TikTok’s popularity in the UK is exploding—and it’s not just Gen Z anymore. With an increasingly diverse user base and a unique style of content consumption, TikTok demands an informed approach from brands.

Discover the latest TikTok statistics for the UK here. You’ll learn about key metrics, demographic insights, usage trends and benchmarks to help you stay ahead in 2025.

Key UK TikTok usage statistics

TikTok’s user base—and the way people use the network—is evolving fast. Here’s an overview of how people are using TikTok in 2025.

How many TikTok users are there in the UK?

As of early 2025, TikTok has around 24.8 million active users in the UK—up from 16 million in 2024. That’s a 55% year-over-year increase, signaling rapid growth and deeper platform adoption across generations.

In other words, TikTok is growing rapidly.

How much time do UK users spend on TikTok?

UK users spend an average of 49 hours and 29 minutes per month on TikTok.

That’s not just a big deal, but all of the following:

  • More than double the average time UK users spend on Instagram
  • Well above the global average of 34 hours of TikTok usage
  • More time spent than on any other app in the UK

It may not have the largest user base, but TikTok is by far the UK’s most popular social media platform when it comes to daily use.

How many people have downloaded TikTok globally?

Users downloaded TikTok more than any other app globally in 2024, racking up 773 million downloads and surpassing five billion total downloads since its launch.

The UK hasn’t released exact figures, but TikTok ranks as the country’s seventh most downloaded app and the most downloaded social media platform. Combined with data showing that UK users engage with the platform at above-average rates, it’s clear the UK is punching well above its weight on TikTok.

How many TikToks are posted daily?

Each day, 34 million TikTok videos are posted on the social network. To compare, Instagram users upload roughly 95 million posts per day. Instagram’s user base is only 63% larger than TikTok’s, yet there are three times as many daily posts.

This suggests that while TikTok usage is high, most users are just scrolling, not posting. This is good news for marketers. A high consumer-to-creator ratio means branded content has a better chance of cutting through to reach more viewers with less noise from other creators.

Who uses TikTok in the UK? 2025 demographics

Let’s take a closer look at key demographics.

Spoiler alert: they’re not what you think.

Gender distribution

In 2025, TikTok’s user base in the UK skews female—66.25% of TikTok users are female, while 33.75% are male. This wasn’t always the case. In January 2023, the social media platform had a roughly 50:50 split. More recently, the social network has become more female-dominated.

Age brackets

While Gen Z still makes up the bulk of TikTok’s user base, older millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers are gradually adopting the platform.

Here’s a breakdown of TikTok use by age group:

  • 25–34 years: 31.8% of users
  • 18–24 years: 24.4% of users
  • 35–49 years: 19.5% of users
  • 45–54 years: 12.9% of users
  • 55+ years: 11.4% of users

With over 40% of TikTok’s user base now over the age of 35, it’s time to retire the stereotype of lip syncing 13-year-olds and dancing. TikTok is now a fully fledged social network with a healthy mix of users from all age groups.

Regional penetration

Data on TikTok’s regional penetration is scarce, but it’s likely that major cities like London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool, as well as student towns like Cambridge, are likely to have higher levels of TikTok uptake.

Where there are younger people, TikTok use will likely be higher.

9 essential TikTok marketing statistics for UK brands

If you’re looking to include TikTok in your digital marketing strategy in 2025, here are some key TikTok statistics to keep in mind.

1. Popular TikTok categories

TikTok is driven by aesthetics and visual storytelling. It’s no surprise that products with strong visual appeal—or those whose benefit can be demonstrated on camera—tend to perform best.

Here are some product categories that do well on TikTok.

Consumer packaged goods (CPG)

CPG are everyday products that sell quickly at a low cost. Think food, beverages, toiletries, beauty and makeup products and household items. They’re grab-and-go essentials that consumers need to restock regularly.

