How to Promote TikTok Videos with Copyrighted Music

Trying to use that trending pop song to boost your video on TikTok? It's a powerful strategy, but you've probably hit a hard wall with copyright restrictions, especially if you have a Business Account. You find the perfect audio, film your content, and then see the dreaded pop-up: 'This sound isn't licensed for commercial use.' It’s frustrating. This guide breaks down exactly how these music rules work and walks you through the step-by-step, legitimate methods for promoting your TikTok videos with popular, copyrighted music.

First, Why Is Using Copyrighted Music So Complicated?

On the surface, it seems simple: everyone is using trending sounds, so you should be able to, too. Behind the scenes, however, lies a complex web of music licensing. Music on TikTok is governed by agreements the platform makes with record labels, publishers, and artists. These agreements typically allow for music to be used in personal, organic, non-commercial user-generated content.

This is where the big divide on the platform comes from: Personal Accounts vs. Business Accounts.

• Personal or Creator Accounts: These accounts get access to TikTok's full General Music Library. You can use pretty much any viral sound or chart-topping hit you find because your content is presumed to be for personal expression, not for direct profit or brand promotion.
• Business Accounts: These accounts are automatically restricted to the Commercial Music Library. This is a collection of over a million royalty-free songs and sounds that TikTok has pre-cleared for brands to use in their marketing. While it’s a safer option legally, it means you can't just pick any trending song from Lizzo or Drake for your product promo.

TikTok created this split to protect both you (the business owner) and itself from massive lawsuits. When a business uses a copyrighted song to promote a product or service, that is defined as "commercial use," and doing so without paying for a commercial license constitutes copyright infringement. A brand using a song without permission could face legal action from the music's rights holders. By limiting Business Accounts to the pre-cleared library, TikTok keeps everyone on safe ground.

So, the question becomes: how can you legally and effectively combine the advertising power of TikTok with the viral potential of a copyrighted song?

The Official Solution: Promoting Videos with TikTok Spark Ads

The single best and most compliant way to put advertising spend behind a TikTok video that uses copyrighted music is with Spark Ads. This ad format is specifically designed to solve this exact problem.

Instead of creating a new ad video from scratch in the Ads Manager, a Spark Ad lets you promote an existing organic video. Because you can create that organic video on a Personal/Creator account, you get access to the entire music library. Spark Ads essentially allow you to leverage your best organic content, complete with its original audio, as a paid ad.

How to Set Up a Spark Ad Using Copyrighted Music

The process involves a few moves between your TikTok profile and the Ads Manager, but it's straightforward once you understand the steps. You'll essentially need two things: a personal/creator TikTok profile where you post the video, and a TikTok Ads Manager account to run the campaign.

Step 1: Create the Organic Video on a Personal or Creator Account

This is the creative part. Log in to a TikTok account that has access to the full music library. Create your video, add the trending, copyrighted sound you want to use, and post it organically to your feed just like you would any other video. Let it breathe for a bit - great ads often come from videos that are already performing well on their own.

Example: A coffee shop wants to run an ad using a popular Harry Styles song. They create a fun "day in the life of a barista" video on their founder's Creator account, add the song, and post it.

Step 2: Generate an Ad Authorization Code

Once your video is live, you need to grant permission for it to be used as an ad. You can do this right from the app:

1. Navigate to the video on your profile.
2. Tap the three dots (...) on the right side of the screen.
3. In the menu that appears, swipe and tap on Ad settings.
4. Toggle on the Ad authorization switch.
5. Select the authorization period (30, 60, or 365 days) and tap Authorize.
6. Tap Generate code and then Copy code. You'll need this in a moment.

Step 3: Create Your Campaign in TikTok Ads Manager

Now, head over to your computer and log in to TikTok Ads Manager. This is where you'll build the promotion. If you don't have an Ads Manager account, you'll need to create one for your business.

Start by creating a new campaign and choosing your advertising objective - think brand awareness, website traffic, video views, or conversions. Then, set up your Ad Group by defining your target audience, placement, budget, and schedule.

