Are you struggling to decide whether to use a TikTok personal or business account? Do you know the differences between these two types of accounts? Don’t worry if you are not! In this blog, we will compare TikTok Personal Account vs Business Account, looking at the pros and cons of each account type.
So whether you’re a TikTok creator, influencer, or business owner, this blog post will provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision.
Table of Contents
What is TikTok personal account?
A personal account is the default type of account on TikTok, and it’s what most people use to create and share video content on the app.
In the past, TikTok offered two types of specialized accounts – Business and Creator – that were separate from regular personal accounts. However, in 2021, they combined the Creator and personal accounts, which means that all users now have access to the unique features that were previously only available to Creators.
If you want to create and share videos on TikTok, build a community, and potentially monetize your account, a personal account is the way to go. Plus, personal accounts have advanced analytic tools to help you understand your audience and what they like.
Benefits of a TikTok personal account
Unlimited use of the audio library
One of the biggest advantages of having a TikTok personal account is that you get full access to the audio library.
This means that you can use any available sound from the whole music library to create your videos, including popular songs and trending sound bytes, without worrying about copyright issues.
Switch your account to private
Another benefit of having a TikTok personal account is the ability to switch your account to private.
This makes it possible for only people you approve to follow and view your videos, which can help you maintain a level of exclusivity around your brand.
Eligibility for TikTok Creator Next Program
By having a TikTok personal account, you are eligible to join the TikTok Creator Next Program. This program is designed for TikTok creators to monetize as they grow their communities.
Personal accounts are allowed to access other monetization features including Creator Fund, Creator Marketplace, Video Gifts, Live Gifts, and Tips.
Access to analytics
Both personal and business TikTok accounts have access to analytics and performance insights. As a personal account holder, you can access analytics by posting at least one public video.
Having access to analytics gives you a better understanding of your reach and engagement, which can help you optimize your content and grow your following.
Ability to promote videos
As a TikTok creator, you have access to the “Promote” option just like brands and business accounts. This allows you to extend the reach of your videos, especially sponsored ones.
However, it’s important to note that you can only promote videos that use original audio that has been cleared for commercial purposes.
Limitations of a TikTok personal account
Messaging limitations
As an ecommerce store, messaging is essential to promote your business on TikTok. However, with a personal account, you can only message people who are your friends or those who you follow, which means you can’t stay in touch with your non-friend customers.
Website link limitations
Another limitation of a personal account is that it can be difficult to attach a website link to your profile. You need to reach 1,000 followers to do so, which can be challenging for a new account.
Additionally, there is no option to add an external link to your profile, unlike the Business account, which is an excellent opportunity to create traffic to your website.
Limited management tools
Personal accounts are limited in terms of management tools. For instance, they can’t be integrated with third-party tools, which could help you optimize your social media marketing efforts.
Also, you can only have direct communication with the people on your friend list, whereas Business account owners can reach out to everyone on TikTok.
Analytics limitations
Analytics data cannot be downloaded by Creator accounts, and the in-app view is limited to a 60-day period, which can make it harder to analyze your business or brand’s performance on TikTok.
This means that identifying long-term trends or creating an overview to share with other team members can be challenging.
What is TikTok business account?
A TikTok business account is a free public profile designed to help businesses grow through TikTok’s marketing tools. It’s different from a creator account and offers advanced performance metrics and creative tools.
Business accounts are ideal for promoting products or services, engaging customers, and using commercial tools in the Business Creative Hub. They provide various features to help businesses build, manage and monitor their brand’s activities on TikTok.
With analytics, creator studio, and third-party integration, businesses of all sizes can shape and improve their marketing strategies. Upgrading to a business account is easy and free, and you can switch back to a creator account anytime.
Benefits of a TikTok business account
Availability of TikTok’s Business Suite
By using a TikTok business account, you get access to TikTok’s Business Suite, containing various support features, such as analytics that allow you to find and download data about your account, workspace, activity and support, and a commercial music library of over 1,000,000 songs and sounds.
Messaging opportunities
A TikTok business account allows you to message anyone, unlike the creator account, where you are limited to your friend list. You can also communicate with your audience by setting up automated responses for incoming direct messages.
Third-party tools integration
A TikTok business account is the only one of the two that allows you to integrate with third-party tools and thus optimize your marketing efforts further.
