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San Jose, Calif. – TikTok is transforming how consumers discover brands, influencing purchasing behavior and engagement across demographics. A recent Adobe survey of 1,005 U.S. TikTok users highlights the platform's role as a powerful tool for brand discovery, with 25% of users actively seeking new brands on TikTok. Generationally, Gen Z leads in this behavior, with 34% using the platform to explore brands, compared to 29% of millennials and 18% of Gen X users.
TikTok's visually engaging format—short videos, live streams, and user-generated content—has made it a favorite for discovering new products. About 67% of users cited visual demonstrations as key to finding brands they like. Additionally, TikTok's authenticity is a major draw, with 24% of users considering it more genuine than other platforms.
Users prefer organic content over sponsored posts, with 90% favoring regular TikToks on their For You Page. Relevance, brevity, and authenticity make brand content more appealing. While influencer partnerships improve brand perception for 25% of users, 54%, particularly Gen Z (67%), are less trusting of sponsored content.
Two-thirds of users who discovered brands on TikTok made purchases, spending an average of $49 in the past month. Gen X led TikTok Shop purchases (50%), though these shoppers were twice as likely to experience buyer's remorse as those buying through third-party vendors. Millennials emerged as the highest spenders, averaging $52 per month, with 20% spending over $100 on TikTok-inspired purchases.
TikTok offers unique opportunities for brands to connect with audiences through creative, authentic, and engaging content. However, challenges like skepticism toward sponsored content highlight the need for thoughtful, audience-focused strategies.
This study surveyed 1,005 U.S. TikTok users, representing a diverse demographic range. Respondents included 54% millennials, 21% Gen Z, and 21% Gen X. Gender representation included 52% women, 45% men, and 2% nonbinary individuals.
