How to Sell Other People's Products on TikTok

Selling other people's products on TikTok is one of the most accessible ways to start making money online, no inventory required. Instead of dealing with shipping, customer service, or product development, your job is simply to create content that puts great products in front of the right audience. This guide walks you through the entire process, from finding products you love to creating videos that actually drive sales.

What Exactly is Affiliate Marketing on TikTok?

In simple terms, affiliate marketing is when you promote a company's product using a unique tracking link or discount code. When someone clicks your link or uses your code to make a purchase, you earn a commission on that sale. It's a win-win: the brand gets a new customer, and you get paid for making the connection.

TikTok is an incredible platform for this because its algorithm is designed to put your content in front of a highly targeted audience, even if you don't have a massive following. The raw, authentic style of TikTok videos also helps build the trust needed to recommend products effectively. People don't want to see a polished TV ad, they want to see a real person using and loving a product.

Step 1: Find Your Niche and Products to Promote

The foundation of your success is choosing the right corner of the internet to focus on. Your content needs a clear direction, and that starts with your niche.

Choose a Niche You Genuinely Like

Authenticity is a superpower on TikTok. If you're genuinely passionate about something, it comes across in your videos and your audience will connect with that energy. Don't just pick a niche because you think it's popular or profitable. Pick something you'd happily talk about for free.

Good niches to start with include:

• Tech Gadgets: Desk setup accessories, phone gadgets, smart home devices, gaming peripherals.
• Beauty & Skincare: Affordable makeup finds, specific skincare routines (e.g., for acne-prone skin), cruelty-free products.
• Home & Kitchen: Organizational hacks, clever kitchen tools, sustainable home goods.
• Fitness & Wellness: At-home workout gear, supplements, healthy snacks, activewear.
• Hobbies: Art supplies, gardening tools, specialty coffee equipment, books.

Focusing on a specific niche helps you attract a dedicated community of people who trust your recommendations. It's better to be the go-to person for "budget-friendly home organization" than just another general "Amazon finds" account.

Where to Find Affiliate Programs

Once you've settled on a niche, you need to find products to promote. Here are the most common places to find affiliate partnerships:

• Affiliate Networks: These are marketplaces that connect creators with thousands of brands. They give you a centralized dashboard to find offers, generate links, and track your earnings. Popular networks include Amazon Associates, CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction), ShareASale, and Rakuten Marketing.
• Direct Brand Programs: Many companies manage their own affiliate programs directly on their websites. If you love a specific brand, search for "[Brand Name] Affiliate Program" to see if they have a direct partnership. SaaS Companies, clothing brands, and direct-to-consumer businesses often prefer this route.
• TikTok Shop Affiliate Program: This is TikTok's built-in affiliate solution, and it's a game-changer. You can browse a massive marketplace of products available on TikTok Shop and add them directly to your profile's showcase. When you create videos, you can tag these products with a small shopping cart icon, allowing users to buy immediately without ever leaving the app. This seamless process often leads to higher conversion rates.

Step 2: Set Up Your TikTok Profile for Success

Your profile is your storefront. It needs to tell visitors exactly who you are, what you're about, and where they can find the products you recommend.

Switch to a Business Account

If you haven't already, switch your personal TikTok account to a Business Account. It's free and takes seconds. Go to Settings and privacy > Account > Switch to Business Account. This unlocks valuable perks like:

• Access to detailed analytics on your video performance and audience demographics.
• Once you hit 1,000 followers, you gain the ability to add a clickable link in your bio.
• Commercial Music Library access.

Optimize Your Bio

You only have a few lines to make an impression. Make them count. Your bio should do three things:

1. State your niche: "Your guide to eco-friendly home goods 🌿"
2. Tell people what to expect: "Daily finds that are good for you & the planet."
3. Include a Call-to-Action (CTA): "Shop all my faves below! ⬇️"

The "link in bio" is your money-maker before TikTok Shop became dominant, and it is still very valuable. When you have a link, avoid just pasting one single affiliate link. Instead, use a "bridge page" tool like Linktree, Stan Store, or Beacons to create a simple landing page that houses all of your different affiliate links. This lets you promote multiple products for multiple brands.

Step 3: Create Content That Actually Sells

This is where the real work - and fun - happens. Selling on TikTok isn't about making slick commercials, it's about making content that people genuinely want to watch.

