Read a TikTok traffic source breakdown
Start with the report you actually have: account or individual video, date window and the metric being split. Copy its category names and values exactly. A source share describes that report's distribution, not the number of customers or a universal explanation for performance.
Your working document
Copy the report before interpreting it
| Field | Record | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Account or exact video | Treating an account report as one video's result |
| Category | The exact label in your available report | Assuming a fixed menu or category list |
| Value | Reported count or percentage | Replacing rounded percentages with supposedly exact counts |
| Denominator | The source's stated base if supplied | Assuming it counts unique people |
| Window | Date range and extraction time | Comparing different periods without noting them |
Fictional percentage-only example
| Illustrative category | Reported share | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Source A | 60% | Largest reported share in this example |
| Source B | 25% | One quarter under the example's assumed metric |
| Source C | 15% | Remaining reported share |
Choose a useful follow-up
The fictional category names deliberately do not claim which labels or fields your account currently provides. If the report supplies only percentages, it does not supply exact source counts. A change in share can also reflect a change in the other categories.
Pair the breakdown with the actual content, viewing and enquiry questions you are investigating. It cannot establish why an algorithm distributed a post, whether a viewer is a customer or which content change caused the observation.
Keep the limits visible
- Scope and date window are clear.
- Actual report labels are preserved.
- Counts and percentages are not mixed.
- Unavailable fields remain unavailable.
- Content decisions use additional relevant evidence where needed.