TikTok Success Stories: 10 Inspiring Creators and Brands

TikTok has become a popular phenomenon across the ‘net, offering a unique social media platform experience that blends creativity and viral hype.

TikTok users have exceeded 2 billion worldwide. They include content creators, musicians, dancers, gamers, influencers, and brands who showcase their talents and ideas on the platform. 

TikTok’s remarkable ability to see creators go viral no matter their production level has transformed lives, from influencers hitting the big time to small businesses suddenly seeing a surge in brand awareness.

Let’s check out 10 of the most successful TikTok creators to date and showcase how you can get inspired by their achievements to grow a TikTok account of your own.

Why TikTok is a Game Changer for Creators and Businesses

TikTok’s advanced algorithm is what really sets it apart from other social media platforms.

The algorithm prioritizes discoverability, making it easier for even brand-new users to go viral. 

TikTok videos are designed for quick engagement, allowing creators to connect with their audience in a matter of seconds if their TikTok (video) is catchy enough.

Additionally, the platform fosters brand awareness by enabling even small businesses to gain massive exposure through features like TikTok Shop and TikTok Ads. 

With its diverse user base, near-global appeal, and many opportunities for growth, TikTok has become a dynamic hype tool for influencers, e-commerce brands, and content creators of all types.

Music, dance, fitness, fashion, education, and entertainment—TikTok levels the playing field in all categories, making it possible for everyone to achieve success. Let’s meet some creators and brands that have done exactly that!

10 Inspiring TikTok Success Stories

1. Addison Rae: TikTok to Hollywood

Addison Rae is one of TikTok’s most followed influencers.

The social media star initially snagged the attention of millions by uploading dance videos to trending TikTok music.

Once she gained some traction on the platform, she took off, collaborating with other influencers and releasing pop tunes like her hit debut single, “Obsessed.”

From there, she turned her TikTok fame into a diverse influencer career, landing brand deals, launching a beauty line, and starring in films like "He's All That" and "Thanksgiving."

Rae’s progress on TikTok demonstrates the power of capitalizing on virality with strategic publicity.

2. Keith Lee: A Foodie Phenomenon

Keith Lee’s straightforward, direct reviews of under-the-radar eateries and local foodie shops captured the attention (and appetite) of TikTok users everywhere.

His authentic storytelling purposefully helped small businesses go viral, boosting their sales and brand awareness.

Lee's approach highlights the value of using TikTok videos to create meaningful connections and support communities and has enabled him to travel around the country to review restaurants.

In 2024, he was listed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List for Food and Drink.

3. Scrub Daddy: Cleaning with Personality

Scrub Daddy, a cleaning product company that makes sponges in the shape of a smiley face (the “Daddy”), uses humor and TikTok trends to make its products engaging.

By leveraging TikTok ads and relatable content, the brand created hilarious, often edgy, sometimes slightly weird viral videos that entertained a wide audience.

These videos received millions of views and increased sales of the brand's quirky product line.

4. Nathan “Dogface” Apodaca: Skateboarding to Virality

When Idaho potato farm worker Nathan Apodaca recorded himself skateboarding to work after his car broke down, the last thing he thought would happen was that he would become a viral star.

Known as Doggface on TikTok, Apodaca's video or riding down the street while sipping Ocean Spray cranberry juice with Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” playing in the background quickly caught the attention of millions on TikTok, sparking a trend that led to countless recreations and tributes.

His authenticity appealed to millions of TikTok users, who gifted him with over $15K in donations. Ocean Spray replaced his ailing car with a 2020 Nissan Frontier for all the publicity they got.

Apodaca’s experience showcased how even a casual moment can propel a TikTok account to global fame.

5. Gymshark: Becoming FitnessTok

UK-based fitness apparel and accessories brand Gymshark capitalized on TikTok challenges and collaborated with fitness influencers to grow its brand.

With over 3 million social media followers in over 130 countries, Gymshark engages its fans with relatable fitness content, encouraging users to incorporate its apparel and gear into their workouts, turning fitness routines into viral trends.

This strengthened Gymshark's fitness community and helped greatly drive brand growth. 

6. Emily Zugay: Graphic Design Giggles

Graphic designer Emily Zugay gained millions of followers on TikTok by redesigning famous logos into low-budget versions, a joke that started small and rapidly grew her account to over 1 million followers in a single week.

Her TikTok videos combined creativity with comedy, showing her humorously and irreverently changing up iconic brand logos like H&R Block, Starbucks, and Burger King.

Before long, the brands were joining in the joke, changing their social media logos to Zugay’s “versions,” and snagging her collaborations with major brands.

7. Tabitha Brown: Positive Foodie Vibes

Vegan chef Tabitha Brown’s positive energy and simple vegan recipes captured the hearts of TikTok users, making her a social media standout.

She was nicknamed “TikTok’s mom” and has nearly 10 million combined followers on TikTok and Instagram.

Her storytelling, appealing recipes, pep talks, and humorous personality led her to book deals (now a NY Times bestselling author), TV appearances, a gig on the Food Network, and a loyal fanbase.