Here are some interesting findings:

Fashion

Two rows of thumbnails featuring TikTok fashion creators wearing trendy attire
Source: TikTok

Unsurprisingly, TikTok is becoming the top social media platform for fashion. This is a gold rush for brands whose target audience is in a younger age group.

Check out some stats:

Technology and electronics

Tech or electronics brands with products you can hold in your hand do well on TikTok. Software brands, or brands with a digital product that isn’t easily displayed, may not get the best results.

A still from a TikTok video of a man crouching down over a creek holding a Nikon camera over the water
Source: TikTok

Take a look at a couple of success stories:

  • Lenovo achieved an 11.9% lift in brand awareness through creator-driven TikTok campaigns.
  • Nikon led an innovative co-creation-centred TikTok campaign that achieved a 17% bump in brand awareness.

2. Engagement rate by content type

TikTok content comes in various formats, each with its own engagement benchmarks.

Short-form videos

With short videos of around 15-60 seconds, expect an engagement rate of around 3.3%. These are also much more likely to come up on new users’ For You page (FYP).

This type of content is also high in demand. The 2024 Sprout Social Content Strategy Report found that users who interact with brands on TikTok mostly likely engage with short-form videos, ranging from 15-60 seconds long.

Still from a TikTok video of a man and a woman hanging from bars in a gym. The overlay text reads: “gym after 6pm be like:”
Source: TikTok

TikTok Live

For these live broadcasts where creators interact with their audience in real time, expect an engagement rate ranging from 5%-16%.

Live video gives your brand a stage, so make it worth the scroll. According to the 2024 Sprout Social Content Strategy Report, 91% of social followers say production value keeps them engaged. But when content feels repetitive or uninspired, they’re quick to unfollow.ALT TEXT:

A TikTok Live where a creator is engaging with her following
Source: TikTok

Photo mode posts

Similar to Instagram Carousel-style posts that display multiple scrollable photos. TikTok does not appear to publish Photo Mode data, but if videos are 3.3%, expect Photo Mode posts to be slightly lower.

A TikTok Phote Mode post featuring a dog wearing sunglasses and a floral necklace sitting on the beach
Source: TikTok

3. Leading content creators on TikTok UK

If cracking the TikTok algorithm is a challenge, influencer marketing can help you reach your target audience.

Here are some top UK TikTok creators you can tap for collaborations.

1. tatheerfatemah

TikTok creator Tat’heer Fatemah’s homepage with a row of thumbnails displaying Tat’heer applying makeup and skincare products
Source: TikTok

  • Followers: 139.2K
  • Topics: Fashion, makeup

Tat’heer is a macro TikTok influencer who focuses on beauty and makeup. She’s also candid about the challenges she’s faced as a hijabi and WOC in the fashion industry. Tat’heer works with beauty and makeup brands.

2. jeremylynch

  • Followers: 27M
  • Topics: Sports, lifestyle, comedy

Jeremy makes comedic content, especially related to football and gaming. He’s worked with brands like Red Bull and various e-sports brands.

3. rhia.official

  • Followers: 18M
  • Topics: Toys, ASMR, TV streaming

Rhia makes playful “unboxing” and ASMR content. She mostly works with kids’ toy brands, but she’s also worked with Netflix and Disney+.

4. grandadfrankk

  • Followers: 7M
  • Topics: Family, aging, gardening, dancing

Frank’s bio reads: “Just a grandad hopping on the trends!”—this sums up his content to a tee.

Watch him dancing, lip-syncing to trending music, spending time in his garden and with his family. Frank is also open to collaboration, so reach out to his PR team linked in bio!

5. scoobiezoobie

  • Followers: 4.5M
  • Topics: Fashion, makeup

Lola Clark (scoobiezoobie) shares hair & makeup tutorials, before-and-afters and reactions to red carpet appearances. She works with beauty and makeup brands.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to collab with TikTok influencers like Charli D’Amelio to get the results you want. Working with small influencers with an intimate following can obtain outsized results.

