How do you get brand deals on TikTok?

Quick answer: you get brand deals on TikTok by posting consistently in one niche, making a few videos that show a product the way an ad would, and then pitching brands directly by email with one specific video idea and a link to your best work. Most small creators land their first deals by pitching, not by waiting for brands to find them. Follower count matters less than you think: brands buying UGC or working with micro-creators care about whether your videos sell the product.

Do you need a lot of followers to get brand deals on TikTok?

No. Brands work with creators of every size, and many prefer small accounts because their audiences trust them and their rates are affordable. There are two kinds of deals to aim for:

• Sponsored posts: you post a video about the product on your own account. Here your views and audience fit matter.
• UGC (user-generated content): you make the video and the brand posts it or runs it as an ad. Your follower count barely matters; your filming and editing do.

If your account is small, UGC and gifted collaborations are the fastest way in. Each one gives you a real brand video for your portfolio, which makes the next pitch easier.

Step 1: Pick a niche brands can buy into

Brands search for creators by category: skincare, fitness, home, food, pets, parenting, tech. Pick one or two you genuinely post about and stay there. A brand looking at your profile should understand in five seconds what you make and who watches it.

Step 2: Make 3 to 5 "portfolio" videos before you pitch

You don't need a sponsor to show you can sell a product. Film products you already own the way brands film ads:

• a hook in the first two seconds (the problem, or the result);
• the product in use, close up, in natural light;
• one clear reason to buy, said in your own words;
• 15 to 30 seconds total.

These become the links in every pitch you send.

Step 3: Find brands that actually work with small creators

• Check who your favourite creators tag. Brands that already send product to creators your size will do it again.
• Look at #ad and "Paid partnership" posts in your niche on TikTok and Instagram.
• Use TikTok One (formerly the TikTok Creator Marketplace) if you're eligible in your country.
• Use a brand directory that lists brands open to creator collaborations with a working contact email, such as Newcollab's brand directory.

Smaller and growing brands reply far more often than household names, which get hundreds of requests a week.

Step 4: Pitch by email with one specific idea

A pitch that gets replies is short (under 120 words) and is about the brand, not about you:

1. One sentence with a video idea for their product ("a 15-second first-use video for your new cleanser, filmed in natural light").
2. One line of proof: your average views, or a result from a past video. Leave out weak numbers.
3. Two links to your best videos and your portfolio or media kit.
4. A clear, easy ask: gifted product, or your rate for one video.

Avoid generic openers like "I love your brand and would love to collaborate". Brand inboxes are full of them.

Step 5: Follow up, then pitch more brands

Most replies come after a follow-up. Send a short one about four days later with a second idea, and a last one around day ten offering something smaller (for example two raw clips they can use in ads). Then keep going: creators who land regular deals pitch new brands every week, because reply rates on cold pitches are low for everyone.

How much do TikTok brand deals pay?

There's no fixed rate. Pay depends on your niche, your views, whether the brand gets ad usage rights, and how many videos they want. Many first deals for small creators are gifted (free product), and paid UGC is usually priced per video, with extra for usage rights. Set your rate per video, add a fee for ad usage, and adjust once you see what brands accept. For what TikTok itself pays, see how much TikTok pays creators, and use your TikTok analytics to show brands your best numbers.

Do you have to label TikTok brand deals?

Yes. If you post about a product you were paid for or given for free, turn on TikTok's content disclosure setting ("Paid partnership" or "Promotional content") and keep the relationship clear in the video. In the US this is also what the FTC expects from creators.

A faster way to pitch every week

The slow part of brand deals is the outreach: finding brands with a real contact, writing a pitch for each one and remembering to follow up. Newcollab's AI assistant, Polly, matches you with brands in your niche and writes each pitch for that brand's product. On the free plan you get 3 pitches a month; on Pro, Polly pitches brands for you every weekday from your own Gmail and handles the follow-ups, and brands reply straight to your inbox.