8. CeraVe: Standout Skin Care

Skincare brand CeraVe’s educational TikTok videos, featuring actual dermatologist recommendations and appearances from skincare influencers like Hyram Yarbro, resonated big time with skincare-concerned TikTok users, especially in the Gen Z and Millennial demographics.

CeraVe’s focus on relatable, healthy, and informative content boosted its brand awareness, and its lower price points helped boost its sales, making it a standout in the skincare industry and on TikTok, too.

9. Duolingo: Mascot Madness

Language learning app Duolingo transformed its TikTok account by leaning hard into TikTok culture, giving its cartoon owl mascot, Duo, a humorous and relatable persona.

Along with a supporting cast, Duolingo placed Duo into funny and self-deprecating skits and playful hip-hop dance routines.

Through TikTok ads, challenges, and viral videos, Duolingo saw a significant increase in downloads and engagement, as Duo became an unexpectedly favorite character of TikTok users.

10. The Lip Bar: Inclusive Beauty 

The Lip Bar used TikTok to showcase its vegan, inclusive beauty products, celebrating diversity and empowering users with accessible price points and trendy products.

Lip Bar founder and CEO Melissa Butler often appeared on the app herself, adding authenticity to The Lip Bar’s TikTok presence.

Their TikTok Shop also allowed followers to purchase products directly from the app, turning brand awareness into immediate tangible sales.

Common Traits of TikTok Success Stories

TikTok success stories share several defining traits that highlight why some creators and brands thrive over others:

• Authenticity: TikTok users connect deeply with relatable TikTok videos, often favoring genuine content over polished productions (although there’s a place for quality production values, too!) Whether you’re throwing out a casual video or carefully planning one, though, make sure to be authentic and be yourself: real content helps create stronger connections between you and your viewers.
• Consistency: Regular posting helps TikTok accounts stay visible, increasing the likelihood of creating a viral video; if you post a video that gets some traction but then don’t post for a couple of weeks, you’ll lose much of the momentum you started building up on the platform.
• Trend Participation: Paying attention to trending hashtags, popular music, and trending sounds and participating in TikTok Duets and Challenges greatly enhances visibility and engagement. Leverage trends that catch your eye and creatively spin them into your own versions for your content.
• Collaboration: Partnering with influencers is another approach to TikTok that can expand your reach significantly. It’s also a fun one - brainstorming ideas and collaborating with other creators can often lead you to content ideas that you may not have thought of on your own, or perhaps couldn’t execute with just one person. Don’t hesitate to contact fellow creators in your niche, at around the same size as your account, who you think might vibe with your content!
• Community Engagement: Building a loyal follower base most definitely requires active interaction if you want to grow. Interact with your followers by replying to comments, holding live sessions on TikTok, and collaborating with others. This all helps you grow, lets you start growing a fan base, and builds viewer loyalty.
• Data-Driven Strategies: Using social media data helps creators refine their content to better resonate with their viewers. Use TikTok Analytics and TikTok Creator Tools to track performance, understand your audience, and refine your posting strategies. 

TikTok Tools to Help You Succeed 

And finally, to create high-performing TikTok videos and manage your account effectively, you’ll do even better by making use of some helpful tools - let’s take a quick look at four ways you can give yourself a TikTok advantage!

• Video Editing: Use pro-level apps like CapCut, Canva, or Adobe Premiere Rush for professional-quality edits. Even if you’re taking a more casual approach to your TikTok videos, having smooth production quality, good audio, and solid edits makes your videos more engaging. You can also utilize sites like Epidemic Sound and Kapwing to find resources for background music and TikTok templates.
• Trend Tracking: Platforms like Tokchart and Tikcharts can help you identify viral music and TikTok trends. Staying on top of those trends and finding current topics to hype can keep your account and your TikTok videos fresh and current.
• Scheduling: Tools like Buffer and Later can help you streamline posting content on TikTok, scheduling your videos to post at the best times for your viewers.
• Monetization Opportunities: Once you start bringing in those views, it’s time to bring in some revenue so you can keep creating TikTok content! TikTok creators (once you qualify) can monetize through opportunities like the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, brand partnerships, TikTok Shop sales, and TikTok Ads.

Maximize Your TikTok Potential with Fourthwall!

Fourthwall can provide both aspiring and experienced TikTok creators with plenty of tools to monetize their TikToks through unique storefronts, customized print-on-demand merchandise, digital product sales, and a host of audience engagement and social media features.

With Fourthwall, you can highlight your TikTok videos directly on your dedicated Fourthwall website.

You can also showcase and sell your Fourthwall merchandise directly to your fans on your TikTok account, increasing engagement in both directions!

Whether you’re a TikTok content creator growing your followers, an influencer looking to sell merchandise on TikTok Shop, or a business using TikTok ads to drive sales, Fourthwall provides a seamless integration to enhance your TikTok account’s profitability.

Start exploring Fourthwall today to transform your viral TikTok moments into sustainable revenue streams and a loyal fan base!