Top 21 TikTok Data Analyst Interview Questions + Guide in 2024

TikTok is one of the world’s leading short-form video-hosting social media platforms. One of their missions is to “inspire creativity and bring joy.” Their primary goals are to improve user experience and ensure quality content to drive rapid growth.

As a data analyst, you will be expected to support these overarching business goals regardless of the team you work with. According to our research, US-based analysts report highly competitive salaries, a generous health insurance plan, and other great perks. Apart from these benefits, you can expect a dynamic learning environment where you would be encouraged to take ownership and create impact.

In our comprehensive interview guide, we’ll walk you through the TikTok data analyst interview process, present our selection of questions asked in TikTok interviews, and share our favorite tips to crack that dream job!

Tiktok’s interview process is designed to evaluate your technical knowledge, problem-solving acumen, and cultural fit. This process generally has four rounds spanning several weeks.

Step 1: Preliminary screening

A Zoom interview with a recruiter would be scheduled to get a sense of your work experience and skillsets. Make sure to use this opportunity to ask the recruiter questions to understand the role and prepare some key points to highlight relevant skills.

Step 2: Take-home assignment

For certain roles, you may be asked to solve an online SQL assignment. Refer to our SQL interview questions database to practice for this round.

Step 3: Technical Interviews

The assignment is followed by a couple of technical rounds conducted with your prospective team over a video call. These could consist of a live coding round, product sense questions, or discussions about your past work. Ensure to research the company’s business model and platform in advance so that you can contextualize your answers and demonstrate that you have done your research.

Step 4: Final Interviews

Following successful technical interviews, a final HR round is conducted with behavioral questions to assess your cultural fitment with the company. Make sure to use the STAR approach to tackle these discussions.

Do remember that while this is the usual format, the number of rounds held and questions asked are specific to the role and team. The next section talks about commonly asked questions in more detail.

TikTok data analyst roles require a strong foundation in SQL, statistics, probability, product sense, and metric development. You can expect the technical rounds to cover these topics in depth.

Moreover, these concepts will almost always be tested in the context of a real-life business problem, so prepare by researching the product and understanding the customer journey, as well as by understanding the key challenges that the platform is trying to solve. Be familiar with digital analytics metrics you will be expected to know about, such as DAU, fill rate, conversion rate, etc.

1. If you’re given a table of bank transactions with three columns: user_id, deposit/withdrawal value, and created_at time for each transaction; can you write a query to get the total three-day rolling average for deposits by day?

This question tests your knowledge of window functions in SQL and the concept of rolling averages—important skills to know as a data analyst.

How to Answer:

Outline the SQL query structure with a window function to calculate the rolling average. Detail the logic of the query and what functions you would select and why.

Example:

“I would create a SQL query that first filters to include only deposit transactions. Then, I would use the AVG() function combined with a window function OVER() to calculate the rolling average. The query will group the results by date, using ORDER BY on the transaction date, and set the window as RANGE BETWEEN 2 DAYS PRECEDING AND CURRENT ROW to achieve a three-day rolling average.”

2. Given three random variables independently and identically distributed from a uniform distribution of 0 to 4, what is the probability that the median of them is greater than 3?

TikTok analysts need to know certain quantitative concepts to design experiments. This question tests your understanding of order statistics and probability.

How to Answer:

For this problem, use combinatorial probability and the properties of uniform distribution. The median of three numbers can be greater than 3 only if at least two of them are greater than 3. Calculate the probability of this scenario using uniform distribution characteristics.

Example:

“To find the probability that the median of three uniformly distributed random variables (0 to 4) is greater than 3, I’d calculate the probability that at least two out of the three variables are greater than 3. Given the uniform distribution, each variable has a ¹⁄₄ chance of being in the range (3, 4]. The required probability can be found by adding up the individual probabilities of two and three variables falling in the given range and applying the independence of the variables.”

3. Given a table with event logs, find the percentage of users that had at least one seven-day streak of visiting the same URL.

This question is relevant for a TikTok data analyst role as it mirrors real-world tasks of tracking user engagement and consistency on the platform.

How to Answer:

This problem entails three steps: identify consecutive visits, find seven-day streaks, and calculate the percentage of users. Mention the sequence of steps and the functions you would need.