This integration can help you manage your account using a third-party platform and get verified badges to help users make informed choices about the accounts they choose to follow.
Access to the in-app Business Creative Hub
TikTok provides a Business Creative Hub, where business accounts can build their content strategy by offering tips on content creation, shooting videos, and best practices for posting videos.
Run different TikTok Ads format
By using a TikTok business account, you will have access to more TikTok Ad formats such as Top-view Ads, In-feed Ads, Collection Ads, etc. These ads are more sophisticated than the ones offered to creators and can help you reach a broader and better-targeted audience on TikTok.
If you’re new to TikTok ads and looking to promote your products without wasting time and money, we recommend using In-feed Ads as the best-performing ad format that is cost-effective and yields the most results.
To launch successful TikTok ad campaigns without any prior expertise or experience, we suggest using NestAds, a simple and user-friendly platform that offers an easy way to run ads on TikTok. With NestAds, you can be sure that your ads will reach the right audience and generate the desired results.
Limitations of a TikTok business account
Limited sound library
Business accounts on TikTok have access to only commercial sound clips, not the entire music library. This means that you may not be able to participate in all audio-based trends. However, you can create your own sound bytes to tell your brand’s story.
Don’t have access to creator programs
Business accounts do not have access to all Creator Programs, which limits your opportunities for monetization. While you can still connect with creators and find influencers through the Creator Marketplace, you won’t have access to programs like the Creator Fund or Creator Next.
Limited stitching or duet options
Due to the limited library of sounds, businesses with TikTok business accounts are not allowed to stitch or duet with videos that use non-commercial audio. This limits the options available to participate in trends using audio.
What are the differences between TikTok personal account & business account?
Feature | Personal Account | Business Account |
| Audio Library | Full Access | Only Commercial Audio Library |
| Switch to Private | Yes | No |
| Eligibility for Creator Fund | Yes | No |
| Access to Analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Ability to go live on TikTok | Yes (with some restrictions) | Yes (with fewer restrictions) |
| Ability to Promote Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Messaging Limitations | Yes | No |
| Website Link Limitations | Yes (Need 1K Followers) | No |
| Third-Party Integrations | No | Yes |
| Business Suite Access | No | Yes |
| Email Address Display | No | Yes |
| Direct Messaging | Friends/Followers Only | Anyone |
| Analytics Limitations | Yes (60-Day Limit) | No |
| Suitable for | TikTok users & influencers | Businesses of all sizes. |
| Utilization of different types of TikTok Ads | No | Yes (In-Feed Ads, Brand Takeover, Branded Effect, Collection Ads, etc.) |
A TikTok personal account is ideal for creating and sharing videos, building a community, and potentially monetizing an account. It provides access to the audio library, the ability to switch to private, eligibility for the Creator Next Program, and access to analytics and promotional tools. However, it has messaging and website link limitations and limited management tools.
On the other hand, a TikTok business account is designed to help businesses grow and provides advanced features, such as access to TikTok’s Business Suite, the ability to show an email address and website link, messaging opportunities, integration with third-party tools, and access to the in-app Business Creative Hub.
How to switch between TikTok personal account & business account?
TikTok enables users to switch from personal accounts to business accounts and vice versa. Therefore, if you want to change your account type, follow the 4 simple steps below.
- Choose Profile in the bottom right to access your profile.
- Click the 3-line icon in the top right and choose Settings and privacy.
- Tap Manage Account.
- Click Switch to Business Account or Switch to Personal Account to choose and then follow the next instructions to finish.
However, please note that it is not highly recommended to switch from a business to a personal account and back. If you aim to promote your business on TikTok and your personal image at the same time, it is advised to use separate accounts to achieve your goals.
Let’s start making your mark on TikTok today!
Now that you know the pros and cons of TikTok personal accounts and business accounts, you can make an informed decision about which type of account is best for you. If you’re a creator or influencer looking to build a community and potentially monetize your account, a personal account is the way to go.
On the other hand, if you’re a business owner looking to promote your products or services, engage with customers, and use commercial tools, a business account is the right choice.
Whichever you choose, TikTok offers a range of features and tools to help you create, share, and grow your content, and reach your target audience. So get started today and start making your mark on TikTok!
