TikTok Marketing for Women's Health

TikTok reaches 92.4% of young women with health content, but strict healthcare policies make direct product promotion nearly impossible. Here's how to market women's health products compliantly.

Core Policy Restrictions

TikTok prohibits advertising for "pharmaceutical and healthcare products including any pharmaceutical product claiming health benefits, over-the-counter medicines, prescription drugs, medical devices, vitamins, powders, shakes or gummies claiming to have vitamin content or health benefits."

Banned Content:

• Period tracking apps (if claiming medical benefits)
• Fertility monitors and devices
• Prenatal vitamins
• Hormone supplements
• Weight loss products
• Medical devices for reproductive health

Age Restriction: All healthcare advertising must target users 18 and older.

What You CAN Do

1. Educational Content Strategy

Example: Create "Menstrual Cycle 101" videos explaining normal vs. abnormal periods without mentioning your tracking app.

Compliant approach: Dr. Sarah Johnson (@drsarahobgyn) shares evidence-based reproductive health education, building trust before subtly mentioning her practice.

2. Healthcare Provider Partnerships

Example: Partner with OB-GYNs to create educational content about PCOS, endometriosis, or fertility awareness.

Strategy: The provider creates content; your brand sponsors or collaborates on educational series.

3. Community Building

Example: Launch hashtags like #PeriodFactsNotShame or #ReproHealthEd to facilitate conversations.

Execution: Share user stories, myths vs. facts, and educational content without product promotion.

4. Beauty vs. Health Positioning

Allowed: "Skincare for hormonal acne" Banned: "Supplement for hormonal balance"

Beauty products for "beauty, haircare, skincare, and personal care that do not make any medical claims" are permitted.

Organic vs. Paid Content

Organic Content: More flexibility for educational health discussions Paid Ads: Stricter restrictions, must comply with healthcare advertising policies

Example: Flo app can't run ads for period tracking features but can create organic content about menstrual health education.

Practical Compliance Tips

1. Review Content: Have legal review anything mentioning health benefits
2. Focus on Education: Share general health literacy, not product claims
3. Use Medical Professionals: Partner with credentialed healthcare providers
4. Avoid Claims: Don't mention "treats," "cures," or "diagnoses"
5. Check Updates: TikTok's healthcare policies are "market-specific" and frequently updated

Risk Management

Red Flags:

• Claiming health benefits
• Targeting under-18 users
• Promoting medical devices
• Making treatment claims

Safe Zone:

• General health education
• Body literacy content
• Wellness tips (not medical advice)
• Community discussions

TikTok for Femtech

Success on TikTok for women's health requires focusing on education over promotion. Build trust through valuable content, then convert audiences off-platform where fewer restrictions apply.

Best Practice: Create educational content that drives users to your website or app store, where normal marketing rules apply.