Example:

“In this scenario, I would construct a query using window functions to determine the continuity of users with at least a seven-day streak of visiting the same URL. This requires checking for consecutive visit dates and consistent URLs. Then, I’ll use aggregate functions to calculate the percentage of these users.”

4. Write a query to count the number of liker’s likers (the users that like the likers) if each liker has one.

For a TikTok analyst, such queries are crucial for understanding user engagement and network effects. This tests SQL concepts such as self-joins.

How to Answer:

State how you would design your SQL query involving self-joins and subqueries.

Example:

“The query should first identify users who like a post (likers), then join this with another instance of the likes table to find users who like these likers’ posts (liker’s likers). It should involve joining the table with itself based on user IDs and like actions.”

5. Write a query to get the post-success rate for each day in January 2020.

TikTok needs to understand different aspects of user engagement in detail. This kind of concept is crucial as a first step in understanding user experience on TikTok.

How to Answer:

The success rate is defined as the ratio of submitted posts to the total number of entered posts (including both submitted and canceled). This involves grouping data by date, filtering for the relevant month, and using conditional aggregation.

Example:

“To calculate the daily post success rate for January 2020, I would write a SQL query that selects the date from the events table, and uses conditional aggregation to count the number of ‘post_submit’ and ‘post_enter’ actions per day. The success rate is then calculated as the ratio of the count of ‘post_submit’ to the count of ‘post_enter’. This query would be grouped by date and filtered for dates within January 2020.”

6. Write a query to show the number of users, number of transactions placed, and total order amount per month in the year 2020.

This kind of query is commonly used by TikTok data analysts as it provides insights into monthly business performance. Understanding user engagement and transaction frequency and their impact on revenue every month is crucial for shaping strategy.

How to Answer:

To address this question, you would write an SQL query that involves aggregating data by month. The query should extract the year and month from the date, count distinct users, count transactions, and sum the total order amount for each month in the year 2020.

Example:

“I would use an SQL query that selects the year and month from the transaction date. Then, I would count the distinct number of users and the total number of transactions, and sum the order amounts for each month. The query will group the results by year and month, and include a WHERE clause to filter the data for the year 2020.”

7. How would you evaluate the validity of an AB test result with a .04 p-value?

TikTok uses A/B testing frequently to optimize its platform. This question tests your understanding of experiment validity in a real-life scenario.

How to Answer:

Discuss the importance of the p-value in determining statistical significance and how it applies to decision-making. Mention salient factors like test duration, sample size, and consistency across segments that you would take into consideration before concluding.

Example:

“In evaluating a .04 p-value from a TikTok landing page A/B test, I’d confirm the statistical significance against the standard alpha level of 0.05. I’d also assess the result’s practical implication by considering the effect size and the test’s impact on user experience and relevant metrics.”

8. How would you set up an A/B test for a button color change and placement in a sign-up funnel?

This question explores your approach to A/B testing for UI/UX changes. A/B testing, as you may have already gathered, is a crucial skill you’ll need a thorough grasp of. Have a clear understanding of different types of tests and their drawbacks.

How to Answer:

Explain the setup of a multivariate A/B test, clarifying variant definitions and the measurement of each change’s impact on user behavior at TikTok.

Example:

“I’d first clarify the goal of the test, which may be to move users through the sign-up funnel and minimize attrition. I would benchmark the click-through rate basis historical data and sampling. For TikTok’s sign-up funnel, I’d run a factorial A/B test, creating different versions for both button color and placement. I’d track click-through rates for each variant, ensuring sufficient sample size and test duration to reach conclusive results.”

9. How can you statistically validate that a gradual drop in Daily Average Users (DAU) is not random?

Observing anomalies and determining which ones are statistically significant are skills that data analysts need to have to maintain the platform’s health.

How to Answer:

Discuss the time series trend analyses that you would conduct and explain which tests you would employ on the collected data.

Example:

“To analyze the 1% week-on-week reduction in DAUs, I would first collect DAU data over several weeks or months if feasible. Then, I would use a t-test or regression analysis to compare the weekly counts, looking for a consistent downward trend. I would ground the analysis in key performance indicators and benchmarking, analyzing correlations where relevant. Further, I would segment the users to drill down on the key issues, through cohort analysis.”

10. How would you conduct a user journey analysis to recommend UI changes?

As this is an open-ended problem, the interviewer wants to assess how you will use your expertise to identify pain points and areas of improvement in the app’s user interface with a data-backed approach.

