TikTok influencer marketing means working with creators and well-known personalities who make content for TikTok, so a brand reaches people through formats and voices they already enjoy. It works because TikTok’s feed is driven by interests rather than by who you follow, which lets the right video reach far beyond a creator’s own followers. Heading into 2027, the brands that win on TikTok will pick creators who are native to the platform, give them creative freedom, boost the best videos with paid media, label every collaboration correctly and prepare for new rules on AI and advertising transparency.

The platform is too big to ignore. TikTok says it reaches 189 million people across the European Union every month, according to its latest transparency report under the Digital Services Act. And in Influencer Marketing Hub’s latest Benchmark Report, 31 percent of respondents included TikTok in their influencer plans – more than double the share for Instagram. Here is what brands need to know to make TikTok influencer marketing work in 2027.

Why does TikTok matter for influencer marketing?

TikTok has become the platform where many brands place their main creator bet. Influencer Marketing Hub describes TikTok as the most frequently selected platform for influencer investment, with every other platform clustering in a narrow band of roughly 8 to 15 percent. Even among brands that planned to cut their influencer budgets, 39 percent still selected TikTok – a sign that it is seen as the default arena for testing and performance.

The wider market is growing too. EMARKETER forecasts that US influencer marketing spending will surpass 13 billion dollars by 2027. For Nordic brands, TikTok does not replace other channels – but it has become a core part of the creator mix, especially for reaching younger audiences or launching something new.

Who uses TikTok in Sweden?

Swedish usage looks different from the global headlines. According to Internetstiftelsen’s Svenskarna och internet 2025, 22 percent of Swedes have used TikTok in the past twelve months and 14 percent use it daily. Usage has stayed at the same level as the year before, after a decline from its peak in 2023.

The generational gap is the real story. Among Swedes born in the 2000s, 55 percent have used TikTok and 42 percent use it daily, compared with 12 percent and 5 percent among those born in the 1900s. Among young women born 2000–2009, 71 percent use TikTok every day. For a Swedish brand, this means TikTok is a precise tool for reaching young audiences – while a campaign aimed at a broad adult audience usually needs Instagram, Facebook or YouTube alongside it.

How is TikTok different from Instagram and YouTube?

Three things set TikTok apart for brands working with creators.

Is TikTok a search engine now?

Increasingly, yes. In TikTok’s own trend forecast, TikTok Next, two in three searchers on TikTok say a central reason for searching there is that they discover useful things beyond what they were looking for. Sprout Social reports that 42 percent of Gen Z consumers use TikTok for product discovery, based on its Sprout Social Index. That makes it worth writing briefs with the words people actually search for, and asking creators to say them out loud and in captions.

Why does real-life content perform better on TikTok?

TikTok users come for content that feels real. According to TikTok Next, 81 percent of users say TikTok gives them a view into real-life product usage. Polished brand films often feel out of place, while a creator showing a product in everyday life fits right in. That is why the brief matters less than the choice of creator: the person must be able to make the product part of their normal content.

Does follower count matter on TikTok?

Less than on other platforms. Because distribution is based on interests, a video from a smaller creator can reach a large audience if it hits the right nerve. Followers still matter, but the idea and the creator’s feel for the format decide much of the outcome.

Which creators work best for TikTok campaigns?

The strongest TikTok collaborations usually come from people who already think in short video: they understand pacing, humour, sound and the first two seconds that decide whether someone keeps watching. Jonas Fagerström, a comedy and social media creator and part of JLC, is an example of a creator whose humour is made for short-form video. Phillipe Cohen, a food creator on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, shows how one talent can adapt the same idea to several platforms – a quick, appetising clip for TikTok and a longer recipe for YouTube.

Well-known personalities from TV, music and podcasts also work on TikTok, but they need to meet the platform on its terms. A celebrity who joins a trend, shows a behind-the-scenes moment or reacts with self-irony often performs better than one who reads a script. Many campaigns combine both: a recognisable name creates attention, and several native creators add volume and reach different communities.

How do you combine creators with paid media on TikTok?

