Fresh findings reveal TikTok’s growing influence on what people watch at home and in cinemas

From building buzz around the latest box-office releases, to reigniting love for cult classic TV shows, TikTok is reshaping the way the UK discovers, discusses and decides what to watch. 

With 5.3 million posts under the #WhatToWatch hashtag and three quarters of users saying TikTok influences what they watch next, the platform is fast becoming a destination for entertainment fandom and culture in its own right.

Whether it is the doll character M3GAN’s viral Taylor Swift dance racking up 2 billion views, a livestream of Top Gun: Maverick’s London premiere, or Cineworld building a community of 400,000 followers, TikTok has also become a major promotional tool for international studios and broadcasters.

To explore the platform’s impact, TikTok Marketing Science and LiveRamp analysed 34 advertising campaigns and found TikTok drives an average 23.5% uptick in UK box office ticket sales.*

The research also found a 21.2% lift in new customers buying cinema tickets, driven by exposure to ads on TikTok, and a 14% year-on-year lift at the UK box office from TikTok campaigns, showing how TikTok drives real-world results off the platform.

Horror, superhero films and existing TV shows are all leading the charge in converting TikTok fans to cinema audiences and streaming subscribers.

To help advertisers understand how their campaigns drive viewership of TV shows, sporting events or films, TikTok has partnered with Samba TV Entertainment Outcomes on a pilot study into streaming and TV audience drivers in the UK.

The research found households exposed to TikTok advertising saw an average 44% lift in viewers tuning into shows.

Over half those who tuned in were ‘light TV viewers’ – people who typically do not watch much broadcast or streaming content and are hard to engage through traditional advertising channels. Together with medium viewers, they made up nearly 69% of all tune-ins after seeing TikTok ads.

TikTok can also activate existing fandoms and reignite passion for classic shows. According to Samba TV, campaigns for existing series and well-known shows saw a 49% viewership lift. For context, that is more than 11% above the norm, which demonstrates TikTok’s effectiveness in mobilising established fanbases.

“Traditional media strategy separates awareness from conversion, but Samba’s adaptive audiences prove you can drive both with a unified approach,” said Alyson Sprague, vice president of measurement science at Samba TV. 

“The study with TikTok in the UK demonstrates the power of our first-party data across viewership and digital to deliver real business outcomes. Together, we’re showing that targeted reach fuels awareness and action when executed with data and media strategies built to achieve both.”

Charlotte Skornik, head of client measurement UK at TikTok, said: “TikTok is an important strategic channel for the UK entertainment industry, and now we can prove its commercial impact. Our unique power to drive fandom and conversation directly translates to tangible results for studios and broadcasters. Together with partners like Samba TV and LiveRamp, we’re helping to build the future of measurement for the entertainment industry.”

TikTok offers a variety of tools to help studios and broadcasters find new fans while simultaneously and efficiently converting the most receptive viewers.

Ad formats such as TikTok’s TopView offer immediate visibility – full-screen, sound-on – grabbing attention the moment users open the app. Ideal for trailers and teasers, TopView is perfect for building early awareness and sparking conversation.

As campaigns progress, TikTok’s Video View extends reach through targeted engagement. TikTok Creator Exchange then connects studios with TikTok’s network of film and TV creators, who can produce authentic content that resonates with their own often large audiences.

Fandom on TikTok draws viewers in and keeps them there, with the TikTok community taking action at every stage of the funnel.

“Fans on TikTok are engaging and amplifying entertainment content by co-creating, responding to comments, and sharing their favourite clips with family and friends,” added Stephen Naughton, group vertical director – media, tech & telco at TikTok UK.

“Their commitment to getting involved and joining the conversation on TV and film means there are even more opportunities for broadcasters and studios to reach audiences and drive results through TikTok.”

With tools that support every stage of the campaign journey - and a community that actively shapes what’s next - TikTok gives studios and broadcasters the opportunity to maximise the effectiveness of their campaigns and truly become part of film and TV culture.

*According to data analysis of 34 ad campaigns on the platform from 2024-25, by TikTok Marketing Science and data collaboration platform LiveRamp Film Meta Analysis.