TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in recent years, with over 1 billion monthly active users as of September 2022 (https://lunio.ai/blog/paid-social/tiktok-bots/). Its short-form video format has proven hugely successful. However, with massive growth comes attempts to game the system through automation and bots. So just what are bots on TikTok, and is automation allowed?
Bots on social media refer to accounts controlled by software to perform automated actions. On TikTok, common bot activities include automatically following, liking, commenting, and posting (https://www.quora.com/What-are-TikTok-bots). The goal is usually to artificially inflate engagement metrics.
The question this article will examine is whether TikTok can effectively be automated through bots within the platform’s terms of service. We’ll look at TikTok’s automation policies, methods people attempt to use, the potential benefits and risks, and best practices.
TikTok Platform Overview
TikTok was created by the Chinese tech company ByteDance and first released in September 2016 under the name Douyin in China before launching internationally as TikTok the following year (Investopedia, 2022). It quickly gained popularity around the world thanks to its fun and creative short-form video format.
Some of the key features that set TikTok apart include:
- Short 15-60 second vertically formatted videos often set to music or containing other audio
- Use of hashtags and effects allow videos to be discovered and go viral
- Powerful editing tools and filters help creators enhance their videos
- Duets and stitching enable users to collaborate with others’ videos
While TikTok has a broad audience, it skews young with about 60% being 16-24 years old as of 2021. It provides a platform for creators, artists, and brands to express themselves through engaging video content (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2022).
TikTok Automation Policies
TikTok has strict policies against using automation, bots, or inauthentic engagement on their platform. Their community guidelines explicitly prohibit using any automated methods to artificially increase views, likes, comments, follows, shares or other metrics.
TikTok utilizes advanced systems to detect automated activity and fake engagement. Accounts found violating these policies may face consequences including being banned, having content removed, being prevented from monetizing, and losing access to advertising services.
As per TikTok’s advertising policies, advertisers are prohibited from using automated rules or bots to automatically create, optimize or manage TikTok campaigns and ads. TikTok Ads Manager does provide a limited Automated Rules feature for advertisers to help manage campaigns, but it has strict use guidelines to prevent abuse.
In summary, TikTok aims to maintain an authentic community and high-quality experience for users. Automation and inauthentic activity undermine that goal. Accounts looking to grow legitimately on TikTok should employ authentic content creation and engagement strategies.
Methods of TikTok Automation
There are several methods people use to automate various activities on TikTok.
Bots
Bots are automated programs that can interact with the TikTok platform to perform certain actions repeatedly and at scale. Some common uses of bots on TikTok include:
- Automated posting – Bots can be used to automatically post videos to TikTok on a set schedule or based on certain triggers.
- Automated liking – Bots can automatically like posts by searching hashtags, keywords, or profiles and liking content that matches certain criteria.
- Automated following – Bots can follow targeted profiles or accounts that use desired hashtags or keywords to grow a TikTok account’s followers.
- Automated commenting – Bots can leave comments on posts based on hashtags, keywords or other factors to increase engagement.
Some popular TikTok bot services include Billo and Tokupgrade.
Automation Tools
In addition to bots, there are software tools and services that allow automating some TikTok activities:
- Content creation tools like Creatomate can auto-generate videos using templates.
- Scheduling tools like Later or Hootsuite allow queueing and auto-posting content.
- Growth services provide automation for following, liking, and commenting at scale.
These tools tend to automate more limited activities within TikTok’s terms of service, compared to bots that often violate policies.
Benefits of TikTok Automation
Using automation for TikTok can provide several benefits for marketers and content creators. Two of the biggest benefits are that it saves time and effort, and it can help increase reach and engagement.
Automating certain TikTok tasks like posting, engaging with followers, and analyzing data frees up a significant amount of time compared to doing these manually. This allows you to focus your efforts on more high-value creative work like creating new videos and developing your content strategy (https://www.feedhive.com/blog/benefits-of-social-media-automation). Automation tools can take care of routine TikTok activities in the background without constant manual oversight.
In addition to the time savings, automating TikTok posts allows you to easily maintain a consistent posting schedule. This keeps your profile active and helps build anticipation with your audience for new content. Scheduling posts for optimal times can also help increase views and engagement (https://www.wrike.com/blog/social-media-automation-explained/).