Organic posts are only half the opportunity. TikTok lets brands boost a creator’s post as an ad, so the best content can be scaled to the right audience. TikTok’s own data, published by TikTok for Business, shows that creator ads drive a 70 percent higher click-through rate and a 159 percent higher engagement rate than non-creator ads at the same CPM, and that ads posted to a creator’s account have a 59 percent higher engagement rate than those that are not. These are the platform’s own figures, so test them against your own benchmarks.

In practice, this means agreeing usage rights and paid amplification in the contract from day one. When Collabri ran the Swedish launch of Fazer Domino, creators on TikTok and Instagram were combined with a paid strategy from the start, and the campaign reached more than 3.5 million views and 14,000 interactions.

What changes in TikTok influencer marketing toward 2027?

Five shifts are worth building into next year’s TikTok plans already now:

• AI moves into creator discovery. At Cannes Lions this summer, TikTok launched Symphony Agent across its creative tools, including TikTok One, to help brands generate creator briefs, find and invite creators at scale and adapt content across markets. Influencer Marketing Hub already finds that creator discovery is the most common use of AI in influencer marketing. Human judgement on fit and credibility still decides the result.

• AI content must be labelled. TikTok says it has labelled more than 1.3 billion videos as AI-generated and now lets users choose how much AI content they see. In the EU, the AI Act’s transparency rules have applied since 2 August this year, with the last requirements for watermark detection following on 2 February 2027. If a campaign uses AI to create or change a person’s image or voice, plan for clear disclosure.

• TikTok Shop gets closer. In June this year, TikTok Shop opened in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland, alongside France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the UK, and introduced a “Sell Across Europe” feature for selling across EU markets. Sweden is not among the launched markets at the time of writing, but Swedish brands should prepare for shoppable creator content.

• Advertising becomes more transparent. Under the Digital Services Act, TikTok has made binding commitments to the European Commission to show full ad content, targeting criteria and faster updates in its ad repository. The Commission is also expected to propose a Digital Fairness Act, which covers influencer marketing among other practices.

• More stability in the US. In January, ByteDance closed a deal that moved TikTok’s US operations into a new joint venture majority-owned by American investors, according to ABC News. This reduces the uncertainty that held back long-term investment.

How do you label TikTok collaborations correctly in Sweden?

Two sets of rules apply at the same time. TikTok’s Branded Content Policy requires creators to turn on the commercial content disclosure toggle whenever they post branded content. And under Swedish law, the advertising must be clear at first glance: Konsumentverket stresses that the viewer must understand that a post is paid even after a fleeting contact. Use words such as “reklam” or “annons” early in the video and in the caption.

The brand carries the main responsibility and cannot contract it away to the creator, according to Konsumentverket. Serious violations can lead to a fee of up to four percent of the company’s annual turnover. Build labelling into every brief and check it before the post goes live.

How do you measure a TikTok influencer campaign?

Pick KPIs that match the goal. For awareness, look at reach, video completion and brand lift. For consideration, look at engagement, saves, shares, comments with questions and profile visits. For sales, use tracked links, promo codes and – where available – TikTok Shop data. Compare organic and paid results separately to see which videos are worth scaling with media.

An example: Collabri’s launch of Fazer Domino with creators on TikTok and Instagram delivered over 3.5 million views and 14,000 interactions – read the Fazer Domino case.

Key takeaways

• TikTok is the most selected platform for influencer investment, and it reaches 189 million people in the EU every month.

• In Sweden, TikTok is above all a channel for young audiences – 42 percent of Swedes born in the 2000s use it daily.

• Choose creators who are native to short video and give them creative freedom; combine them with well-known personalities when you need attention.

• Plan paid amplification and usage rights from the start.

• Prepare for 2027: AI tools in creator discovery, AI labelling, TikTok Shop in more markets and stricter ad transparency.

Frequently asked questions

Is TikTok good for influencer marketing in Sweden?

Yes, especially for reaching younger audiences. According to Svenskarna och internet 2025, 42 percent of Swedes born in the 2000s use TikTok daily, while usage among older Swedes is much lower. For broad campaigns, combine TikTok with Instagram, Facebook or YouTube.

