Every scroll on TikTok is powered by curiosity music, beauty hacks, gaming clips, travel vlogs, you name it. And in 2025, advertisers aren’t just chasing eyeballs; they’re chasing interests. The platform’s interest targeting system has quietly become one of the most powerful tools in digital marketing, deciding which brands go viral and which get lost in the feed.
Think about it: would you rather show your ad to a million random users, or to 100,000 people who are already obsessed with your niche? TikTok’s interest categories make that precision possible, turning raw attention into measurable sales.
The challenge? With hundreds of evolving tags some obvious, some hidden in plain sight most marketers barely scratch the surface. That’s why this guide breaks down TikTok’s 2025 interest targeting list and shows you how to use it strategically. Because if you’re not mastering interests, you’re not really mastering TikTok ads.
How Interest Targeting Works on TikTok (Why it matters)
TikTok doesn’t just guess what users like it maps their behaviors into a massive interest graph. Every view, like, share, search, and follow feeds into TikTok’s algorithm, which then assigns users to interest categories ranging from broad themes like Fashion or Gaming to niche tags like K-beauty skincare or Mobile eSports.
For advertisers, these interest categories are the foundation of TikTok Ads targeting. Instead of relying only on age, gender, or geography, you can layer in interests that align with real passions and purchase intent. For example, a fitness brand can target HIIT workouts or yoga enthusiasts, while a fintech app can go after crypto investors or personal finance learners.
The reason this matters in 2025 is simple: attention is fragmented. People jump between platforms, but their interests remain steady. By using TikTok’s interest targeting, you can put your message in front of audiences who are primed to care improving CTR, reducing wasted spend, and boosting ROI. In short, interests are what transform TikTok from a content playground into a precision marketing engine.
Full Interest Taxonomy for TikTok Ads in 2025
TikTok’s Ads Manager provides dozens of high-level categories with hundreds of granular sub-tags. Below is a master taxonomy framework you can use as a reference. For actual campaign building, always cross-check these with TikTok Ads Manager, since tags evolve regularly and vary by region.
A. Arts & Entertainment
- Music Genres: Pop, Hip-Hop/Rap, EDM, Rock, K-Pop, Indie, Classical, Lo-Fi
- Movies & TV: Rom-Coms, Horror, Action, Anime, K-Drama, Documentaries
- Celebrity & Fandoms: Celebrity news, fan communities, influencer culture
B. Fashion & Apparel
- Women’s fashion (casual, luxury, modest, sustainable)
- Men’s fashion & streetwear
- Luxury brands & designer fashion
- Athleisure & activewear
- Sustainable & eco-conscious fashion
C. Beauty & Personal Care
- Skincare (anti-aging, acne, K-beauty, clean beauty)
- Makeup (tutorials, trends, luxury brands, drugstore picks)
- Haircare (styling, products, hair growth, men’s grooming)
- Grooming & fragrance (perfume, beard care, shaving products)
D. Health & Wellness
- Fitness (HIIT, weightlifting, yoga, pilates, running)
- Mental health & mindfulness
- Nutrition & supplements (protein, vitamins, clean eating)
- Wellness practices (meditation, breathwork, holistic health)
E. Food & Drink
- Quick-service food & fast casual
- Coffee, tea, & craft beverages
- Desserts & baking trends
- Healthy eating, vegan, vegetarian, plant-based diets
- Street food & local cuisines
F. Home & Garden
- Home décor & interior design
- DIY & crafts
- Gardening & landscaping
- Smart home tech
- Furniture & organization hacks
G. Technology & Gadgets
- Smartphones & wearables
- Consumer electronics (laptops, tablets, audio devices)
- Smart home tech (IoT devices)
- Emerging tech (VR/AR, AI tools, robotics)
- Gaming hardware & accessories
H. Gaming & E-Sports
- Mobile gaming (casual & competitive)
- Console gaming (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo)
- PC gaming (MMORPGs, shooters, indie games)
- Live streaming (Twitch, TikTok Live)
- Competitive eSports communities
I. Sports & Outdoors
- Team sports: Soccer, Basketball, Cricket, American Football
- Individual sports: Running, Cycling, Tennis, Golf
- Adventure sports: Hiking, Camping, Surfing, Rock climbing
- Fan communities & sports news
J. Travel & Hospitality
- Domestic vs. international travel
- Luxury travel & boutique stays
- Budget travel & backpacking
- Flights, deals, and travel hacks
- Regional tourism (Asia, Europe, MENA, North America)
K. Parenting & Family
- New parents & baby care
- Parenting tips & hacks
- Family activities
- Education for kids & teens
L. Automotive
- Electric vehicles (EVs, hybrids)
- Car enthusiasts & tuning
- Accessories & aftermarket parts
- Auto maintenance & repair
M. Finance & Crypto
- Personal finance & budgeting
- Banking & fintech apps
- Crypto, DeFi, & NFTs
- Investing & trading (stocks, ETFs, forex)
N. Education & Careers
- Online courses & e-learning platforms
- Coding & tech bootcamps
- Career advice & productivity hacks
- Professional skills & upskilling
O. Hobbies & Crafts
- Photography & videography
- Painting, drawing, sculpting
- DIY crafts (woodworking, knitting, resin art)
- Collectibles (toys, sneakers, cards, NFTs)
P. Pets & Animals
- Dogs (training, accessories, health)
- Cats (care, toys, nutrition)
- Exotic pets & aquariums
- Pet grooming & healthcare
Q. Shopping & Retail Intent (High-Value Behaviors)
- Sale hunters & coupon users
- Online shopping enthusiasts
- Luxury vs. bargain shoppers
- Frequent TikTok Shop buyers
R. Events & Seasonal Interests
- Global holidays: Christmas, Diwali, Ramadan, Lunar New Year
- Retail events: Black Friday, Singles’ Day, Cyber Monday
- Music festivals & concerts
- Seasonal sports (summer/winter activities)
S. Niche & Emerging Topics (2025 Growth Areas)
- AI tools & productivity hacks
- Web3 & blockchain communities
- Climate tech & sustainability movements
- Circular fashion & eco-innovation
- Digital nomad & remote work culture
Note: TikTok Ads Manager regularly introduces new interest tags (sometimes temporary or regional). This taxonomy gives you a strategic structure, but always export the live tag list from Ads Manager for the most accurate CSV.
