In just a few short years, TikTok has grown from a video-sharing app to one of the most influential social media platforms worldwide. As of January 2025, TikTok boasts over 1.59 billion users worldwide, accounting for 19.4% of the global population and 27.5% of all people aged 18 and above. These figures are still rising, which is why understanding TikTok demographics in 2025 is so important for marketing professionals, brand strategists, and agencies looking to shape informed marketing strategies.
Whether you’re planning your next influencer marketing campaign or simply keeping a finger on the pulse of social networking, this guide breaks down the latest TikTok usage statistics and offers insight into what they mean for your brand.
Initial Growth Trends
TikTok first gained traction in the UK with younger audiences, particularly Gen Z users. The platform’s rapid rise was driven by its short-form TikTok video format and algorithmic personalisation. In 2021, TikTok was the most downloaded app, with over 4.1 billion total downloads to date.
In the UK specifically, TikTok now outpaces Instagram in terms of where Gen Z spend their time, a trend that highlights the platform’s deep integration into youth culture. Its appeal continues to grow across age groups, making it a key player in social media platforms.
Impact on Younger Audiences
TikTok remains especially dominant among teens and young adults. Globally, 1 in 4 users are under 20 years old, and 35% of users fall into the 18-24 age group. This age demographic drives engagement with trending content, memes, and viral challenges, making them perfect for campaigns aiming to create a cultural ripple effect. In the UK, these trends mirror global usage patterns, reinforcing the platform’s popularity among young, mobile-first audiences.
Examining TikTok Gender Demographics
Gender dynamics on TikTok have also changed in recent years. Globally, 54.8% of users are female and 45.2% are male. However, regional differences paint a more complicated picture. As of January 2025, some data reports that men take a 55.7% lead as a demographic, with them dominating in parts of Asia while women are more prevalent in North America and Europe.
Among users aged 18–24, 14.1% are female and 16.6% are male. For the 25–34 bracket, 14.6% are female and 20.7% are male. This nuanced understanding of TikTok gender demographics helps brands craft more personalised campaigns that speak directly to specific segments of their target audience.
Identifying Key Outcomes
Age plays a role in how content is consumed on TikTok. The platform's age demographics reveal distinct content preferences and behaviours. For example, younger users tend to engage with fast-moving trends, entertainment, and user-generated content, while older users seek value-based and informational content such as finance, fitness, and parenting.
Across the world, users aged 25–34 make up 23% of TikTok's audience, while those aged 13–17 account for 18%. Significantly, 24% of users are aged 35 and above, showing steady growth among older age groups.
Understanding the age demographic of TikTok users allows marketers to tailor content strategies that maximise engagement and long-term loyalty from their audience.
Long-Term Engagement Potential
The average TikTok user in 2025 is between 25 and 34 years old, indicating a shift from the teen-centric user base of earlier years. These users often display higher purchasing power, making them valuable for brands with mid- to high-ticket offerings. With 700 million unique monthly visitors and an average of 10 minutes and 38 seconds spent per session, TikTok is clearly capturing meaningful attention.
The platform receives 2.18 billion monthly visits, over 65% of which come from mobile devices. For brands and agencies, these metrics highlight TikTok's potential as a high-impact channel for sustained engagement.
Comparisons with Present Data
TikTok’s trajectory in the UK has moved considerably. Where Instagram and Snapchat once dominated the youth market, TikTok now leads with both Gen Z and Millennials. TikTok now has more Gen Z users than Instagram, a key point for brands targeting the next generation of consumers.
The growth of older user segments in the UK also mirrors global trends. Content related to career development, financial advice, and parenting is on the rise, indicating a broader appeal and deeper engagement outside of purely entertainment.
Projected Shifts
With cultural influence stretching into music, fashion, and even language, TikTok continues to evolve from its original identity. Expect to see further growth in professional and educational content as older demographics join the platform. Brands that adapt their TikTok marketing strategy accordingly will be well-positioned to reach a more diverse and engaged audience.
Strategies for Authentic Engagement
To succeed on TikTok in 2025, brands need to move away from superficial engagement. Authenticity is non-negotiable. Partnering with TikTok creators who align with your brand values can drive real impact. Working with influencer marketing agencies for TikTok, like Connect Management, ensures you’re tapping into a curated network of talent who know how to speak to their audience.
Using TikTok's sophisticated ad targeting options, brands can tailor campaigns by age group, gender, interests, and behaviours. This precise targeting ensures better return on investment and meaningful influencer marketing results.
Navigating Age Demographic Diversity
As TikTok's user age range broadens, so should your content. Teens and early 20s may prefer trend-led, humorous content, while users over 30 are more likely to respond to authenticity, value, and expertise. Brands must create diversified content portfolios that address multiple TikTok audience demographics simultaneously.
Understanding the demographics of TikTok users allows for smarter scheduling, tone adjustment, and platform strategy alignment. A flexible approach ensures campaigns are relevant and engaging for every segment of your target audience.
Shifts in Content Creation
As TikTok's demographics branch out, content is becoming richer and more nuanced. The platform is no longer solely a space for dancing and lip-syncing. Instead, it's evolving into a powerful centre for storytelling, education, product discovery, and brand advocacy. Expect TikTok creators to take on even more professional and advisory roles, especially as users demand higher value from the content they consume.
Opportunities for Expansion
From a brand perspective, this evolution represents a major opportunity. With global users showing interest in more complex and informative content, there’s never been a better time to invest in long-term TikTok strategies. Working with a talent agency like Connect Management ensures you’re not only keeping pace with the platform’s changes but staying one step ahead.
TikTok's ability to reach over a billion users worldwide, combined with its mobile-first format and deeply engaging algorithm, makes it a cornerstone of any robust digital marketing plan.
TikTok in 2025 has matured into a popular social media platform that reaches audiences across all age brackets and geographies. The age demographics of TikTok users show a clear trend toward diversification, with older users joining the ranks and younger ones maintaining strong engagement.
For marketing teams, these TikTok statistics are more than numbers. They offer actionable insights for shaping smarter, more targeted campaigns. Brands that understand and leverage TikTok demographics will be better equipped to drive meaningful engagement and ROI.
At Connect Management, we help brands cut through the noise and connect with the right creators to deliver impactful, insight-driven campaigns. If you’re ready to upgrade your influencer marketing efforts, we’re here to help you harness TikTok’s full potential.
From managing talent and crafting game-changing creator strategies to producing scroll-stopping content, we offer end-to-end influencer marketing services UK brands trust.