Focus on Value, Not Just Selling

Nobody wants to follow an account that feels like a non-stop advertisement. Apply the 80/20 rule: 80% of your content should entertain, educate, or solve a problem, while only 20% should be a direct "pitch." Build an audience that trusts you for your helpful tips or funny videos, and they'll be much more receptive when you do recommend a product.

Proven Content Formats for Affiliate Marketing

You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Certain video styles consistently perform well for product promotions. Here are a few to try:

• Honest Reviews & Demos: Unbox the product, show it in use, and talk openly about its pros and cons. Acknowledge imperfections to show your credibility. Filming a "one-month later" update video can build even more trust.
• Problem/Solution: This is a powerful storytelling format. Start your video by highlighting an annoying common problem (e.g., "I could never get my coffee to stay hot past 9 AM..."). Then introduce the product as the hero ("...until I found this insulated mug"). Demonstrate it solving that problem in real-time.
• "Top 5" or "Must-Haves" Lists: Curate thematic collections around your niche. "My Top 5 Gadgets from Amazon This Month" or "Books That I Can't Live Without" work really well for sharing multiple affiliate links at once!
• "TikTok Made Me Buy It": Lean into this massive trend. Find viral products within your niche, buy them, test them, and give your honest verdict. Does it live up to the hype? Your audience wants to know.
• Tutorials and How-Tos: Go deeper than a simple review. Create a video showing creative ways to use a product or teaching a skill that involves it. For example, instead of just reviewing an espresso machine, create a tutorial on how to make three cafe-quality drinks with it.

Key Elements of a Great TikTok Video

• Strong hook: Keep the first 3 seconds so riveting it stops people from scrolling. Think: shocking results, controversial opinion, or just a direct question!
• Text & captions: Many watchers will have their sound down. Text ensures your message gets across anyway.
• Using the Right Trending Sounds: Trending music gets your video to bigger audiences. Check the creator tab for popular songs at hand.

Step 4: Drive Traffic To Your Affiliate Links

The Link in Your Bio

Don't be shy about promoting your affiliate links. If a viewer engages with your content, they'll want an easy next step. Nudge them in the right direction:

• Verbal Call-to-Actions: End your video by saying something like, "If you want to try this for yourself, I put a link for it in my bio!"
• On-Screen Text CTA: Add a sticker or text that says "Link in Bio," often paired with an arrow pointing toward your profile picture.

Using Discount Codes

If a brand provides you with an exclusive discount code (e.g., "TIKTOK15"), make it the star of your video. Promo codes feel special and create urgency. They are also often easier for users to remember and apply later than clicking a link. Say the code out loud and display it clearly on the screen.

Leveraging TikTok Shop

For products you find within TikTok's affiliate marketplace, the process is incredibly streamlined. You simply tag the product in your video edit screen. A little yellow shopping cart icon will appear over your caption. Viewers can tap it and purchase it right in the app. This is by far the lowest-friction method for making commission sales because the user experience is completely seamless!

Best Practices & Important Rules for Keeping It Real

Be Transparent and Authentic

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires you to disclose any monetary relationships with brands. Not only is it the law, but it's just good practice for building trust. Add the hashtag: #AD or #commissionsearned to your caption so your audience knows what's up.

More importantly, promote only things that you truly believe in. Your passion and honesty cannot be faked - at least not sustainably on camera. Fake enthusiasm will always shine through! Your reputation is all you have, so protect this above everything else.

Track Your Performance Analytics

Pay close attention to what's resonating with your audience. Use your TikTok analytics dashboard to see which videos are getting the most views, likes, shares, and comments. Then go check your affiliate network dashboard. What products are actually getting the clicks and conversions?

Whenever a video and product combo is a hit, make more content just like that. Double down on what's working to see results much quicker. This is how you will be able to sustain your income stream from this new source of revenue.

Final Thoughts

To get started with affiliate marketing on TikTok is about creating authentic content around products you genuinely enjoy and connecting it with an engaging audience. By finding your niche, being transparent, and creating value for viewers, you can build a sustainable income stream directly using the app.

As your account begins to grow and you're managing more content, planning becomes everything. We built Postbase to make that simpler, especially for creators focused on video. Our visual calendar lets you plan and schedule all your TikToks, Reels, and Shorts in one place, giving you a bird's-eye view of your content strategy so you can spend less time managing posts and more time making great videos.