Ready-to-Use Interest Bundles (Copy-Pasteable Examples for Ad Sets)
Each bundle includes a primary interest plus 3–5 secondary tags for layering or expansion. These can be directly used when building TikTok ad sets:
DTC Fashion Launch (AOV $50–150)
- Primary: Women’s fashion
- Secondary: Sustainable fashion | Athleisure | Online shoppers | Sale hunters
Beauty Starter Pack (Skincare Brand)
- Primary: Skincare
- Secondary: K-beauty | Cruelty-free beauty | New parents (self-care) | Coupon users
Mobile Game UA (User Acquisition)
- Primary: Mobile gaming
- Secondary: Mobile esports | Live stream viewers | Teen interest clusters (age-layered targeting)
SaaS B2B Webinar
- Primary: Career development
- Secondary: Entrepreneurship | SaaS tools | Online courses | Finance/fintech interest
Local Restaurant Promo (Geo + Interest)
- Primary: Food & drink: coffee
- Secondary: Food delivery users | Local events | Coupon users
Tip: Use these bundles as starting points layer them with behaviors or lookalike audiences to improve performance.
Advanced Targeting Strategies (2025 Best Practices)
- Start Specific, Expand via TikTok Optimizer
- Begin with 3–5 tightly relevant interests.
- Let TikTok’s algorithm scale to similar users automatically.
- Layer Interests with Behavior & Custom Audiences
- Combine interest tags with website retargeting, LALs (lookalikes), or app events to boost ROAS.
- Leverage AI for Discovering Interest Combos
- Tools like Insight Spotlight and Content Suite identify trending interest overlaps.
- Helps uncover non-obvious audience clusters.
- Negative Interest Exclusion
- Exclude irrelevant categories to reduce wasted impressions.
- Example: Exclude “gaming” for women’s fashion campaigns.
- Geo + Cultural Tailoring
- Map interests to regions: music genres, sports, festivals, and trending content vary by country.
Testing & Measurement Playbook
- A/B Test Interest Bundles: Keep creatives constant; measure CTR, CVR, CPA, ROAS.
- Holdout Audiences: Reserve 10–20% of budget to test lookalike or expansion audiences.
- Signal-to-Noise Tracking: Monitor second-order signals like view-time, watch-through rate, and click-to-play to identify mismatched interests.
- Attribution: Use TikTok Pixel + server-side tracking, cross-check with platform reports for accuracy.
Compliance, Privacy & Policy Notes
- Respect Privacy: Avoid targeting sensitive segments (health, politics, religion).
- TikTok Policies: Only use in-platform interest tags; do not upload inferred sensitive data.
How AI & 2025 Tools Are Changing Interest Targeting
- Insight Spotlight
- Suggests interest clusters and content angles for chosen demographics.
- Useful for populating multiple test cells quickly.
- Content Suite
- Repurposes UGC into ads aligned with interest signals.
- Accelerates creative testing and audience validation.
Conclusion
TikTok interest targeting in 2025 is all about precision, experimentation, and smart AI use. Start with tightly focused interest bundles, layer behaviors and lookalikes, and let the algorithm scale for maximum efficiency. Combine testing, measurement, and cultural insights to continually refine campaigns, while respecting privacy and platform policies. With AI tools like Insight Spotlight and Content Suite, brands can uncover hidden audience clusters, accelerate creative testing, and achieve higher ROAS with less guesswork.
In short: plan, test, measure, and iterate TikTok’s interest targeting has evolved from guesswork to data-driven precision, and those who use it strategically will capture the most engaged audiences.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
1. What are interest bundles, and why use them?
Interest bundles are pre-selected groups of primary and secondary interests you can layer in ad sets. They save setup time and help you test high-potential audiences efficiently.
2. How many interests should I start with in a campaign?
Start with 3–5 tightly relevant interests. Once TikTok’s algorithm gathers enough data, it can expand to similar users for better scale.
3. Can I combine interest targeting with custom audiences?
Yes. Layer interests with website retargeting, lookalikes, or app events to improve ROAS and reach high-intent users.
4. What is negative interest exclusion?
This means excluding irrelevant categories to reduce wasted impressions. Example: For a women’s fashion ad, exclude “gaming” or “sports” to focus budget on likely buyers.
5. How do AI tools like Insight Spotlight help?
Insight Spotlight analyzes trending content and audience overlaps to suggest interest clusters you might not have considered, improving testing speed and efficiency.
6. What privacy rules should I follow?
Avoid targeting sensitive segments (health, politics, religion) and use only TikTok in-platform interest tags. Never upload inferred sensitive data.
7. How do I measure the performance of interest targeting?
Track CTR, CVR, CPA, ROAS, and second-order signals like view-time or watch-through rate. Use TikTok Pixel plus server-side tracking to validate results.
8. Should I test multiple bundles at once?
Yes, run A/B tests with creatives kept constant. Reserve a small portion of your budget for holdout audiences to find new expansion opportunities.
