TikTok has expanded its Marketing Partners Program with a new “Channel Sales Partner” category, addressing the problem of small and medium-sized businesses drowning in TikTok’s complexity.

TikTok is adding six approved partners (C-4 Analytics, Diginius, LocaliQ, Logical Position, Opteo, and Scorpion) who can now officially help businesses navigate TikTok advertising. The program falls under TikTok’s “Marketing Technology” badge, alongside existing categories like creative partners, measurement experts, and the recently added Shop Ads specialists.

As you may know, TikTok’s advertising is simultaneously essential and bewildering. The platform offers unprecedented access to engaged audiences, particularly younger demographics that traditional advertising struggles to reach. But succeeding on TikTok requires understanding a constantly changing ecosystem that rewards authenticity over polish, and punishes brands that don’t “get it.”

The SMB Conundrum

Small and medium-sized businesses are in a bind. They know they should be on TikTok, but between running their business and learning TikTok’s ad platform, something has to give. Most SMBs can’t afford to hire a full-time social media manager who lives and breathes TikTok trends. They also can’t afford to waste advertising budgets on campaigns that flop because they misread the platform’s culture. TikTok’s algorithm is notoriously unforgiving of content that feels too “corporate” or out of touch.

This is where the Channel Sales Partners come in. They’re positioned as the middle ground, experienced enough to navigate TikTok’s quirks, yet accessible enough for businesses without massive marketing budgets.

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