Automation makes it possible to engage target users and hashtags at scale, which expands your reach. You can set up automated likes, comments, reposts, and follows based on hashtags, locations, followers of competitors, etc. This level of engagement would be extremely difficult to achieve manually on a daily basis.
Risks of TikTok Automation
One major risk of automating content on TikTok is the potential for account suspension or banning. TikTok’s Community Guidelines prohibit most forms of automation, including using bots or third-party apps to automate posting. If TikTok detects automated activity, they may suspend or ban accounts. There have been reports of accounts being banned for using automation software or services (Social Media Examiner).
Another risk is lower organic engagement. Content posted through automation can come across as spammy or disingenuous to viewers. This may lead to fewer likes, comments, and shares compared to more authentic, human-curated content. Relying too heavily on automation can also result in low-quality videos that don’t resonate with TikTok’s algorithm or audience (Sprout Social).
Due to the risks of lower engagement and potential account suspension, experts recommend using automation judiciously. Automating some tasks like scheduling or analytics can be useful, but automating content creation often backfires on TikTok.
Automation Alternatives
There are alternatives to full automation on TikTok that allow you to grow your account organically while staying within TikTok’s policies:
Scheduling posts in advance: Tools like Later allow you to plan and schedule TikTok posts ahead of time. This way, you can strategically spread out your content without having to manually post throughout the day.
Using TikTok Marketing Partners: TikTok works directly with marketing platforms like Content Marketing Partners to provide solutions for scheduling and publishing content. These are designed specifically for TikTok and follow their policies.
Focusing on organic growth: Avoid using bots, automated likes/comments, or purchased followers. Focus your efforts on creating high-quality content, engaging with your audience, and participating in trends organically. This leads to more authentic growth over time.
Case Studies
There are some examples of brands finding success using automation on TikTok, as well as those who have run into issues. According to one case study from TikTok’s business site, AppQuantum was able to achieve stable results using TikTok’s automated tools like AEO and Value Optimization. After seeing positive results, AppQuantum looked for ways to further scale through increased automation. While automation helped them efficiently manage campaigns at a larger scale, they still emphasized the need for human oversight and management.
On the other hand, some advertisers have attempted overly aggressive automation which led to their accounts being banned by TikTok. As covered in this case study, one developer quickly drove over $1 million in sales through automated TikTok Shop campaigns, but eventually had their accounts shut down due to policy violations. This underscores the risks of pushing automation too far without TikTok’s consent.
The takeaway seems to be that a moderate level of automation can help efficiently manage TikTok campaigns, but brands need to follow TikTok’s policies and avoid overly aggressive tactics if they want sustainable success on the platform.
Best Practices
When it comes to automating content on TikTok, there are some best practices to follow to maximize growth while avoiding bans.
First, balance automation with authenticity. While automating posting can help you scale, you still need to maintain a human touch. Consider automating 80% of content while still interacting genuinely 20% of the time (Source).
Second, customize your automation settings carefully. Avoid simply automating across the board. Tailor settings for timing, hashtags, captions, and more for each specific piece of content (Source).
Third, plan ahead with a detailed content calendar. This allows you to strategize what, when, and how to post. Mapping out content in advance leads to more cohesive, intentional automated posting (Source).
Fourth, stay on top of comments and messages. Make sure to have some manual oversight to build community. Replying personally to user comments shows you’re engaged (Source).
Overall, smart TikTok automation balances automation with authenticity. Customize settings, plan ahead, and stay involved to grow safely and effectively.
Conclusion
TikTok has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among younger audiences. While the app makes it easy for users to create and share short videos, building a large following and going viral takes significant time and effort. For this reason, some have turned to automation methods to try to artificially grow their accounts.
As we’ve discussed, TikTok has strict rules against automation and fake engagement tactics. Accounts using bots and other automation software face potential bans. While such methods may deliver short-term results like more views, likes and followers, the long-term risks outweigh potential rewards. Authenticity and genuine engagement are core to the TikTok experience.
For those serious about building their brand and following on TikTok, there are better alternatives than automation. Putting in the work to create high-quality, valuable content tailored to your audience and consistently engaging with other users is the best path for organic growth. While growth may start slowly, you’ll build real fans who engage with your content and support your account in the long run.
In summary, attempting to automate TikTok goes against the platform’s guidelines and culture. For long-term success, avoid shortcuts and stay focused on producing creative content, connecting with your niche, and fostering authentic engagement. With persistence and dedication, you can build a thriving TikTok presence the right way.