Do TikTok collaborations need to be labelled as advertising?

Yes. TikTok requires the commercial content disclosure toggle for branded content, and Swedish law requires the advertising to be clear at first glance, for example with “reklam” or “annons”. The brand has the main responsibility.

Should brands work with small creators or celebrities on TikTok?

It depends on the goal. Smaller, native creators are strong for authenticity and reaching niche communities, while well-known personalities create broad attention. Many of the best TikTok campaigns combine both.

Is TikTok Shop available in Sweden?

Not at the time of writing. TikTok Shop is live in ten European markets, including Germany, France and the Netherlands. Check TikTok’s own information for the latest list of markets.

Want to plan a TikTok influencer marketing campaign with the right creators, well-known personalities and paid media in one plan? Contact Collabri at info@collabri.se. You can also browse our talents and client projects.

Read also

• Instagram Influencer Marketing in 2027: Formats, Costs and What Works

• Social Media Marketing for Brands in 2027: A Practical Guide

• Generative Engine Optimization: How Creators Help Brands Show Up in AI Answers

• What Is Influencer Marketing? A Complete Guide for 2027

Sources

• TikTok Newsroom – Digital Services Act: Our seventh transparency report on content moderation in Europe (2026): https://newsroom.tiktok.com/digital-services-act-our-seventh-transparency-report-on-content-moderation-in-europe?lang=en-150

• Internetstiftelsen – Svenskarna och internet 2025: Sociala medier (2025): https://svenskarnaochinternet.se/rapporter/svenskarna-och-internet-2025/sociala-medier/

• Influencer Marketing Hub – Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2026 (2026): https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report/

• TikTok Newsroom – Introducing TikTok Next 2026: Our Trend Forecast for Marketers for the Year Ahead (2026): https://newsroom.tiktok.com/introducing-tiktok-next-2026-our-trend-forecast-for-marketers-for-the-year-ahead?lang=en

• Sprout Social – 46 TikTok Stats to Inform Your Strategy in 2026 (2026): https://sproutsocial.com/insights/tiktok-stats/

• TikTok for Business – The Creator Advantage: How Creators Drive Real Brand Impact On TikTok (2025): https://ads.tiktok.com/business/en-US/blog/tiktok-creator-advantage

• TikTok Newsroom – TikTok at Cannes Lions 2026: Where Creative Solutions, Creator Voices, and Culture Turn Creativity Into Business Impact (2026): https://newsroom.tiktok.com/tiktok-at-cannes-lions-2026-where-creative-solutions-creator-voices-and-culture-turn-creativity-into-business-impact?lang=en

• TikTok Newsroom – More ways to spot, shape and understand AI-generated content (2025): https://newsroom.tiktok.com/more-ways-to-spot-shape-and-understand-ai-content?lang=en

• Paul, Weiss – EU Finalises Transparency Rules for AI-Generated Content (2026): https://www.paulweiss.com/insights/client-memos/eu-finalises-transparency-rules-for-ai-generated-content

• TikTok Newsroom – TikTok lanceert TikTok Shop in België (2026): https://newsroom.tiktok.com/tiktok-lanceert-tiktok-shop-in-belgie?lang=en-BE

• European Commission – Commission accepts TikTok’s commitments on advertising transparency under the Digital Services Act (2025): https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-accepts-tiktoks-commitments-advertising-transparency-under-digital-services-act

• European Parliament – Legislative Train: Digital Fairness Act: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-protecting-our-democracy-upholding-our-values/file-digital-fairness-act

• ABC News – TikTok finalizes deal to keep operating in US (2026): https://abcnews.com/Business/tiktok-finalizes-deal-operating-us/story?id=129475609

• EMARKETER – Influencer marketing set to surpass $13 billion by 2027: https://www.emarketer.com/content/influencer-marketing-set-surpass--13-billion-by-2027

• TikTok – Branded Content Policy: https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/global/bc-policy/en

• Konsumentverket – Influencers reklaminlägg – regler för företag: https://www.konsumentverket.se/marknadsratt-foretag/influencers-reklaminlagg-regler-for-foretag/

This article was written with the help of AI and reviewed by Collabri.