TIKTOK
Research & Usability Testing

Nearly 5 billion people use social media worldwide. Young adults (16–24) spend ~6 hours/day online. This is an impressionable stage where product placements and influencer content can subtly shape self-esteem, behavior, and purchasing decisions.

This project explored how beauty influencers and TikTok’s product placements affect users’ perceptions, emotional responses, and wellbeing.

Overview

Understanding how beauty influencers impact users’ wellbeing

Scope

Interviews, journey mapping, personas

Tools

Google Forms / Zoom / Figma / Google Presentation

Timeline

10 weeks

Objective

What pain points do users face on their For You Page?

What patterns emerge in their interactions with beauty influencers?

How do product placements affect purchasing behavior?

How does TikTok impact self-esteem and wellbeing?

How might TikTok improve transparency around sponsorships?

Process

1. Distributed a UX research screener to 20+ people

2. Selected participants + collected consent

3. Conducted 5 remote interviews with a mapping activity

4. Coded data + completed thematic analysis

5. Created personas and a journey map

Along with my interview questions, I asked my participants to map out the timeline or process of a time they saw a product on TikTok and considered purchasing it. They marked the key feelings, thoughts, and actions that they went through to purchase the product or deciding not to purchase it. These maps gave me insight into their through process and how they interact with TikTok in order to help me create my final journey map deliverable.

Insights - Thematic Analysis

I developed 13 themes based on responses, which I then synthesized into three core themes:

Users rely heavily on research
Participants cross-check products across platforms to find trustworthy reviews before buying. Past experiences and personal needs (skin concerns, upcoming events) shape decisions.

Influencer exposure affects self-esteem
Constant comparison to influencers’ appearance or lifestyle created negative feelings, especially around skin and body image.

Users can spot sponsorships but want more transparency
Participants rely on cues (#ad, “Sponsored” tag) and trust sponsored content less. Most want stricter rules to ensure influencers clearly disclose paid posts.

Personas
Two personas represent younger vs. older participants within the 16–24 range. Younger users tended to be more influenced and less secure; older users reported healthier online boundaries.

Deliverables

Journey Mapping
Focused on persona Taylor Moore, who reflected common negative experiences. The journey covers the path from seeing a makeup product on TikTok to researching, purchasing, and reacting to it—emphasizing trust, sponsorship cues, emotional response, and decision-making.

I covered my key findings in my journey map by including how Taylor thinks about her relationship with the influencer, does research to inform herself, considers if the post is sponsored, and thinks about the price of the product as all of this was mentioned in my thematic analysis.

Conclusions

Key Findings

  • Users trust influencers who feel authentic and relatable.

  • Even with trust, they conduct significant outside research before purchasing.

  • Users are wary of sponsored content and believe platforms should improve transparency.

  • Credibility of both the influencer and brand is essential in purchase decisions.

Design Recommendations

Add a clear “Sponsored” block above video captions to replace hidden hashtags and reduce ambiguity.

Next Steps

  • Conduct A/B tests comparing current vs. redesigned sponsorship labeling

  • Expand research to include men and gender-diverse users

  • Interview more participants for broader representation

  • Explore:

    • How brands can more easily identify trusted creators

    • How TikTok could support in-app product research to reduce external searching

Lessons Learned

  • A structured plan and clear research questions are essential.

  • Avoiding researcher bias is challenging but critical.

  • Recruiting diverse participants strengthens findings.

Limitations

  • Small sample size

  • One-week cadence for each project stage

  • Potential TikTok updates during research period

Sources

Georgiev, D. (2024, January 3). How Much Time Do People Spend on Social Media in 2024?. TechJury. https://techjury.net/blog/time-spent-on-social-media/

Kosmin, J. (2023, August 8). How Does Social Media Negatively Impact Youth?. Malvern Behavioral Health. https://www.malvernbh.com/blog/negative-impact-of-social-media-on-youth/