Influencer on TikTok: Why Average Video Performance Beats Follower Count

Lindsey Gamble, a seven-year influencer marketing veteran, breaks down what actually makes TikTok a uniquely unpredictable platform for brand partnerships and how to source creators the right way. Her core argument: follower count is the wrong metric on TikTok because the algorithm does not reward audience size the way other platforms do. A creator with a small following can go viral and sell out a product, while a creator with a massive following can post a dud.

Gamble argues that brands should evaluate creators by average video performance instead of follower count. She also highlights two underused levers: TikTok's paid media and affiliate tools, which are pushing more creators to produce content that drives direct purchases, and link-in-bio tools, which have become the critical conversion touchpoint given TikTok's limited native linking capabilities.

Watch to see how Gamble frames working with an influencer on TikTok as a performance opportunity rather than a reach play, and what that means for how you structure campaigns.