How to Answer:

Ask clarifying questions to understand the goals of this analysis. Be clear on the target user base. Don’t forget to mention how you would determine the success of the experiment.

Example:

“I would start by segmenting the user event data to understand different user behaviors and pathways through the app. Key analyses would include funnel analysis to see how users move through key processes like registration, posting, and engagement; cohort analysis to observe behavior over time; and heat maps to visualize where users spend most of their time. I’d also look for drop-off points or areas with low engagement to identify UI elements that might be causing friction.”

11. How would you evaluate whether a 10% increase in search after an advertising event is good or bad?

Understanding the impact of advertising is crucial for TikTok’s customer acquisition efforts.

How to Answer:

Discuss a data-driven approach to compare the conversion rates before, during, and after the campaign, controlling for external factors.

Example:

*“On the surface, a consistent increase in clicks suggests positive momentum. But whether this is good or bad depends on baseline expectations, market potential, and historical benchmarks. It’s also important to compare this growth rate against industry standards, competitors’ performance, or similar campaigns in the past. Additionally, conversion is a critical metric. High clicks with low conversion may indicate issues with targeting.”*

12. You are presented with three different strategies for increasing DAU. How would you determine which is most effective?

This decision-making process is essential for aligning analytics efforts with strategic business objectives to understand and leverage user behavior.

How to Answer:

To determine which approach is most likely to increase the Daily Active Users (DAU) for TikTok, you would need to conduct data-driven analysis and experimentation. Assess the potential impact of each proposed strategy by analyzing relevant metrics and conducting A/B tests or pilot studies.

Example:

“I would start by analyzing historical data to understand the current contributors to DAU. Metrics like user engagement rates with the ‘For You’ feed, user acquisition trends, and content creator activity would be key. A/B testing or pilot implementations could provide empirical evidence of the impact of each strategy.”

13. Let’s say you are advising the ads team at TikTok because the fill rate has dropped by 10%. How would you approach this challenge?

Maintaining a balance between ad supply and demand is a business objective for TikTok to ensure a good user experience while maximizing ad revenue.

How to Answer:

To address a 10% dip in the fill rate of ads at TikTok, you should investigate factors affecting both the number of ad impressions and potential ad opportunities. This includes examining the ad demand and supply dynamics, changes in user behavior, technical issues, and policy or market changes.

Example:

“To understand the decline in fill rate, I’d first examine any recent changes in ad inventory and user engagement patterns. This includes checking for a decrease in ad supply due to fewer advertisers or reduced ad budgets. Also, I’d investigate if there’s been a change in user behavior leading to fewer ad opportunities, like reduced time spent on the platform. Technical issues affecting ad delivery or tracking and any recent policy changes impacting ad placement should also be considered. Analyzing these areas can help pinpoint the cause of the fill rate dip.”

14. Your Product Manager at TikTok is facing a problem: earlier, amateur creators could do well, but nowadays it appears that only “superstars” are performing well. How would you investigate this claim?

Platforms like TikTok rely on a diverse creator base to keep content fresh and engaging. Understanding whether the platform favors established creators over amateurs is vital for long-term user engagement. It also informs strategy around algorithm adjustments and creator support programs.

How to Answer:

To investigate whether amateur video creators are less successful compared to “superstars” on the platform, analyze metrics related to content engagement, creator growth, and audience reach. Focus on changes over time in these metrics for both amateur and superstar creators.

Example:

“To assess this concern, I’d compare engagement metrics like views, likes, comments, and shares between amateur creators and well-established ‘superstars’. Key metrics include the growth rate of new creators’ followings, the distribution of views across different creator levels, and the engagement rate of their content over time. I’d also look at the algorithm’s content distribution patterns to see if there’s been a shift in exposure given to amateur creators versus superstars.”

15. What strategy would you use to allocate a marketing budget across multiple channels?

Determining efficient use of a marketing budget is crucial for TikTok’s growth. This question assesses your planning skills for allocating the budget.

How to Answer:

Describe a methodical approach to testing marketing channels, such as incremental cost per acquisition, and its implications for TikTok’s marketing strategy.

Example:

“I’d allocate the budget based on an initial small-scale test on each channel to gauge cost-effectiveness. I’d scale up spending gradually on high-performing channels, measuring not just immediate conversions but also long-term value.”

