TikToks teen stars want money and marketers are starting to catch on

This year, TikTok became one of the biggest social media platforms in the world. The shortform app finally reached over a billion active users worldwide and, in the US, it provided a launching pad for the biggest song of the year. But while influencers have struck it rich on smaller platforms like Pinterest and Snapchat, TikTok’s sponsorship marketplace has been slow to develop.

To help meet that challenge, a new industry of marketing agencies and influencers is zeroing in on TikTok content. They help companies nail the special mix of quirkiness and cool that’s required to succeed on the platform. “Gen Z doesn’t mind being marketed to, as long as it’s quality content,” says Jacob Pace, the 20-year old CEO of media company Flighthouse.

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