- TikTok Business Messaging is in Open Beta and currently unavailable on respond.io for organizations registered in the United States.
- Business Accounts in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom cannot use the API to manage or send direct messages.
Introduction
This guide will help you set up and configure TikTok as a messaging Channel on respond.io. By integrating TikTok Business Messaging, you can manage TikTok conversations alongside your other channels, providing a seamless experience for engaging with your customers.
Prerequisites
Before connecting TikTok to respond.io, ensure the following:
TikTok Business Account:
Make sure you have a TikTok Business Account. Start by creating a personal TikTok account and then switch it to a Business account. Create one here.
In the app, click â...â on the top right of the Profile page, go to Settings and privacy then click Manage account and select Switch to Business Account. Choose the category that best fits your business to receive customized content, events, and solutions.
Message settings:
Set your TikTok Business Account to accept direct messages from everyone. Otherwise, youâll need to manually accept messages in the TikTok app. Edit your message settings.
Connecting TikTok to respond.io
Personal TikTok accounts cannot be connected. A TikTok Business Account is required to connect.
Go to Settings > Channels.
Click Add Channel and select TikTok.
Click Connect with TikTok.
Log in using your TikTok Business Account credentials and authorize access.
Follow the prompts to complete the connection process.
Once connected, your TikTok Business Account will appear in the Channels list and a QR code will be generated for customer interactions.
Channel Configuration
After connecting your TikTok Channel, you can customize the settings:
Channel name:
Go to Settings > Channels > TikTok > Manage.
Update the Channel name for internal identification.
Chat link and QR code:
Navigate to the Growth Widgets section.
Generate and download a QR code to share with customers.
When scanned, the QR code opens a chat directly at https://tiktok.me/{username} instead of your business profile.
You can also include a pre-filled message, so Contacts start the conversation with context, just like WhatsApp.
Testing
To ensure everything works:
Scan the QR code or click the generated chat link.
Confirm it opens a TikTok conversation (not just the profile).
Send a test message.
Check the respond.io Inbox for the incoming message.
FAQ and Troubleshooting
Why canât I receive messages?
Ensure your TikTok Business Account allows messages from everyone. Refresh the connection token by navigating to Settings > Channels > TikTok > Manage > Refresh Permissions.
Why are messages not sending?
TikTok only allows sending messages within a 48-hour window after receiving a message. Each conversation has a limit of 10 messages within the window. Learn more about TikTok's messaging window here.
Why did my connection expire?
TikTok tokens can expire. Refresh the token by going to Settings > Channels > TikTok > Manage > Refresh Permissions.
What happens if I delete my TikTok Channel?
Deleting a Channel will retain messages and Contacts in the Workspace, but you will no longer receive or send messages via TikTok.
Why canât I click on the link in my TikTok app?
TikTok does not allow links to be clickable within its app. This is a limitation of the platform itself. You can manually copy the link and paste it into your browser to access it.
Why doesnât the âView Adâ function work for some TikTok leads?
For certain leads, clicking the View Ad button may not open the ad preview. This typically occurs when the lead was generated from Smart Performance Campaigns (SPC), also known as Smart+ ads.
Smart+ campaigns dynamically generate multiple ad variants under a single campaign. Because of this variability, the TikTok Ad Preview API is unable to return a specific ad preview, which results in the View Ad button not working as expected.
â ïž Note: This is a limitation of TikTokâs current API design and is not an issue with respond.io.
Why canât I send media messages to some TikTok users?
This happens due to TikTokâs restrictions. Some regions donât allow sending or receiving images, and in other cases, the userâs account may be flagged by TikTok. You may see errors like âDue to Media send strategyâ or âDue to risk control strategy." These are TikTok-imposed limits and canât be fixed from respond.io.