16. Why do you want to work with us?

The interviewer wants to know that you aren’t applying randomly and have an active interest in working for the company. Check their careers page for more information on the topic.

How to Answer:

Start with what you admire about the company and how it ties with your personal values and career goals. Demonstrate that you know the company, position, and the work that the team does.

Example:

“I am excited about the opportunity to work with TikTok due to its innovations in the social media landscape. TikTok has transformed content creation and consumption globally, and being a part of a team that drives such impact inspires me. My background in [specific skills or field] aligns with TikTok’s mission to inspire creativity and bring joy to users. I am particularly drawn to the company’s focus on leveraging AI and data analytics to enhance user experience, and I look forward to contributing to these areas. Additionally, TikTok’s diverse and inclusive culture offers a great environment for personal and professional growth.”

17. Tell me about a time you exceeded expectations in a project

This is your window to impress the interviewer with your work ethic and your expertise in the skillsets they are looking for.

How to Answer:

Use the STAR method - discuss the specific situation you were challenged with, the task you decided on, the action you took, and the result of your efforts. Make sure to quantify impact when possible.

Example:

“In my previous role, I was tasked with developing a cohort analysis. Within tight schedules, I not only launched the analysis but also developed a plan to monitor it for several weeks in addition. This allowed me to present relevant insights and this led to [example %] impact in our bottom line.”

18. How would you handle a disagreement with a colleague?

Handling disagreements is a must-have skill in a collaborative and fast-paced environment like TikTok. Demonstrating your ability to navigate conflicts constructively shows that you are a team player who can maintain a positive and productive work atmosphere, even when facing challenges.

How to Answer:

When discussing how you would handle disagreement in a workplace like TikTok, focus on your communication skills, your approach to conflict resolution, and your ability to work collaboratively toward a common goal. Emphasize the importance of understanding different perspectives, respectful dialogue, and finding a solution that aligns with the company’s objectives. Provide relevant examples.

Example:

“In my previous role at [Company], I was part of a team where there was a disagreement on the direction of a marketing campaign. One team member strongly believed in a traditional approach, while I advocated for a more innovative, digital-first strategy. Recognizing the impasse, I proposed a meeting to discuss the pros and cons of each approach. During the meeting, I actively listened to my colleague’s concerns and provided data to support my perspective. We eventually agreed to a hybrid approach that incorporated elements of both strategies.This campaign turned out to be one of our most successful, blending proven methods with innovative techniques. The experience taught me the importance of open communication, empathy, and the value of combining diverse viewpoints to achieve a better outcome.”

19. How do you prioritize multiple deadlines?

This question is asked to understand your organizational skills and ability to work under pressure. Prioritizing tasks effectively is crucial in fast-paced environments like TikTok, where you may often face multiple competing deadlines.

How to Answer:

When discussing prioritizing multiple deadlines, focus on your time management skills, ability to assess task urgency and importance, and strategies for effective planning and communication. Describe how you balance competing demands while maintaining high-quality work. Providing examples from past work will score you added points.

Example:

“To manage multiple deadlines, I start by assessing the urgency and importance of each task. I prioritize tasks based on their impact on the team and project goals. I use tools like a digital calendar and task lists to organize and visualize deadlines. For tasks with similar priorities, I break them down into smaller, manageable parts and set internal milestones. I also communicate proactively with team members and supervisors about my progress and any potential roadblocks. This approach helps me stay on track and ensure that high-priority tasks are completed on time, without compromising the quality of work.”

20. Write a query to get the total amount spent on each item in the ‘purchases’ table by users that registered in 2022.

This question is likely asked to assess your ability to work with relational databases, specifically to join tables and filter data based on specific criteria. The scenario requires you to demonstrate proficiency in SQL by extracting meaningful insights from a dataset.

How to Answer:

Start by emphasizing the importance of joining the relevant tables to combine the necessary data. Then, mention the need to filter the dataset to focus only on the users registered in 2022. Finally, highlight the use of aggregation functions, like SUM(), to calculate the total amount spent per item, which should be grouped accordingly.

Example:

“To approach this question, I would first focus on combining the data from both the users and purchases tables by joining them on a common identifier, which would be the user ID. Then, I could filter the data to only include users who registered in 2022, ensuring that I’m looking at the right subset of data. Finally, I would group the purchases by item and calculate the total amount spent on each. This way, I should be able to clearly show the spending patterns on different items by users who joined in that specific year.”

