TikTok has a popular feature that enables users to reuse sounds found on the app within their videos. Trending sounds are an engagement hack that help videos perform better than they would without using popular sounds.
However, it is not as straightforward as simply using the current most popular song in your video and being done. There are copyright issues you will want to avoid, besides integrating trending sounds and music into your videos. That is why we created this guide for how to use commercial sounds in TikTok.
What Are TikTok Commercial Sounds?
TikTok Commercial Sounds, also known as the Commercial Music Library, is a massive repository that includes over one million sounds and songs that have been pre-cleared to be used in TikTok videos.
Due to the fact that everything in TikTok’s library has been pre-approved for use on the platform, any content creator can use them in their videos without having to go through costly and time-consuming steps it would take to get licenses for songs and sounds.
If you are a TikTok creator or brand looking to enhance your videos, you can play it safe by sourcing the app’s very own Commercial Music Library.
How to Gain Access to TikTok’s Commercial Sounds
The first step to getting access to TikTok’s extensive Commercial Music Library is to have a Business account on the app. You must upgrade from a Creator account to a Business account if you want access to the library.
If you’re not seeing the option to access the library, you need to switch over to a Business account. We will explain how to do this in our guide below.
Note: Any action that is of a commercial nature, including promotion of a brand or product, while using a Creator account violates TikTok’s Terms of Service. This is why it makes sense to upgrade to a Business account.
Using Sounds on a Business Account Vs Creator Account
If you have a Business account, you may think you can simply use any commercial song in your videos. However, if you ever tried to do so and received the “not licensed for commercial use” message, you attempted to use a copyrighted song that is not included in the app’s Commercial Sounds Library.
Although a Creator account cannot access the Commercial Sounds Library, they can still source trending sounds and music from the regular TikTok library. This is because TikTok understands popular music and sounds enhance a video’s production and virality values. As long as your video is designed to entertain viewers and you are not selling anything, you can freely use anything in the standard TikTok library.
Note: You should use the Commercial Sounds Library if you are collaborating with a brand, given the commercial nature of the video. If you don’t do this, there is a potential for legal consequences.
The bottom line is that if you have a brand, you should have a Business account. When you have a Business account, you should always use TikTok’s Commercial Sounds Library.
Even if your content does not always involve selling a product or service, in the eyes of TikTok, everything you do on your account is of a commercial nature. This means you should err on the side of caution and solely source from the Commercial Sounds on the app.
What you also cannot do with a TikTok Business account are all of the following if a video includes copyrighted music:
- Duet
- React
- Stitch
Stick to performing these actions only if the video has non-copyrighted music.
How to Use Commercial Sounds on TikTok
Using Commercial Sounds on TikTok is easy. All you need to do is the following:
Have a Business Account
As mentioned earlier, TikTok will not allow you access into its Commercial Sounds Library. Thankfully, switching over from a Creator account to a Business account is simple. Just follow these steps:
- Open the TikTok app
- Go to Settings
- Tap on Privacy
- Tap on Manage Account
- Follow the on-screen instructions
Create a Video
Once you have set up your Business account, you can get started on using Commercial Sounds by creating a new TikTok video. As refresher, you need to do the following:
- Tap on the + icon at the bottom of your screen
- Select a video from your camera roll or record a new one within the app
Add a Commercial Sound to Your Video on a Phone
Once you have your video recorded, it is time to find a Commercial Sound and add it into your TikTok. Do the following:
- Tap on the Sound icon at the bottom-left of the screen. You should be taken to the Commercial Sounds Library
- Use the search field to find a specific sound or song, or tap on the Discover tab to browse the current top songs
- Select the song you feel is best your video
TikTok’s highly-advanced algorithm will also suggest what it believes are the best sounds for your video within the Recommended section.
You can also browse through all of the playlists in the Playlist section, which includes songs that are used often in commercial videos.
There is also the TikTok Viral section that contains songs for commercial use that are either popular or trending at the time.
Add a Commercial Sound to Your Video on a Computer
Most businesses and brands create a content calendar to more easily plan out all of the videos they will create and post. This means working on a computer will make it easier during the production process.
To add Commercial Sounds to your videos using a computer, take the following steps:
- Head to the Creative Center
- Browse through all of the available playlists and songs and select the song you would like to use in your video
Protip: Remember to choose the target region with the available dropdown. This will guarantee the song you select will be authorized for distribution within that specific region. Additionally, this will signal to TikTok to display the most popular songs within the region.
Commercial Sounds Do’s & Don’Ts
Although you can freely use the Commercial Sounds Library that TikTok offers, there are a few things to consider.
- You are only allowed to use your TikTok videos containing audio from the library on TikTok. This means you cannot repost the videos on other social media platforms.
- You cannot use the audio from the library separately from the video you included it into. This means it cannot be saved onto your device for uses such as listening to at your leisure.
- You cannot use Commercial Sounds within video content that violates the platform’s Terms and Conditions. This means your videos must be legal and adhere to the app’s rules.
TikTok Commercial Sounds Best Practices
With a good understanding of how to use TikTok’s Commercial Sounds, it’s time to get familiar with some helpful best practices. This will help you leverage the audio library to the fullest while avoiding common pitfalls.
Do Identify the Best-performing Songs via Viral Playlists
The Viral Playlist section is an excellent resource to find and identify songs that are performing well on TikTok. Simply go to the Music tab within the Creative Center to find numerous playlists with commercially-usable songs.
Protip: You have the option of filtering songs by region to ensure you use songs that target a specific audience.
Do Use Songs Matching Your Brand’s Vibe
While it may be enticing to use the most popular songs in your videos, no matter what they sound like, you want to be careful with this. Sure, you may get a few additional views, but it won’t be much, and you may alienate your core audience.
Make sure that the songs you select match your brand’s identity. This holds especially true if you have a seasoned brand and have developed a strong brand identity.
Do Direct Influencers to Use Commercial Sounds
When it comes to working with other TikTok influencers and collaborating with them, make sure they understand how they must source music from the Commercial Sounds Library.
Anyone who is involved in a sponsored video or brand deal on the platform will need to follow the rules for using copyrighted audio. Inform the influencers you work with to only source songs and sounds from the CSL.
DON’T Switch to a Creator Account to Use a Copyrighted Song
You may think you are beating the system by switching and and forth between having a Creator and a Business account to use copyrighted music. However, this is not going to work.
If TikTok finds you doing this, they will ban your account for violating its Terms of Service. This is especially true if your video does well and you start gaining a more popular presence on the app. The other potential consequence is that you may get sued or get copyright strikes.
DON’T Download and Re-upload Copyrighted Audio as Original
Some accounts try to bend the rules by downloading a copyrighted song, and then reuploading it to make it seem as if it can be classified as an Original Sound. However, this does not work.
You cannot pass off a copyrighted song as an Original Sound. TikTok’s AI will be able to identify that it is a copyrighted song. This means any video you place that song into will get flagged due to using copyrighted music.
Three things can happen:
- The audio in your video gets muted
- Your video gets deleted
- Your account gets banned
As you can tell, it is not worth the risk, which is why it is always best to follow the rules on TikTok, especially if your business or brand depends on it.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to use Commercial Sounds on TikTok, you can make sure you leverage this powerful resource effectively and within the rules of the platform. Follow our guide and engagement hacks to successfully incorporate commercial audio into your brand’s TikTok content.
