This article is about how to calmly enter a new country through TikTok without “gray-hat” schemes. We’ll talk in simple terms: localization, collaborations, careful advertising, and how to check that you’re actually being seen where you need to be.
I’ll share what I’ve tried myself and what familiar brands have seen. No pressure and no big promises.
The Short Answer
To gain traction in another country, it usually helps to localize content for language and culture, post in local time zones, work with local creators, and use precise geo-targeting via TikTok Ads Manager. Without VPNs or tricks: just a clear bio, relevant country hashtags, subtitles, and a steady rhythm. And then, check the analytics to see which countries the views came from.
How to Use TikTok for Promotion in Other Countries: Where to Start
At the very beginning, keep your focus on localization, geo-tags, and regional trends. It often helps to clean up your profile: language, description, link to a website, relevant country hashtags, subtitles, and posting times adjusted for local time zones. This is a simple foundation to start with before adding cross-posting and ads.
Choosing a Country and Language Without Rushing
Pick 1 country to start. Check what language people really use on TikTok there and what topics resonate. In my opinion, it’s better not to aim “for everyone,” but narrowly and clearly.
Adapting Your Profile to Local “Logic”
Bio in the target language, link to a website or landing page with the correct currency and delivery, an avatar without “inside jokes.” The first pinned post often helps – briefly explain who you are and why you’re useful right here.
A Mini-Story “How It Was for a Friend”
A friend’s accessories brand entered Poland. They translated the bio, added Polish subtitles, and started posting at 7:00 PM Warsaw time. The first comments in Polish came on the 6th video – simply because of understandable subtitles and posting times.
How to Choose a Country and Language to Avoid Missing the Mark
Look at the audience, purchasing power, and local trends. It’s useful to check recent social media reports and compare where TikTok has higher penetration. I usually rely on open sources and my own tests – short series of videos to understand where organic content catches on.
| Country | Language in Video | Time Zone | Music/Rules | Currency in Ads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | Polish + EN subtitles | CET | Check track licenses | EUR |
| Germany | German + EN subtitles | CET | Be careful with alcohol ads | EUR |
| Spain | Spanish + EN subtitles | CET | Music from TikTok library | EUR |
| Czech Republic | Czech + EN subtitles | CET | Avoid sensitive topics | EUR |
Where to Look for Data
General country overviews are useful to gauge scale and trends. For example, DataReportal and blogs about TikTok marketing. And then, your own mini-tests with real videos.
How to Create Content That “Reads” Locally
Content usually wins when subtitles, cultural nuances, and sound trends are considered. A simple structure often helps: a hook in the first 2 seconds, a clear pace, short phrases, subtitles in the country’s language, careful hashtags, and local memes without overdoing it.
Subtitles and Voice
If you don’t speak the local language, speak in a language comfortable for you and add subtitles. Many watch without sound, and subtitles give a quick “key” to the meaning.
Music and Trends
Use sounds that are trending in the target country. Better to take music from the TikTok library to avoid copyright blocks.
Cover and First Phrase
A cover with a short message in the country’s language and a first phrase without complex words. It usually helps to speak “like a friend,” not like in an ad.
Posting Time
Post during local prime time – often in the evening. Test a few time slots, keep the ones with higher retention.
Do You Need to Buy Ads or Can You Do Without Them?
Both organic and paid work together. For precise entry into a country, TikTok Ads Manager helps: geo-targeting by country and city, Spark Ads to promote your own posts, soft tests with small budgets. Without “gray” methods – just honest segmentation and careful creatives.
When to Turn on TikTok Ads
If organic content gave the first signals but reach is “stuck,” connect Spark Ads to your best videos. This amplifies what already worked.
Settings Without Overload
Country, interface language, interests – minimally and to the point. In my opinion, it’s better to have 1-2 ad groups and 3-4 creatives than ten campaigns without clarity.
What to Look at in Reports
Share of impressions by country, retention, comments in the target language. If clicks come but the site doesn’t convert, maybe the landing page localization is the issue.
How to Collaborate with Local Creators Without Unnecessary Fuss
Collaborations with local creators often give warm organic reach. Use the Creator Marketplace, agree on UGC videos, and then boost them with Spark Ads. This is an honest way to “enter” the local context and tone.