21. We have two models: one with 85% accuracy, one 82%. Which one do you pick?

This question might be asked to assess your ability to critically evaluate model performance beyond just accuracy. TikTok values nuanced decision-making in data analysis, so they want to see if you can consider other factors like the context of the models’ use, potential biases, the balance between precision and recall, and the impact of the difference in accuracy on the business outcome.

How to Answer:

At first glance, it seems like a trick question. 85% accuracy is higher than 82%, so there must be a reason why we should dive into this question and understand the broader context behind it.

What is the model being applied to? What is more important to the business; a higher accuracy model or a higher interpretable model? For example, a higher accuracy model could likely be a black box and more difficult for the business to interpret.

Example:

“When comparing the two models, the first thing I would do is determine the most appropriate metric for TikTok’s specific needs. While accuracy is a straightforward measure, it can be misleading if we don’t consider the balance between precision and recall, especially if TikTok’s business goal is more focused on certain outcomes over others. For example, if we’re analyzing user engagement or content recommendation, one model might perform better in identifying the most engaging content even if it’s slightly less accurate overall. I would also evaluate the scalability of the models, ensuring that the chosen model can handle the massive volume of data TikTok processes in real-time. Ultimately, the decision should align with both the business objectives and the operational needs of TikTok.”

Here are tips to increase your chances of landing your coveted TikTok data analyst role.

Tailor Your Resume

Going through the job description, especially the desired skills and responsibilities, is of paramount importance. Highlight the relevant projects, technical skills, and soft skills that match the job advertised. Finally, edit your CV from the point of view of a prospective interviewer.

Understand The Company

Research TikTok: recent news, updates, their values, and challenges they are facing. Understanding the company’s culture and goals will allow you to not only present yourself better but also determine if they are a good fit for you. Network with current employees to get an insider perspective. You can also have a look at our discussion board for insider tips from former TikTok interviewees.

Be Prepared with Questions for the Interviewer

Have thoughtful questions ready for your interviewer. This demonstrates your interest in the role and the company and gives you valuable insights into what it’s like to work at TikTok.

Master Technical and Analytical Skills

Be proficient in SQL, statistics, product sense, and metric development. Practice SQL problems that include window functions, complex joins, subqueries, lead and lag functions, etc. Familiarize yourself with TikTok as a platform, and the related social media metrics such as engagement rates, user growth, and retention metrics. Practice on social media datasets to feel more confident about the interview process.

Highlight Your Soft Skills

TikTok’s collaborative and dynamic culture requires motivated analysts who can demonstrate teamwork and adaptability. Prepare a few examples from previous experiences where you have proven yourself to be a collaborative candidate.

To gauge your current preparedness, try a mock interview and showcase your communication skills.

What is the average salary for a Data Analyst role at TikTok?

The average total pay for Data Analysts at TikTok is US$121,667 per year, a mean that considerably exceeds the average Data Analyst base salary of US$82,665.

Where can I read more discussion posts on the TikTok Data Analyst role here in Interview Query?

Here is our discussion board where Interview Query members talk about their TikTok interview experience. Salient details such as the various steps in the interview process, types of questions asked, and example questions are discussed by our former interviewees.

Read these posts to have a better sense of what to expect in your interview.

Are there job postings for TikTok Data Analyst roles on Interview Query?

You can visit our job portal and apply for your desired role, selecting by team, location preference, and your current skillsets. Please note that you can apply even if you do not possess 100% of the required skills; many can be learned on the job as long as you demonstrate your willingness to learn and upskill.

To sum up, cracking a TikTok data analyst interview requires technical proficiency, analytical acumen, and effective communication skills. By understanding TikTok’s unique challenges and culture and practicing sufficient technical and behavioral questions, you can position yourself as an ideal candidate. For hands-on technical training, you can sign up for our premium subscription, which includes customized learning paths across data science, analytics, and machine learning roles.

Finally, if you wish to learn more about other roles at TikTok, please refer to our comprehensive TikTok interview guide. If you are looking for even more practice, check our guide to 100+ Data Analyst interview questions, sorted by category and type of question, so that you can easily pick and choose topics you need more clarity on.

We wish you the very best in your interview journey, and hope you land your dream role very soon!