Step 4: Connect the Video Using Your Authorization Code

This is where it all comes together. At the final "Ad" level of your campaign setup, you'll see an option to choose your "identity."

1. Check the box that says Use TikTok account to deliver Spark Ads.
2. Under "Ad creative," select TikTok Post by clicking the + button.
3. A window will pop up. In the search bar on top, choose to search by Video code.
4. Paste the authorization code you copied from the app in Step 2 and click Search.
5. Your video will appear. Select it and click Confirm.

That's it! Your organic video, with its perfectly legal copyrighted sound, is now the creative for your ad. All you have to do is add a call-to-action button or link (if your objective supports it), review your campaign, and publish.

The beauty of this method is that it’s 100% compliant. TikTok has pre-negotiated special, limited commercial licenses with music rights holders exclusively for the Spark Ads format, allowing you to sidestep the usual restrictions.

More Strategies for Leveraging Music in Your Marketing

Spark Ads are the primary method for "boosting" a post with popular music, but there are other creative ways to tap into audio trends without breaking the rules, especially if you want to operate solely from your Business Account.

1. Get Creative with the Commercial Music Library

Don't immediately dismiss TikTok’s royalty-free collection. While you won't find the latest chart-toppers, it contains millions of tracks sorted by genre, theme, mood, and duration. Some tracks even appear on a "Trending for Business" list.

• Find "Sound-Alikes": Look for tracks that mimic the style, tempo, or feel of a popular trend. Audiences often respond to the vibe of an audio as much as the specific song itself. An upbeat synth-pop track can work for a GRWM (Get Ready With Me) video just as well as a more famous song.
• Search by Mood: Instead of searching for music, search for a feeling. Use keywords like "energetic," "chill," "inspiring," or "uplifting" to find background music that elevates your visual storytelling.

2. Focus on Original and User-Generated Audio

Sometimes, the most viral "songs" on TikTok aren't songs at all. A funny quote from a movie, a relatable voiceover clip, or a silly sound effect can become the foundation for a huge trend. This is a massive opportunity for brands.

• Create a Branded Sound: Record a funny, insightful, or helpful bit of original audio that other people would want to use. A skincare brand, for example, could create a sound clip of someone saying, "My skin has never felt this good, I feel like a dolphin." If it catches on, your brand becomes associated with the trend you started.
• Voiceover Tutorials: A simple, educational voiceover explaining a process or sharing a tip can be incredibly effective. For businesses, this builds authority and provides value - no trendy music needed.

3. Ride the Wave with Duets and Stitches

Another smart workaround is to interact with videos that are already using the trending sound you want.

• Stitch a Video: Find a video that's using the sound - perhaps a creator asking a question. Use the Stitch feature to record your response. The first few seconds of your video will show the original clip with its music, neatly connecting you to the trend. The rest of your video is yours to talk or show a product.
• Duet a Creator: Record your reaction or a complementary video alongside an existing one. Their video's audio, including the copyrighted song, will play over both videos. This visually ties your brand to the creator and the sound.

These methods are powerful because they allow you to participate in a trend happening on a specific sound without technically using the sound directly in your part of the video.

Final Thoughts

Using copyrighted music to promote your TikTok videos isn't a free-for-all, but it's far from impossible if you use the platform's intended tools. By understanding the distinction between account types and leveraging the power of Spark Ads, you can legally put ad dollars behind content that features today's biggest hits. Mixing in a strategy of original audio creation and smart use of the Commercial Music Library will give your brand a well-rounded and legally sound "sound-on" strategy for TikTok.

Organizing all this content - planning organic posts on a Creator account, scheduling Business account content, and tracking what will become a paid Spark Ad - can be tricky to manage. At Postbase, we designed our platform with today's video-heavy social strategies in mind. With features like our visual content calendar, you can see all your content in one place and strategize with confidence. Because we’re a modern tool built from the ground up, handling short-form video in platforms like TikTok is native to what we do. If your workflow feels chaotic, you might find Postbase brings the clarity you need to execute your content plan flawlessly.