How big is TikTok in Saudi Arabia?
TikTok has become one of the main places where Saudi consumers discover products, restaurants, places to go and trends. DataReportal's Digital 2026 report for Saudi Arabia, based on October 2025 data, shows TikTok's advertising tools reporting an ad reach of 38.6 million users aged 18 and over. That figure is higher than the adult population, so treat it as a sign of very wide reach rather than an exact count of unique people. The same report put internet use at around 99 per cent of the population.
In short, TikTok reaches far beyond teenagers. Families, professionals and decision-makers use it every day, which makes it relevant for restaurants, retail, real estate, education, automotive, tourism and many B2B brands as well as classic youth categories.
TikTok is a content platform first
The biggest mistake brands make on TikTok is treating it as another place to run TV commercials. The platform rewards content that feels native: filmed vertically on a phone or in a creator style, built around a person, a story or a useful tip, and edited at the pace of the feed. Successful Saudi brand accounts usually combine:
- Educational content – how-tos, behind-the-scenes, product comparisons and quick tips.
- Entertainment – trends, sounds and humour adapted to the brand's personality.
- Faces – staff, founders, chefs, agents or customers who become recognisable on camera.
- Series – recurring formats people come back for, such as a weekly product review or a "day in the life".
Arabic should lead. A natural Saudi tone in voiceovers and captions usually performs better than formal Arabic or English-only content, although bilingual subtitles help reach expatriate audiences.
Hooks, length and production
On TikTok, the first one to two seconds decide whether people keep watching. Start with the result, the product, a question or a bold statement, not a logo. Keep most videos short and focused on one idea, and add on-screen text so the message works without sound.
Production does not need to be expensive, but it does need to be consistent. Many brands get the best results from regular content days where one shoot produces a month of videos. Our video production team plans these days remotely, writing hooks and scripts in Arabic and English and delivering vertical edits ready for TikTok, Reels and Snapchat.
TikTok ad formats that work
TikTok Ads Manager offers several formats. The most useful for Saudi brands are:
- In-Feed Ads – vertical video ads in the For You feed, used for awareness, traffic, leads, app installs and sales.
- Spark Ads – boost organic posts from your account or, with permission, from creators' accounts, keeping the likes, comments and native look.
- Lead generation ads – instant forms inside TikTok, useful for real estate, education, automotive and services.
- TopView and premium placements – high-impact options for big launches and national campaigns.
A reliable approach is to post organically, watch which videos earn strong retention and comments, then put paid budget behind those winners with Spark Ads. This usually beats producing separate "ad" creative that has never been tested.
Plan around the Saudi calendar too. Ramadan evenings, Eid, Founding Day, National Day, Riyadh Season and White Friday all change what people watch and how much competition there is for attention. Prepare seasonal hooks and creative in advance, and keep a few evergreen winners ready to switch on when costs rise.
Targeting, tracking and optimisation
TikTok's algorithm does much of the targeting for you, so broad audiences often work well once the creative is right. Still, set clear location targeting for city-specific businesses in Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam, and use custom audiences from your website visitors and customer lists for retargeting.
Install the TikTok Pixel and, where possible, connect the Events API so sign-ups, leads and purchases are recorded properly. Optimise towards the action you actually want, not just video views, and refresh creative regularly because TikTok audiences tire of the same video quickly. Our lead generation service connects TikTok lead forms and landing pages to fast follow-up, which matters as much as the ad itself.
Working with Saudi TikTok creators
Creators are one of TikTok's strongest growth levers. Choose creators whose audience matches your customers rather than those with the biggest follower numbers, give them a clear brief with room for their own style, and agree usage rights so you can run their videos as Spark Ads. Anyone paid to advertise on social media in Saudi Arabia needs a valid Mawthooq licence from the General Authority for Media Regulation, so check this before signing and make sure every sponsored video is clearly labelled as an advertisement.
Common TikTok mistakes in Saudi Arabia
- Uploading horizontal or polished TV ads without re-editing them for the feed.
- Posting irregularly, then judging the account after a handful of videos.
- Using English-only scripts for an Arabic-first audience.
- Chasing views without tracking leads or sales.
- Ignoring comments – replies and community management are part of the strategy.
- Running one ad for too long instead of testing several hooks.
A2Z Digital works with brands in Saudi Arabia remotely, planning content, managing paid campaigns and coordinating creators. Our social media agency service for Riyadh and our Dammam social media service cover TikTok alongside Snapchat, Instagram and X, with crews confirmed per project when filming is needed.
Next step
Want to know what TikTok could do for your brand in Saudi Arabia? Message us on WhatsApp at +971 55 570 4233 or email info@a2zdigital.ae to request a free growth audit. We will review your current content, ads and tracking, and suggest a practical TikTok plan.