A Human-Friendly Brief
Describe who your product helps, show a couple of examples of tone. Leave room for the creator – this keeps the content alive.
Agree on Spark Ads
Ask them to enable permission to promote the post. Then you can promote the video directly from the creator’s profile without re-uploads.
A Mini-Story “Shared by a Reader”
A reader created a service for freelancers and entered Spain through two small creators. They agreed on 2 videos + Spark Ads rights. Organic reach was average, but Spark gave the first registrations in the target cities.
How to Know You’re Being Watched in the Target Country
Check your profile and post analytics: audience distribution by country, retention, comments in the language. You can add polls to Stories and simple promo codes tied to the country. This helps understand the real geography without complex metrics.
Checking Analytics
Compare the share of views from the country before and after changes. If the share is growing, you’re on the right track.
Feedback in Comments
Ask for short feedback: what city are you from, how clearly is it explained. Answers often give more than dry numbers.
Country-Specific Promo Codes
Create simple codes like ES10 or PL10 and see which ones are used. This is a clear marker.
Problems: Why Quality or Reach Drops
Quality often drops due to the source material, bitrate, or re-uploads. Reach suffers from re-uploading the same thing, conflicts with music, and overly generic topics without localization. Usually, it helps to re-shoot from a local angle and update the hook.
Video Quality
Shoot in good light, without a “noisy” background, export in 1080p. It’s better to upload from the app and not touch the file with third-party service filters.
Sound and Rights
If the video gets quieter or the sound disappears, the cause might be rights. Change the track to one available in that specific country.
Repeats and Duplicates
Identical videos in a row often “get tired.” Keep the idea but change the angle, example, delivery.
Legal and Ethical Points
Follow community guidelines, copyright, and advertising restrictions. Don’t use deceptive geolocation methods – this can harm your account. Simpler and more reliable: localization, collaborations, and transparent advertising.
Useful Links
TikTok Community Guidelines and a brief overview of trends and reach at DataReportal. For collaborations – TikTok Creator Marketplace.
Preparation Checklist Before Launching in a New Country
- Checked the profile language and theme for the country.
- Made subtitles in the local language.
- Selected 5-7 relevant hashtags for the country and niche.
- Adjusted posting times for the local time zone.
- Checked music availability in the country.
- Plan for 10 short videos with different angles.
- Found 2-3 local creators for UGC or reviews.
- Ready landing page with currency and delivery for the country.
- Prepared Spark Ads for the best videos.
- Defined 2 metrics: country share and retention.
How to Use TikTok for Promotion in Other Countries Without “Gray-Hat” Schemes
In short: honest localization, a subtle feel for culture, and transparent advertising. Without VPNs, without “hidden” methods. The “slow but steady” approach often works – week by week, without sudden bursts.
Mini-Guide for 30 Days
Weeks 1-2: content and subtitles, trend checking, first time tests. Week 3: collaborations and one Spark Ads campaign. Week 4: refining the landing page and solidifying the format that worked.
Short Micro-FAQ
Do you need a separate account for the country? You can do it either way. If the content is very different, a separate account is more convenient. If the product is general, one with localization is enough.
Do hashtags with the country name help? Yes, as a hint to the algorithm and people. But on their own, they won’t save a weak video.
How many languages in one video? Usually one voice + subtitles in the country’s language. Two language dubs are overload.
Can you quickly “re-target” geo without ads? Sometimes, if you heavily localize the content, but it’s more reliable to add geo-targeting in Ads.
What to do if people comment in the wrong language? Calmly thank them and re-shoot the hook for your target audience. This is a normal stage.
Key Takeaways from the Article
International TikTok isn’t about tricks, but attention to people: language, time, music, culture. Collaborations with local creators and careful Spark Ads speed up the journey. And then, watch the analytics, listen to the comments, and step by step refine your delivery.
If you want, share how it went for you.
Glossary
- Localization – adapting content to a country’s language and culture.
- Hashtags – words with a # for search and topic navigation.
- Spark Ads – promoting already published posts.
- Creator Marketplace – a platform for collaborating with creators.
- UGC – content created by users or creators outside the company.
- Geotargeting – showing ads to people from a specific country or city.
- Retention – the percentage of viewers who watched the video.
- Prime time – the time when the most viewers are online.
- Brief – a short description of the task for the creator.
- Cross-posting – publishing the same content across different channels.
