TikTok as a Game Changer in Business Planning: Strategies, Performance Metrics, and Monetization in the Digital Era

In recent years, social media has profoundly reshaped the way people discover, evaluate, and purchase products, making the buying process increasingly immersive and influenced by digital content. Within this context, TikTok, launched in 2016, has redefined advertising dynamics and the relationship between brands and consumers, becoming a key player in the attention economy, where user attention is a scarce and valuable resource. The first chapter examines TikTok’s success through the For You Page algorithm, short-form videos, infinite scrolling, and reward mechanisms that enhance user retention. It also highlights the platform’s influence on purchasing behavior, especially among younger generations, supported by tools such as TikTok Shop and Live Shopping, which encourage impulse buying and FOMO-driven decisions. The second chapter explores how TikTok marketing activities can be translated into economic outcomes by analyzing monetization levers, creator authenticity, trust, and engagement. It also focuses on performance measurement through KPIs, tracking platforms like TikTok Ads Manager, attribution models, scalability, and the risks linked to algorithmic dependence. The third chapter applies this theoretical framework to a real business case: the “Etro Summer 25” TikTok campaign. It evaluates campaign structure, funnel-based objectives, performance results, attribution windows for luxury products, omnichannel spillover effects, and the integration of financial and non-financial KPIs to assess long-term value creation. Overall, the thesis presents TikTok not only as a social media platform but as a strategic asset capable of influencing business planning, management control, and value creation in the medium to long term.