTok's algorithm do the heavy lifting. It’s the perfect entry point for creators, small businesses, and marketers who want to test the waters of paid promotion without a steep learning curve.

Reasons to Boost Your TikTok Content

Putting money behind a post might feel like a big step, but the benefits can be significant when you have a clear objective in mind. Here’s why it’s worth considering:

• Escape Your Follower Bubble: Organic reach is great, but it’s often limited to your existing community and people a few degrees away. Boosting breaks through that ceiling and introduces your content to thousands of new people who fit your target demographic.
• Amplify What's Already Working: The best a boosted post can be is a supercharged version of itself. If a video is already resonating with your audience (getting good likes, comments, and shares), boosting it adds momentum and shows it to more people who are likely to love it too.
• Drive Specific Actions: Do you want more followers? More traffic to the link in your bio? Or just more eyeballs on a particular video? Boosting allows you to choose a specific goal, telling TikTok's algorithm exactly what result you're optimizing for.
• Gather Quick Data: Boosting is a fantastic way to test content. You can run a small, low-budget promotion on a few different videos to see which style or message resonates most with a broader audience. This data can inform your entire organic content strategy going forward.

How to Choose the Right TikTok to Boost

Not every video is a candidate for promotion. Wasting money on a mediocre post won't get you far. The key is to be selective and strategic. Look for videos that already have a glimmer of success or serve a specific purpose.

Prioritize High-Performing Organic Videos

Your analytics are your best friend here. Go through your past content and look for videos with:

• High Engagement Rate: A video with a lot of likes, comments, shares, and saves is a proven performer. This tells you the content connects emotionally or provides value that people want to react to.
• Strong Watch Time: If people are watching your video most of the way through or rewatching it, that’s a powerful signal to the algorithm that the content is compelling. Boosting a video that people already stick around for is one of the smartest moves you can make.
• A Spark of Virality: Any video that started to take off on its own, even if it didn't go massively viral, is a prime candidate. It has proven its ability to perform on the "For You" page.

Content with a Clear Purpose

Sometimes, you'll boost a video not just because it's popular, but because it’s strategically important for your brand or goals. This includes:

• Videos That Capture Your Brand's Vibe: Choose a video that you’d want to be a new visitor’s first impression of your account. It should clearly and authentically communicate who you are and what you're all about.
• Content with an Obvious Call-to-Action (CTA): If your video naturally tells viewers to "check the link in bio," "follow for more," or "comment your thoughts," it’s perfect for boosting. The post is already primed to drive the action you're paying for.
• Evergreen Content: Boost videos that will be just as relevant a month from now as they are today. Avoid posts tied to a fleeting trend or a specific holiday (unless, of course, the promotion is for that holiday). This gives your boosted post a longer shelf life and more value over time.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Boosting a Post on TikTok

Ready to launch your first promotion? The process is simple and takes just a few minutes within the app.

Step 1: Select the Video You Want to Boost

Go to your TikTok profile and scroll through your feed to find the video you have chosen to promote. Tap on the video to open it in full-screen.

Step 2: Open the Promote Options

On the video screen, tap the three-dot menu icon ("...") on the bottom-right side. From the menu that appears, look for the "Promote" option, which often has a flame icon, and tap it. If you don't see it, make sure your account is set to a Business account in your settings.

Step 3: Choose Your Goal

TikTok will guide you to a page where you'll define what you want your post to achieve. Common options include:

• More Video Views: This is best for maximizing reach and brand awareness. TikTok will show your video to as many people as possible.
• More Website Visits: This allows you to add a clickable URL to your post and an action button, like "Learn More" or "Shop Now." Use this to drive traffic to your blog, landing page, or product page.
• More Followers: This goal optimizes your campaign for users who are most likely to follow your account after seeing the video. It's ideal for building your community.

Step 4: Define Your Audience

Next, you’ll choose who sees your ad. You have two primary options:

• Automatic: TikTok’s algorithm will decide who to show the video to, based on the characteristics of your existing followers and people who have engaged with your content. This is a good starting point if you're unsure.
• Custom: This gives you manual control over targeting. You can define your audience based on gender, age, location, and interests. This is best when you have a specific customer profile in mind.

Step 5: Set Your Budget and Duration

Here you'll decide how much you want to spend and for how long. You can set a daily budget and choose how many days you want the promotion to run. TikTok will give you an estimated number of video views you can expect for your selected budget. Start small to test the waters before committing to a larger spend.

Step 6: Submit for Review

Once you’ve confirmed your goal, audience, budget, and duration, you’ll see a summary of your campaign. After a final check, add your payment information and hit "Start Promotion." Your post will be sent to TikTok’s review team. Once approved, it will go live and start reaching a wider audience.

Final Thoughts

Boosting (or "Promoting") posts on TikTok is a powerful, user-friendly tool that can significantly accelerate your growth. By strategically choosing high-performing videos, setting clear goals, and targeting the right audience, you can get much more out of your content. Use it to escape your follower bubble, test what resonates with a broader audience, and drive meaningful actions that help you achieve your goals on the platform and beyond.