4. Popular hashtags

Need some inspiration for local hashtags? According to TokChart, here are the most popular UK hashtags to help you gain traction on the social media app.

  • #youareincluded: 2K videos, 84.97M views
  • #ForYourPride: 871K videos, 11.69B views
  • #longervideos: 7.05M videos, 370.55B views
  • #1min: 472K videos, 10.61B views
  • #festivals: 457K videos, 14.46B views
  • #lerenoptiktok: 42K videos, 1.78B views
  • #womenoftiktok: 2.77M videos, 13.54B views
  • #smallbusiness: 34.07M videos 190.95B views
  • #selfcare: 16.57M videos, 113.17B views

5. How audio influences engagement

TikTok is a stimulating, high-energy network—audio that performs best often matches that pace.

Studies show that electronic music drives the highest engagement. Videos tagged with #ElectronicMusic amassed over 13 billion views globally last year, marking a 45% increase from 2023 and outpacing the growth of #Indie, #Alternative, #Rap and #Hip-hop.

6. TikTok Shop growth

Since the launch of TikTok Shop in 2023, like all things TikTok, UK users have taken to it like a duck to water.

A man running a TikTok Live, demonstrating the miniature treadmill he is selling while commenters ask questions about the product
Source: TikTok

It’s become the UK’s fastest-growing online marketplace, with 200,000 active sellers. UK shops account for 2.14% of global TikTok Shop sales, amounting to £42.39 million. Given the UK’s comparatively small population, this is a significant figure.

7. TikTok Live popularity

TikTok isn’t just about short-form video content anymore. TikTok Live lets users broadcast real-time content to their followers. It can include Q&As, interactive performances or tutorials—but notably for brands, it also integrates with e-commerce.

Here are some key stats and success stories:

  • In the UK alone, there were 5,000 daily Live shopping sessions in 2024.
  • 33% of Gen Z users prefer buying from TikTok Live as they can see the product in action.
  • UK brand Hair Syrup processed 1,900 orders in just one 10-hour TikTok Live session, amounting to a 66% spike in sales.

8. TikTok ad reach

TikTok’s ad reach in the UK expanded by 2.08 million users (+9.2%) between early 2024 and early 2025, with 987,000 of those users (+4.1%) added between October 2024 and January 2025.

As older generations continue to join TikTok, ad reach will continue to expand.

9. Average ad spend returns

Advertisers used to be sceptical of TikTok. In 2025, brands are coming around to the benefits of advertising on TikTok.

According to data collated from 5,000 global brands, the median ROAS is 1.41 as of April 2025. ROAS can vary significantly by vertical—it isn’t uncommon to find 2.5+ ROAS in some sectors.

How often should you post on TikTok UK?

A good rule of thumb is 3–5 times per week. This will please both the algorithm (which prefers active accounts) and users alike.

When is the best time to post on TikTok UK?

In general, the following are the best times to post on TikTok in the UK:

  • Wednesday: 5 p.m.
  • Thursday: 5 p.m.
  • Friday: 4 p.m.
  • Saturday: 9–11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Note that the above is generic. Audiences differ, and best times to post will vary.

Luckily, Sprout Social can help you drill down into your analytics to find the best time for you to post. Sprout’s ViralPost® algorithmically determines your best time to post based on your data.

Up your TikTok game with Sprout Social

TikTok’s explosive growth in the UK—from a skyrocketing user base to unmatched time spent on the app—shows that it’s more than a trend. It’s a staple in the UK social media landscape.

With high engagement, broadening demographics and a consumer-to-creator ratio that favours brands, TikTok presents an enormous opportunity for UK marketers to connect with a range of audiences.

But to build smart campaigns and stay on top of evolving trends, you need the right tools.

Sprout Social can help you take your TikTok marketing strategy further with advanced analytics, social media listening and seamless publishing tools all in one platform.

Start your free trial today to reach an engaged new audience on TikTok.