Our guide on TikTok ads will walk you through each step from campaign setup to launch. Read on to find out how to start advertising on the platform!
Looking to amplify your media content’s reach? Recent research shows the striking effectiveness of advertising via TikTok, with a notable 97% success rate in boosting tune-ins for shows and events.
As a professional video marketing agency in New York, we believe in providing users with the best tips to maximize their ad campaigns. Our post will help you learn the ropes so you can make the most of your TikTok ads and start seeing real results.
Let’s get started!
You might feel overwhelmed with the thought of setting up TikTok ads. The good news is that the steps are relatively straightforward, and we’ll guide you every step of the way so you won’t get lost.
Here are the main steps for creating and configuring your ads on TikTok:
The first step to kick off your TikTok advertising journey involves setting up a TikTok Ads Manager account. Begin by navigating the TikTok for Business website and signing up.
Once there, you will be prompted to input essential details about your brand, such as your company name, industry, and contact information. Supplying comprehensive and accurate information is crucial to streamline the setup process.
Next, proceed by following the on-screen instructions to complete your account creation. These steps are designed to be intuitive and guide you through each setup phase.
Optionally, consider verifying your business. Although this step is not mandatory, obtaining verified status enhances your profile’s credibility.
Once you have your TikTok Ads Manager account ready, move on to launching your first campaign by heading to the dashboard. Find the “Campaign” tab and click the “Create” button to get started.
After doing so, TikTok’s Ads Manager presents two distinct options: Simplified Mode and Custom Mode. Simplified Mode offers a streamlined approach, allowing you to craft an advertisement in less than five minutes. It’s perfect for those new to digital advertising or in need of a quick deployment.
On the other hand, Custom Mode provides more advanced settings, giving you control over intricate campaign configurations. This flexibility is ideal for seasoned marketers looking to tailor their strategies and maximize campaign impact.
The third step in your TikTok advertising journey involves selecting the right objective for your campaign. Begin by determining what you aim to accomplish through your campaign—be it increasing brand awareness, driving more traffic and video views, or boosting app downloads. Each objective caters to different marketing funnel stages, from capturing attention to converting prospects into customers.
TikTok’s Ads Manager categorizes objectives into three main types: Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion. The Awareness objective ensures that more people become familiar with your brand or product. Consideration aims at deepening engagement, where potential customers interact meaningfully with your offerings. Conversion focuses on encouraging actions such as product purchases or app downloads.
TikTok requires you to choose an objective at the outset. This approach helps tailor your ad content and strategies to align directly with your goals.
Setting up ad groups is a pivotal task that enhances the organization and effectiveness of your campaign. Ad groups function as sub-categories within your campaign, allowing precise control over different aspects of your advertising efforts.
First, name your ad group so you can easily identify and manage your campaign later on. As you configure your ad group, starting with “Automatic Placements” is advisable, especially for those new to the platform. This feature utilizes TikTok’s algorithm to determine the best places to show your ads, optimizing your reach and engagement without the need for manual input.
From here, you should define your target audience. You can then select specific demographics like location, gender, age group, and language.
Additionally, TikTok offers options to target based on more refined criteria such as user behaviors, interests, and even the type of device used. This detailed targeting ensures that your ads reach the most relevant audience.
You then set up your ad group budget and its schedule. Keep in mind that your daily budget is the maximum amount you get to spend in a day for this specific ad group.
Creating your ad is the next step, focusing primarily on crafting video content that captures the attention of your target audience. Start by developing a video that engages viewers and incorporates ad text that resonates with your marketing objectives.
For those looking to streamline their video creation, TikTok offers a “Smart Video” option accessible through the “Create a Video” and then “Video Generator” paths. This tool is designed to automatically edit your video by syncing transitions to your chosen music based on the number of images or clips you upload. TikTok recommends uploading multiple assets to ensure the generator functions effectively.
Alternatively, you can create videos directly from imagery found on your website’s landing page. This feature is particularly beneficial for ecommerce sites and mobile apps, as TikTok will extract images from your page, pair them with suitable music, and transform them into engaging ads.
Lastly, you should launch your ad campaign on TikTok. This final step begins with uploading your creatives, a pivotal moment where your content goes live.
First, you’ll need to upload your video or image content, craft a captivating caption, and choose the identity under which your ad will appear—this can be a unique display name or your brand’s official TikTok account. Choosing to use your brand’s account allows you to leverage Spark Ads, which can enhance authenticity and engagement.
Next, set your destination page, which should direct users either to your brand’s main website or a specific landing page designed for the product or service you are promoting. If you’re looking to keep users within the TikTok environment, consider using Instant Pages, which load quickly and are optimized for mobile users.
Additionally, you have the option to track interactions with your ad. This can include monitoring events on your website, within your app, or even on third-party platforms.
Finally, submit your ad for review. TikTok typically reviews submitted ads within 24 hours. Once approved, your campaign will go live, marking the exciting beginning of your ad’s journey to captivate and engage the TikTok community.
Optimizing your TikTok ads is key to boosting their effectiveness. By tailoring your ads to meet specific technical requirements, you can ensure they resonate well with your audience.
