How to Tell if a TikTok Video Is Promoted

Ever wondered if that viral TikTok showing off a new skincare product is a genuine recommendation or a paid ad? You’re not alone. This guide will show you exactly how to tell if a TikTok video is promoted, from the most obvious labels to the subtle clues hiding in plain sight.

The Official Disclosures: When TikTok Tells You It’s an Ad

The easiest way to identify a promoted video is by looking for TikTok’s own built-in labels. Because of advertising guidelines from organizations like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the U.S. and similar bodies worldwide, creators and brands are required to disclose paid partnerships. TikTok makes this easy with a few clear identifiers.

The "Sponsored" Label

This is the most straightforward indicator. When a video is part of a formal advertising campaign run through TikTok's ad platform, you will often see a small, gray "Sponsored" label directly above the creator’s username, near the bottom of the screen. Sometimes it may say "Paid Partnership." This label is not optional for the creator, TikTok automatically applies it when a brand boosts a creator's post as part of an official ad buy. If you see this, you know for certain that money has changed hands.

The Hashtag Disclosure: #Ad, #Sponsored, and More

The second-most common disclosure is a hashtag in the video's caption. Influencers are legally required to make it clear when their content is paid for. The FTC states that these disclosures must be "clear and conspicuous," meaning they can't be hidden or confusing.

You’ll commonly see hashtags like:

• #Ad
• #Sponsored
• #PaidPartnership
• #BrandPartner

While some creators place these hashtags at the very beginning of the caption to be transparent, others will bury them at the end of a long list of other, more generic hashtags. If you have a hunch a video is an ad, check the full caption and scroll through the hashtag list.

What About the "Promote" Feature?

You might also see videos with a label that says "Promoted." This is a bit different from a "Sponsored" post. TikTok’s "Promote" feature is a tool available to any user (with a Business Account) who wants to pay a small amount to get more views on their own video. They aren't necessarily working with a brand, they are simply advertising their own content to reach a wider audience. So, while a "Promoted" video is technically a paid ad, it's the creator paying to boost their own content, not a brand paying the creator for an endorsement.

Clues in the Caption and On-Screen Text

Beyond official labels, the caption is often filled with context clues that point to a promotion. Marketers want a return on their investment, which usually means driving traffic or sales. Look for these tell-tale signs.

Specific Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Organic, personal videos rarely try to sell you something directly. Promoted videos, on the other hand, almost always guide you to take a specific action. Look for phrases like:

• "Click the link in my bio to shop!"
• "Use my code CREATOR15 for 15% off your order."
• "Download the app now through my link."
• "Visit [brand's website] to learn more."

The existence of a unique discount code is one of the strongest indicators of a paid partnership. Brands use these codes not only to incentivize sales but also to track how effective each influencer is at driving conversions.

Affiliate Links and Gifted Product Disclosures

Not all brand relationships involve a direct payment. Sometimes, creators are "gifted" products or receive a commission for sales they drive.

• #Gifted: If a creator uses this hashtag, it means the brand sent them the product for free, hoping they'd post about it. While no money was exchanged upfront, the post is still influenced by a commercial relationship.
• #Affiliate or #Commission: These indicate that the creator will earn a percentage of any sales made through their unique link or discount code. Think of them as salespeople working on commission. This is still a form of advertising.

Analyzing the Video Content Itself

Experienced social media users can often feel when a video is an ad. The content, tone, and presentation style diverge from a creator's typical organic posts. Here’s what to look for when you press play.

The Tone Feels Scripted

Listen to how the creator talks. Does it sound like their natural, off-the-cuff style, or does it sound like they're reading marketing copy from a brand brief? Advertisements often involve carefully chosen words and phrases provided by the brand to highlight specific features or benefits.

For example, a genuine post might say, "This is the best moisturizer I've ever used. My skin feels so soft."

A scripted ad might sound more like, "Let's talk about the Hydrate-Plus Daily Moisturizer from Glow Co. It's formulated with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to deeply hydrate and brighten your skin's appearance, and it’s dermatologist-tested and fragrance-free.” See the difference? The language is more formal, specific, and full of marketing keywords.

Unnaturally Perfect Product Placement

In a normal TikTok, a product might appear incidentally in the background. In an ad, the product is the star of the show. Pay attention to how it's framed. Is the can of soda perfectly turned so the logo is facing the camera at all times? Is the skincare bottle sitting on a pristine countertop, perfectly lit and in sharp focus while the rest of the scene is softer? This kind of hero-shot treatment is rarely accidental.

It's a Feature Demo, not a Review

A common format for paid content is a structured demonstration. If a creator spends the entire video walking you through every feature of a new app, or demonstrating all the settings on a kitchen appliance, it's very likely a promotional video. Real user-generated content tends to be more chaotic or focused on a single favorite feature, rather than a comprehensive, instruction-manual style overview.

Checking the Creator's Profile for Patterns

Sometimes, a single video doesn't give you enough information. The creator's profile page can offer the final clues you need. Professional content creators who regularly partner with brands often structure their accounts to make those collaborations easy.

The "Link in Bio"

Scan their bio section right below their profile picture. An organized, monetized account will almost always have a link there. This could be a direct link to a brand's website or, more commonly, a link aggregator service like Linktree, Stan Store, or Beacons. If you tap that link, you’ll likely find a list of affiliate links to products, unique discount codes, and brand storefronts like an Amazon Storefront. If the product from the questionable video is featured at the top of that list, consider the case closed.

Review Their Feed for Repetition

Scroll through the last 10-20 videos on their profile. Do you see a pattern? Is this creator constantly showcasing different tech gadgets, energy drinks, or clothing from a single fast-fashion brand? While a person might genuinely love a particular brand, a constant stream of different products from competitors within the same category is a strong signal that they are a creator-for-hire in that niche. A one-off video about a product might be genuine enthusiasm, a series of them is a business strategy.

Using TikTok's "About This Ad" Tool

For ads that run through the TikTok Ads Manager, the platform has a transparency tool you can use to get more details. This won't work for undeclared influencer marketing but it is definitive for official, platform-placed ads.

Here’s how to access it:

1. On the video you suspect is an ad, tap the "Share" icon (the arrow on the right side of the screen).
2. In the menu that appears, look at the bottom row of gray icons and slide them to the left.
3. Look for and tap the option that says "About this ad."

If that option is available, a screen will pop up telling you exactly why you are being shown this ad - for example, "The advertiser is aiming to reach people aged 25-40 who are interested in 'fashion'." This panel confirms without a doubt that the video is a targeted advertisement from a brand.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to spot a promoted video empowers you as a viewer, helping you separate genuine recommendations from paid placements. It’s a simple mix of looking for official TikTok labels, reading captions for hashtags and discount codes, paying attention to how products are presented, and checking the creator's profile.

For brands and marketers planning these partnerships, keeping every campaign straight can feel chaotic. We designed the visual calendar in Postbase to eliminate that guesswork. It gives you a clear bird's-eye view of your entire content schedule, letting you organize organic posts around your promoted content to build a more authentic and consistent strategy without the headache of spreadsheets.