One of the most consistent findings from brands investing seriously in TikTok: the platform produces enormous purchasing intent that does not show up in TikTok's attribution data. The buyer who discovers a product on TikTok, considers it for three days, then searches Google and converts on the website — is counted in Google's data. TikTok receives no credit.

TikTok is consumed on mobile while the user is engaged in another activity. Discovery happens on TikTok. Decision happens later, elsewhere. The buyer's journey involves multiple channels between discovery and conversion, and last-click attribution assigns all credit to the final channel.

This gap is not unique to TikTok, but TikTok's format makes it particularly large.

Brands that pause TikTok advertising experience declines in branded search volume — a direct measure of intent generated on TikTok converting through search. Surveys of recent buyers in TikTok-active categories consistently show a significant proportion of "attributed to other channel" conversions began with TikTok discovery.

Addressing the gap requires methods beyond last-click: incrementality testing (comparing outcomes with and without TikTok investment), brand lift surveys (asking buyers how they first discovered the product), and mixed-media modelling.

For small businesses without these resources, the implication is simpler: do not kill TikTok because it shows no direct conversions. Look at indirect indicators — branded search volume, email list growth, direct traffic. Triangulate those signals before making the cut.

If TikTok looks like your worst-performing channel in attribution dashboards, it may be one of your best in reality. The gap between last-click attribution and actual business impact is largest for awareness-driving channels. Currently, TikTok has the largest such gap in most measurement systems.