How to use TikTok hashtags to boost your sales in 2025

How to make money on TikTok

If you want to stand out and make money on TikTok, your content needs to be unique, capable of competing with millions of creators, engaging within the first few seconds, and have the right hashtags to reach the top of the content feed.

TikTok is an excellent revenue stream for Print on Demand merchants, content creators, media entrepreneurs, and online marketers. We have a dedicated guide that outlines the seven ways you can make money on TikTok, but if you’re interested in mastering TikTok hashtags, here’s a quick catch-up:

1. Advertise your merchandise
2. Apply for the TikTok Creator Fund
3. Livestream for viewer donations
4. Advertise sponsors or brand deals
5. Manage TikTok influencers
6. Create and sell high-follower accounts
7. Get partnerships on the TikTok Creator Marketplace

The primary way TikTokers earn money is through the TikTok Creator Fund. To apply, you need to meet the selection criteria. You must be 18 years or older, from the US or outlying territories, and have a:

• Minimum of 10,000 follower count
• Minimum of 100,000 unique video views in 30 days
• Follow TikTok community guidelines

Once accepted, the fund pays creators between 2-4 cents per 1000 video views. Unlike YouTube, viral videos need a much higher view count to sustain a decent revenue, but their length is significantly shorter and niche-specific.

Your success in gaining TikTok followers relies on consistently producing, uploading at high-traffic times, defining your audience, and using niche-specific hashtags together with overall top TikTok hashtags at that time.

Define your niche using hashtags, letting the algorithm selectively match users with content that fits their viewing habits and preferences. Start developing your brand – build an extensive profile of followers, likes, and shares with hashtags that cater to your target audience, trending topics, and TikTok profile essentials.

TikTok hashtags – How do they work?

The TikTok algorithm organizes all related hashtags for each user’s unique “for you” page, aka FYP. The metrics behind the algorithm are highly personalized and rarely stray away from a user’s preferred content type. 

The full extent of the algorithm is hidden from the public, but TikTok has revealed some basic process run-downs, updating the algorithm regularly. The algorithm assigns a weight to three categories, determining each aspect’s relevance to user interest:

• Account Settings – personal profile data: language preferences, user location, device type, etc.
• Content Engagement – interactions between the user and content: video completion, user watch time, likes, follows, reports, shares, comments, etc.
• Video Information – the substance of your content: similar hashtags, audiovisual samples, captions, keywords, etc.

The program analyses these factors, prioritizing some – like video completion over user location – to create a bespoke FYP, keeping the viewer engaged and extending their watch time on the app for as long as possible.

TikTok hashtags function as an assigned community tag, where people with similar interests personalize their feed to follow a network of niche content. For TikTok marketers and eCommerce businesses, hashtags like #BusinessTok and #BrandTok connect shared experiences, tips, and advice from other entrepreneurs, owners, and marketing professionals.

Selecting an appropriate hashtag for your niche will generate more followers through organic growth. Your existing audience already receives your content, but adding the correct hashtags will branch you out to new potential viewers. Adding a relevant and trending hashtag will feed more information to the algorithm, allowing your content to appear on more user pages.

How to find trending hashtags on TikTok

While including some broad, trending TikTok hashtags like #ForYou, #Funny, and #Trending can be good, it’s essential to use only relevant content hashtags and, lately, focusing on niche-specific hashtags is recommended.

Recent TikTok updates suggest that the app is moving away from all-encompassing hashtags that attract existing and popular creators – song duets, dance choreography, influencers, etc. – and will instead aim to diversify and prioritize personalized niches.

To begin a solid hashtag strategy for your content, start by using the TikTok user interface, exploring the existing dynamics already present on the platform:

1. When looking for TikTok hashtags, explore similar topics in the search bar. Then, look at the Hashtags section on the relevant topic, focusing on ones with high view counts that generate a lot of traction.
2. When adding hashtags to your video description, use the dropdown menu to choose from a selection of the top trending hashtags suggested.

When applying your research to more specific hashtag ideas, you have existing audiences, competitors, and brand tactics to analyze, observe, and gain valuable insights:

• Target audience

Check what hashtags are already popular among your target audience to find relevant cross-sections that you can use to align your video descriptions and find new ideas for content that fits the audience’s interests and viewing habits.

• Competitors

Look at what hashtags your competitors are using. But be mindful of which popular TikTok hashtags are brand or business specific, so you don’t misuse them.

• Branded hashtags

Make your own hashtags and promote them with branded hashtag challenges or contests, calling for audience engagement to boost your brand visibility. But remember that new custom hashtags will take more time to catch on.

• Discover page

Although the Discover section is gone from the app, the browser version still shows some popular hashtags. This can give you a general overview of currently trending hashtags.

• TikTok Creative Center

The TikTok Creative Center hosts lists of trending and relevant hashtags and topics for content creators. It allows you to track the best hashtags for TikTok by sorting and filtering famous TikTok users and top hashtags based on industry and time.

Follow TikTok marketing tips on the app itself, define your target audience, follow competitor pages for insights, and use the integrated TikTok interface and additional tools to develop the best strategies for success. 

TikTok DOs and DON’Ts

There are more factors at play other than using the right popular TikTok hashtags. Here, we’ll elaborate on some TikTok dos and don’ts that can impact your growth and success.

Lastly, keep in mind the changing nature of TikTok

Trends and top TikTok hashtags change rapidly. Stay on top of things by always keeping up to date with interface updates, algorithm changes, top trends, and relevant topics.

With the introduction of a more niche-down content strategy, TikTok can expect increased popularity as big brands and celebrities join the platform. It will also become increasingly more competitive as the social media site looks for investment opportunities. 

Conclusions

Start promoting your print on demand business on TikTok by applying your newly gained knowledge of great hashtag ideas, content tips and tricks, and marketing methods for your social media strategy.

1. Select a TikTok money-making method
2. Analyze the algorithm, competitors, and target audience
3. Research trending TikTok hashtags and viable niche categories
4. Optimize your TikTok marketing strategy for authenticity and transparency
5. Grow your profile by responding to changes in trends and media

TikTok will continue to rise as the fastest growing social media site, and with more users joining every day, you can expect higher and more demanding competition. Start quickly while there’s less competition, and establish your space with the best TikTok hashtag strategy.

And don’t forget to follow PrintifyOfficial on TikTok for an inside look at the company, as well as to gain valuable POD insights.