Consider the following TikTok ad specs below:
Enhance your ads with 2D or 3D elements to grab attention. Incorporate face filters and augmented reality objects to create an engaging user experience.
These effects should include a concise 3-7 second intro and ending, particularly if you use an extended augmented reality effect. Doing so will allow you to keep the interaction exciting yet brief.
Branded hashtag challenges are great for increasing engagement and visibility. Choose a unique and creative hashtag that reflects your brand’s image. Make sure your descriptions connect with the hashtag and clearly communicate your campaign’s message.
Using a captivating banner image that represents the challenge well and draws participants in is also important.
Keep your in-feed ads brief, with durations between 5 and 60 seconds, to maintain viewer interest. Aim for high-resolution videos, choosing either 720x1280 pixels or 1080x1920 pixels for clear, engaging visuals.
These ads can be as large as 500MB, giving you plenty of room for rich content. Adding sound can make your ads more immersive, though it’s optional.
Limit your headlines to 80 characters and descriptions to 120 characters to keep your messages succinct. You can also include calls to action like ‘find out,’ ‘buy now,’ and ‘click here’ to encourage user interaction and drive conversions.
A TikTok ad costs $50 per day for campaign-level ads, while ads at the group level have a minimum of $20 per day. TikTok’s pricing works through a bidding system where you, as the advertiser, decide how much you’re willing to pay for each ad placement. This can depend on how many people watch, click, or simply see your ad.
TikTok requires you to set a minimum daily budget for your advertising efforts to be continuous. As mentioned above, you’ll need at least $50 per day for a broader campaign, which involves a series of ads to achieve a larger marketing goal. For more targeted advertising within those campaigns, you can create ad groups that require a minimum of $20 per day.
When you bid higher, your ads are more likely to be seen by more people. This strategy helps ensure that your ads get maximum visibility and reach your desired audience effectively. TikTok’s dynamic bidding system allows you to manage your spending while optimizing ad performance.
Are you ready to get started with TikTok advertising? Check out the best practices to follow below for you begin:
TikTok has a range of advertising formats that cater to different marketing goals and audience engagement strategies. Each type of ad leverages the platform’s unique features to help brands connect with users in creative and impactful ways.
The following are the types of ads on TikTok:
TikTok Let’s take a look at some examples of the best ads on TikTok:
L’Oréal recently launched its first-ever online consumer event, partnering with well-known e-retailers and TikTok influencers to promote their hero products in a fresh, engaging way. They created a special #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt box filled with popular products from brands like Garnier and Maybelline, which was sent to 200 TikTok creators.
These influencers shared their unboxing experiences and demonstrated the products through personalized videos, amplified by L’Oréal’s strategic use of TopView Ads on TikTok. This innovative campaign was a huge hit, generating over 161 million impressions and 4.5 million clicks, leading to record-breaking sales for L’Oréal in Pakistan.
On TikTok, Ooh & Aah Cookies successfully boosted their sales and brand visibility by combining organic content with strategic paid ads, including Spark Ads. They launched a Creator Competition to find fresh talent for their content, enhancing their campaigns with popular creator videos.
From September 2023 to January 2024, they fine-tuned their advertising strategies, adding a specific group for retargeting ads that significantly improved their return on ad spend. This approach surpassed their target return on ad spend (ROAS), achieving a remarkable 8.81. It also led to a team expansion to keep up with the increasing demand, with 57% of their total sales now coming directly from TikTok.
Dononvan Pottery effectively used Video Shopping Ads on TikTok, targeting their campaign with the Product Sales objective to increase visibility and encourage purchases directly from the platform’s For You pages. They optimized their ad spend by setting a $15 limit per ad running multiple ads in each group to keep content fresh.
They boosted their best-performing organic posts with Spark Ads to complement their paid ads, enhancing their overall campaign effectiveness. This approach increased their sales by over 200% compared to the previous quarter and reduced their cost per click by 30%, showcasing the power of targeted advertising on TikTok.
Our guide has given you all the tools you need to kick off your first TikTok advertising campaign successfully. With TikTok’s impressive 97% success rate in boosting audience engagement for shows and events, following the best practices and properly managing your ad budget can really amplify your media content’s reach.
Whether you’re just starting out or aiming to sharpen your advertising skills, these strategies are key to making the most of TikTok’s powerful platform. Put this knowledge into action today and start seeing the real impact on your promotions.
TikTok ads work by showing personalized promotional content to users using the platform’s smart algorithms to target interests and behaviors. These ads come in several engaging formats, like in-feed videos, branded effects, and hashtag challenges, which integrate smoothly into a user’s For You page.
Yes, TikTok promotion is worth it because it taps into a large, active audience that spends a lot of time on the app daily. The platform uses advanced algorithms to deliver content that matches user interests, effectively connecting brands with potential customers.
You get paid for TikTok ads by joining the TikTok Creator Fund, which pays creators based on how many views and how much engagement their videos receive. To be eligible, you need to have a certain number of followers and consistently high engagement on your posts.
TikTok pays creators about $2 to 4 cents for every 1,000 views via the TikTok Creator Fund. This amount can change depending on how engaged viewers are, where they’re watching from, and the total ad revenue TikTok makes.
