How to attribute traffic from TikTok

If you use TikTok for marketing, you've likely faced a frustrating problem: you're getting views on TikTok but have no idea if it's actually converting into traffic or sales on your website or app. Instead, everything gets grouped as "direct" or "organic search" traffic, making it nearly impossible to figure out which videos or slideshows are actually driving results.

This happens because users rarely click the link in your bio directly. More often than not, they see your content, close the app, and then open a browser to search for your brand by name. To analytics tools, this looks like an organic search or a direct visit, completely hiding the fact that TikTok was the source of the traffic.

While there's no single perfect solution, you can use a combination of methods to get a much clearer picture of your performance. Here are three practical ways to attribute traffic from your short-form video content or slideshows.

One of the most effective ways to track direct clicks is to create a unique domain that you use exclusively for your TikTok profile(s).

For instance, if your main website is autovirality.com, you could purchase a variation like autovirality.shop. By placing this unique URL in your bio and nowhere else, you can be certain that anyone landing on that domain came from TikTok. This allows you to isolate and accurately measure the traffic from users who click your bio link.

Of course you can also use a subdomain (e.g., tiktok.autovirality.com) if you prefer not to buy a new domain, but this can look weird in your bio (same goes for UTM parameters, but if you still want to use them, see this guide), so a separate domain is usually the best option.

While only a minority of users will actually click the link in your bio, tracking its performance is still valuable. Use a URL shortener like Dub to create a custom link for your bio. This will give you detailed analytics on how many people are clicking the link, when they're clicking it, and where they're coming from.

This data won't show you the full picture, but it serves as an excellent indicator of engagement. If your bio link clicks are consistently increasing, it’s a strong sign that your content strategy is working and motivating users to learn more about your brand.

To track direct sales and sign-ups, create a unique discount or referral code specifically for your TikTok audience (e.g., TIKTOK15). Announce this code in your videos and add it as on-screen text.

Every time a customer uses this code at checkout, you have concrete proof of a conversion driven by TikTok. The downside is that these codes can feel promotional, and many users who discover you on the platform may forget to use the code. However, it provides undeniable data for the conversions you can track, and also makes it clear which videos or slideshows are working best (sometimes content with low views can outperform content with high views, so this way you'll know what to double down on).