TikTok
Short-form video sharing app owned by ByteDance.
TikTok at a glance
TikTok is a social media website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #13 in the country. It was founded in 2016 by ByteDance (Zhang Yiming) and is headquartered in Culver City, California, United States. Today TikTok is owned by ByteDance Ltd.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 1300 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through advertising, tiktok shop commissions, virtual gifts. Its closest rivals include instagram.com, youtube.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 1222 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 1261 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 1300 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 1378 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct76%
- Organic search13%
- Referral6%
- Paid3%
- Email2%
Audience & demographics
- Men52%
- Women48%
- Age 18-2430%
- Age 25-3429%
- Age 35-4420%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 390 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| tiktok | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| login | Top 10 | High | — |
| sign up | Top 10 | High | — |
| download app | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 88% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading social media apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- tiktok.com
- Sector
- Social Media
- Owner
- ByteDance Ltd.
- Owner type
- Subsidiary
- Founders
- ByteDance (Zhang Yiming)
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- Culver City, California, United States
- Employees
- 7,000+ (US)
- Ownership
- ByteDance Ltd. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $16B annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English, Spanish, and 30+ languages
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, referral
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $16B annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
TikTok operates a social platform focused on United States. Short-form video sharing app owned by ByteDance. Revenue comes mainly from advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Advertising
- TikTok Shop commissions
- Virtual gifts
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #13 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading social media site in United States
- Global rank
- 6
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| instagram.com | ≈ 780 million / month | #14 class competitor | — |
| youtube.com | ≈ 585 million / month | #15 class competitor | — |
What is TikTok?
TikTok (tiktok.com) is a social platform serving users in United States. Short-form video sharing app owned by ByteDance. It ranks #13 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the social media category.
Who owns TikTok?
The site is operated by ByteDance Ltd., founded by ByteDance (Zhang Yiming). The company was established in 2016 and is headquartered in Culver City, California, United States. It employs around 7,000+ (US).
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place TikTok at roughly 1300 million visits per month, about 43.3 million per day. Around 88% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 11.4 pages per visit with an average session of 12 min.
How TikTok makes money
Revenue comes primarily from advertising, alongside tiktok shop commissions, virtual gifts.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include instagram.com, youtube.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 2016
TikTok is founded in Culver City, California, United States.
- Growth phase
Expands its social media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #13 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Very high daily engagement
- Strong creator and community ecosystem
- Free to use with broad reach
- Self-serve advertising for small businesses
Cons
- Moderation and misinformation criticism
- Privacy and data-use concerns
- Algorithm changes hurt organic reach
- Ad load increases over time
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns TikTok?
TikTok is operated by ByteDance Ltd.. Subsidiary structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is TikTok headquartered?
TikTok is headquartered in Culver City, California, United States.
When was TikTok founded?
TikTok was founded in 2016 by ByteDance (Zhang Yiming).
How many employees does TikTok have?
TikTok employs approximately 7,000+ (US) people.
What is TikTok's revenue?
TikTok's revenue: ≈ $16B annual revenue (est.).
Who are TikTok's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include instagram.com, youtube.com.
How does TikTok make money?
Mainly advertising, tiktok shop commissions, virtual gifts.
Is TikTok publicly traded?
No — TikTok is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by ByteDance Ltd..
How many visitors does TikTok get?
Third-party estimates place TikTok at roughly 1300 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 88% mobile traffic.
Is TikTok safe?
TikTok is an established social media site founded in 2016 and ranked #13 in United States; use the official domain tiktok.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementstiktok.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos