A Comprehensive Guide To Running TikTok Ads in 2024

If you believe in forging a strong bond with your audience and captivating them with compelling content, TikTok ads may be your perfect fit. Unlike other social media, the platform offers a more authentic connection with your target audience. Plus, with approximately 100,000 influencers, there’s ample opportunity for business growth.

On the flip side, advertising on TikTok comes with its own set of nuances. This article dives into all of them. You’ll discover the different ad formats available, how to kickstart your ad campaign, and the costs involved. Keep reading for more insights.

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TikTok advertising 101: key points to know

Each social media platform has its own unique features. For example, Instagram relies heavily on the visual content you create, while Twitter (X) focuses more on personal thoughts and current events.

Before embarking on promoting yourself on each platform, it’s crucial to understand their distinct characteristics. Here are the key facts you need to know about TikTok:

• Direct advertisement performs poorly on TikTok. To succeed on this social network, you should utilize native formats. For example, telling captivating stories or posting funny videos.
• TikTok offers unique advertising formats, from simple video appearances in users’ feeds to UGC-based hashtag challenges. This path is best suited for creative brands.
• The main TikTok audience consists of young people aged 18 to 24. Before launching advertising campaigns, align with your buyer persona and decide if advertising your brand on this platform is appropriate.
• The average CTR of a TikTok advertising campaign is 0.50-1%. For comparison, Google Ads’ CTR is 1.91%. Nevertheless, TikTok’s metrics are significantly higher than any other social media. To increase clicks, you need to know how to set up ads correctly.
• TikTok offers unique algorithms. Users are shown content they’ve interacted with the most. This means that the more engagement you receive, the higher the likelihood of your paid campaigns being seen.

How do TikTok ads work?

For most formats, advertising on TikTok works similarly to other social platforms. It operates as an auction where advertisers can set their daily and monthly budgets. The higher the specified amount, the greater the reach your video receives.

TikTok recommends setting up campaigns to reach as many people as possible. You can get an estimate of audience size directly during the ad setup process. If you’re targeting North America and Europe, the platform suggests a minimum budget of $30, while for brands in the Asia-Pacific region, it’s $20.

TikTok advertising formats

When planning to launch advertising or organically promote on TikTok, ask yourself what goal you want to achieve. For example, it could be increasing video views or building brand awareness. Based on these goals, select the type of advertising that suits you best.

Below are descriptions of the available promotion formats on TikTok and brief recommendations on how to use each of them.

#1. In-feed ads

An in-feed TikTok ad is a basic option that appears when users scroll through their feeds. This creates a sense of authenticity; TikTokers can like, comment, and repost such videos when looking for content.

If you want to prompt users to take action, e.g., to subscribe to an account or visit a website, it’s possible to add a call-to-action (CTA) button.

In-feed TikTok ad specifications

Recommended length: 15 seconds.
Aspect ratio: 16:9, 9:16, or 1:1.
Resolution: 640×640 px, 720×1280 px, 1280×720 px.
Available formats: AVI, MPEG, 3GP, MP4, MOV.
Maximum size: 500 MB.

In-feed advertisement use cases

• Driving traffic to your website or landing page.
• Promoting specific products or services.
• Generating leads and conversions.Increasing specific video views.

Recommendations for creating videos for in-feed TikTok advertisements

• Add trendy sounds, but combine them with subtitles. Many people browse social media platforms in silent mode, but TikTok is an exception. According to a Kantar report, for 88% of the platform users, sounds are a unique and irreplaceable experience. However, if you’re creating storytelling videos, add subtitles to enhance the interaction with your brand.
• Opt for vertical format with an aspect ratio of 9:16. Although TikTok allows uploading horizontal and square content, vertical videos work best. Such footage gets 60.5% more impressions.
• Follow trends. Tendencies on TikTok change every week; users engage in different challenges, effects, music, and memes. Your goal is to do what’s current. To follow this, go to the TikTok Trends Discovery tab, marked with a compass icon in the app.

#2. Brand takeover

This type of advertising appears immediately when a user enters TikTok. It takes up the entire screen, allowing for maximum reach as users can interact with any part of it. Unlike other TikTok ad formats, only one brand per category can use this feature once a day. This ensures maximum visibility.

Brand takeover ad specifications

Format: images, GIFs, videos.
Duration: 5-60 seconds.
Resolution: 1080×1920 px for images, and 720×1280 px for videos.
Maximum size: 500 MB.

Brand takeover TikTok ads use cases

• Introducing new products.
• Promoting limited-time offers.
• Enhancing brand visibility.
• Promoting offline events.
• Teasing upcoming music releases and movie trailers.

Recommendations for creating brand takeover ads

• Utilize visual storytelling. Since this type of advertising is limited in time, introduce bright images that convey your message.
• Encourage user engagement. Add interactive elements that prompt people to take desired action. For example, these could be mini-games.
• Maintain consistency with your corporate style. Integrate your unique color schemes, patterns, and tone of voice to strengthen brand association.

#3. Spark ads

Spark TikTok Ads enable you to promote videos already posted on your business account. Moreover, you can utilize other users’ content for advertising purposes with their permission. This format emerged in 2021 as an alternative to in-feed ads, which solely allowed the promotion of new content.

Another noteworthy aspect of this advertising format is being able to link multiple accounts at once, including both the brand’s and the video creator’s pages. This facilitates a considerable increase in click-through rates (CTR).

Spark video specifications

Recommended length: 15 seconds.
Aspect ratio: 16:9, 9:16, or 1:1.
Resolution: 640×640 px, 720×1280 px, 1280×720 px.
Available formats: AVI, MPEG, 3GP, MP4, MOV.
Maximum size: 500 MB.

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Spark TikTok advertisement use cases

• Promoting user-generated content (UGC).
• Increasing popular video reach.
• Enhancing the effectiveness of your advertising.

Recommendations on creating TikTok Spark ads

• Choose videos that have garnered high organic reach. With TikTok Spark, promoting existing clips becomes effortless, making it simple to identify the most popular content. If your footage has demonstrated strong organic performance, it’s sure to resonate well when promoted.
• Collaborate with multiple influencers simultaneously. The Spark format greatly generates demand for your product or service. You can build an influencer base and request their testimonials. Promoting feedback from various thought leaders will help establish trust among your target audience
• Launch videos showcasing your product from different perspectives. For example, when promoting foodstuff, consider creating multiple cooking recipes and broadcasting them widely.

#4. TikTok image ads

Although TikTok is renowned for its native video formats, you can also promote static images using this social media. However, they will not appear within the platform app itself. In this case, TikTok serves as a source for placing image ads on other applications.

The process is facilitated through the Global App Bundle Placement platform, which currently includes two third-party applications—CapCut and Fizzo. Thus, you can access a larger pool of potential customers beyond TikTok.

Image ads specifications

File type: JPG, JPEG, PNG.
Resolution: 720×1280 px.
Maximum file size: 100 MB.

TikTok image advertisement use cases

• Expanding target audience beyond TikTok.
• Increasing the conversion rate of a single advertising campaign.
• Reducing the cost of advertising.
• More flexible bid management.

Recommendations on creating TikTok image ads

• Ensure that the main elements of the image are positioned at the center. Global App Bundle Placement can adjust content to meet the requirements of specific mobile applications, including cropping parts of your file. This might result in your visual not being visible on the banner due to blind spots typically located on the sides.
• Carefully consider your target audience characteristics when placing such ads. That’s because Global App Bundle Placement is a smaller network. For instance, CapCut tends to be used by content creators and designers, while Fizzo is more popular among women. If these demographics don’t align with your ideal customer profile, exploring other advertising formats is a wiser choice.

#5. Playable ads

Playable TikTok ads are essentially a demo version of your mobile application, best suited for game developers. To put it simply, you can add interactive elements to encourage users to download your application. For example, they can drag items or tap the screen. Nonetheless, playable ads cater to specific advertisers.

You can develop such demo versions without developers using TikTok’s in-built solutions like Powerplayable. To get started, reach out to the platform’s support team to be added to the whitelist.

Playable ad specifications

• Format: only ZIP
• Size: up to 5 MB
• Orientation settings: At the root level of your archive, there should be a file called “config.json” that specifies the video orientation.

Additional requirements:

• Your ad should be compatible with various types of devices.
• Materials should not utilize the mraid.js format.
• Loading dynamic materials from external networks is prohibited.
• The playable HTML5 materials should not include any JavaScript redirects.
• Playable Ad materials must not initiate any HTTP requests.

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Playable TikTok ads use cases

• Promoting other interactive mobile applications.
• Building brand awareness through quizzes.
• Creating virtual try-ons for fashion, beauty, and accessories brands.

Recommendations on creating playable ads

• Choose the right genre. Not all games are a perfect fit for this type of promotion. For example, explaining the intricacies of a strategy genre might be challenging. Casual games work best.
• Adjust your behavioral targeting. Since not everyone is into gaming, consider this aspect. TikTok’s behavioral targeting options let you select user interests and past actions.
• Remember that your ads will appear on various screens. Adhere to adaptive design principles to ensure important elements aren’t cropped out during a user’s interaction with your content.

#6. Shopping ads

This advertising format debuted on TikTok relatively recently, in January 2023. It’s quite straightforward: you can create tutorials or reviews showcasing your products, while a clickable tab appears alongside the video, enabling users to visit your website and make a purchase.

To get started with TikTok shopping ads, you’ll need to provide the platform with your product catalog. With Pixel, you can also set up trigger events. For example, if a consumer has viewed a product on your website, this tool enables you to configure retargeting for an abandoned shopping cart.

TikTok shopping ad specifications

For videos, the same rules apply as for in-feed advertisements; however, there are specific requirements for product cards that will be displayed on TikTok.

Image: required, minimum resolution of 500x500px, square format.
Title: max 50 characters.
Description: max 100 characters.
Price: required.
Product link: required, must lead to the product’s landing page on your website or app.

TikTok shopping ad use cases

• Native product presentation for eCommerce.
• Personalized product recommendations based on user data.
• Launching abandoned cart reminders.
• Fine-tuning retargeting.

Recommendations on creating shopping ads on TikTok

• Hook viewers in the first three seconds. Shopping ads can be off-putting to consumers because of the product tag; it may seem intrusive. However, if you develop an intriguing story, it will help capture a user’s attention.
• Showcase your products in action. For example, cosmetic brands can demonstrate a full makeup look using their products. You can also conduct gadget crash tests.
• Pay attention to the link that leads to the product on your website. The goal of shopping ads is to prompt users to visit the product page on your online store. Ensure that the website page is clear and informative so that the client completes the final action.

#7. Carousel ads

This is an image-based TikTok ads format, where advertisers can upload file sequences. This way, users can swipe through such static visuals to explore more details and control the pace of their viewing experience.

The platform provides two formats for this type of advertising. The first is the standard carousel, intended to drive traffic to websites. The second is the VSA carousel, which features products from your catalog.

TikTok carousel ad specifications

• Min/max visuals: 2-35 pieces
• File format: JPG, JPEG, PNG
• Maximum file size: 100 KB
• Resolution: 1200×628 px for horizontal images, 640×640 px for square, 720×1280 px for vertical.

TikTok carousel advertising use cases

• Storytelling.
• Product sales.
• Running interactive challenges (like surviving by choosing the right option from several).
• Showcasing customer testimonials.

Recommendations on creating carousel ads on TikTok

• Use each slide to captivate users and encourage them to keep scrolling. For example, add compelling text on each image to make your story cohesive and leave users curious about what comes next.
• Showcase different products while focusing on a single objective. For instance, tell a story about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, mentioning various products such as fitness trackers and meditation apps.
• Keep the visual style consistent. Make sure all slides in your sequence maintain a unified look. You can achieve this by using templates in graphic editors and copying them across all slides.

#8. Pangle ads

Just like the Global App Bundle Placement, TikTok Pangle is a global advertising network that allows users to display their ads on various platforms. Currently, this includes over 100,000 mobile applications across different regions.

However, the Pangle network is not available everywhere. It covers certain countries in the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, North & South America, Eastern Europe, and Oceania regions.

Formats available within the TikTok Pangle network

• Videos
• Images
• Playable ads

Use cases for TikTok Pangle ads

• Increasing traffic to online resources
• Driving mobile app installations
• Boosting conversions
• Optimizing user retention

Recommendations for creating Pangle ads

• Opt for automatic placement. While TikTok allows advertisers to manually select third-party mobile applications for ads, it’s best to rely on automatic choices. This way, TikTok’s algorithms will choose the best platforms, resulting in broader coverage.
• Utilize interactive customization features. Pangle offers two options to enhance user experience—Playable ads and Endcard. The former allows users to interact with your ad before downloading, while the latter automatically generates graphics that appear at the end of the ad, providing information about your product or service and encouraging consumers to take action.
• Note that if the Pangle network is not available in your country, you won’t be able to launch ads. You can review specific regions in TikTok’s official ads guidelines for more detailed information.

#9. Branded AR content

Branded AR content serves as organic advertising to boost your brand presence. Opting for this approach entails creating diverse stickers and face masks that TikTok users can utilize in crafting their own content. This form of advertising significantly impacts brand recognition.

To facilitate advertisers in launching branded AR effects, TikTok offers a user-friendly platform known as EffectHouse. Even if you’re new to such tools, it’s easy to get acquainted with them through detailed tutorials.

How to create your first AR effect using EffectHouse

1. Go to the platform’s official website.
2. Download Effect House to your PC (available for Windows and Mac OS).
3. Launch the application and select the Templates feature. This is a more convenient option for beginners.
4. Work in the graphic editor to explore the available 3D objects, animations, sound effects, triggers, and logic functions.
5. Use the built-in test mode to preview your effect on your webcam.
6. Submit your AR content for review within Effect House.

TikTok checks all created content for compliance with technical requirements. After approval, your effect will automatically appear in the application.

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Branded TikTok AR effects use cases

• Product visualization and try-ons.
• Implementing gamification in your TikTok marketing strategy.
• Branded storytelling.
• Building user-generated content.

Recommendations on creating branded AR content for TikTok

• Incorporate interactive elements. To keep your users engaged, make your effect more dynamic. For instance, the mask could react to specific actions.
• Leverage brand elements but avoid being intrusive. Design the effect with your corporate colors or other recognizable elements. However, steer clear of overt advertising, such as calls to action to purchase a product.
• Collaborate with influencers to promote your effects. Your AR content competes with thousands of others, meaning users might simply overlook it. Therefore, the best way to promote it is through collaborations with influencers who will apply the effect themselves and encourage consumers to do so.
• Explore visual scripting. You can create simple content, but it may not be as engaging. To add interactivity, check out visual scripting tutorials on the official HouseEffects website. This system allows you to set triggers without code.

#10. Hashtag challenge

Marketers know how challenging it can be to encourage users to interact with companies and create UGC. Organic advertising like hashtag challenges can be a good solution in these situations. Your brand can create competitions for users, such as the best dance or story, and promote them with unique hashtags.

This way, people are more willing to participate in your challenges, generating unique content that other consumers can see through the hashtag.

How to launch your branded hashtag challenge on TikTok

1. Develop a clear concept. What action or trend will users participate in? Can it be easily replicated and adapted by different audiences?
2. Craft engaging challenge instructions. Explain the concept, rules, and participation steps explicitly and concisely. Keep it under 60 seconds.
3. Create a catchy hashtag. It should be short, memorable, and relevant to your brand or campaign. Avoid overly long or generic hashtags.
4. Partner with influencers. Collaborate with relevant TikTok creators to spread awareness and encourage participation. They can create their own entries or host tutorials/live streams.
5. Engage with participants. Respond to comments, share user-generated content, and highlight exceptional entries.

TikTok hashtag challenge use cases

• Launching new products or services.
• Highlighting your brand values.
• Building brand community.
• Increasing product discoverability.
• Gathering user feedback.

Recommendations on creating hashtag challenges

• Offer valuable prizes for participation. This incentivizes users to take part in your challenge, as everyone loves gifts. Prizes could be significant discounts or your products.
• Stand out from the crowd. Avoid aggressively promoting your products; instead, focus on topics that are genuinely important to society. For example, the recent TikTok hashtag challenge #HappyHouse shares people’s stories about domestic violence which is a great way to draw attention to this issue.
• Promote your challenge across other social media. Sometimes, TikTok competitions become so viral that they spread to other platforms. You can contribute to this trend as well.

#11. Sponsored influencer content

Another form of organic advertising involves partnering with influencers. They are seen as thought leaders by many, fostering the crowd marketing approach. For example, you could ask an influencer to try out your product and share their genuine review.

Sponsored influencer TikTok promotions use cases

• Launching new products or services.
• Reaching new demographics.
• Community building.
• Increasing brand loyalty.
• Lead generation.

Recommendations on collaborating with TikTok influencers

• Choose thought leaders based on data. You might like an influencer, but they may not align with your goals and target audience. It’s best to analyze their metrics using specialized platforms like HypeAuditor or Upfluence.
• Opt for micro-influencers over macro ones. You might think a large audience is good. However, what matters is how engaged they are with the influencer. Typically, thought leaders with smaller audiences are more open, which encourages deeper engagement.
• Combine different types of collaboration. Partnering with a thought leader, you can promote sponsored posts, create reviews, run giveaways, etc. But don’t stick to just one type of collaboration, as it looks contrived.

How much do TikTok ads cost in 2024?

TikTok employs a specific metric called cost per mile (CPM) to calculate advertising spending. Simply put, you pay a certain amount for every 1,000 views your ad receives. According to the latest data from November 2023, the average CPM cost is $9.16. TikTok also sets minimum budget requirements: $500 for a single advertising campaign and $50 per day.

How long should TikTok ads be?

The optimal period for setting up ads is 7-14 days. This allows you to assess the effectiveness of your campaign. Even if you’re running advertising for a short period, make it a rule to regularly review the results achieved throughout the day. If the advertising proves to be ineffective, you can stop showing it. This way, you’ll save your budget.

What is TikTok Ads Manager?

TikTok Ads Manager is a personal tool for setting up advertising campaigns. To access it, you first need to sign up with TikTok For Business.

For your convenience, the TikTok advertising account is divided into four sections:

• Dashboard. This section provides all the information about your launched advertising campaigns through understandable graphs. You can track the start, duration, and end of your ads here.
• Campaigns. In this tab, you’ll find all the advertising campaigns you’ve ever created on TikTok. You can quickly activate them by toggling the switch. You can also see additional information for each campaign, such as budget and achieved impressions.
• Tools. Here, you can create your unique audiences, view events, and respond to comments. Similar to Facebook, TikTok allows you to install the TikTok Pixel on your website. With this tool, you can collect data about users who have visited your site from this social network. In the future, this information can be used to create audiences and fine-tune retargeting.
• Analytics. This tool allows you to create detailed reports on your advertising campaigns.

10 steps to run your first TikTok ads campaign

Running ads on TikTok includes several steps:

1. Go to your TikTok Ads Manager.
2. Switch to the “Campaigns” tab and create a new one.
3. Enter the campaign name (up to 512 characters).
4. Select your objective (traffic, conversions, views, app installs).
5. Set up or choose a previously created target audience.
6. Set the ad display period.
7. Choose an ad format.
8. Upload your visual materials.
9. Add tracking links (e.g., your TikTok Pixels or third-party tools).
10. Launch the advertising campaign.

After launching the advertising campaign, the learning phase activates. TikTok algorithms analyze the response of your target audience so that your ad group can reach as many suitable people as possible. Typically, the learning phase ends after achieving 50 conversions. It is not recommended to disable the advertising campaign during this period.

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3 examples of great TikTok advertising from renowned brands

How effective can advertising on TikTok be? Let’s take a look by examining case studies from other companies.

#1 Experian

The data analytics company Experian from Ireland sells complex services. It utilized in-feed TikTok ads to convey its value proposition simply and understandably. To achieve this, the company created an advertisement that appeared as a lively conversation; friends discussed the benefits of Experian Boost for credit scores. This resonated well with the TikTok audience.

#2 Chipotle

This brand showcased the potential of TikTok hashtag challenges. They launched an official business account on this social network in 2018. This aligns perfectly with their goals, as the brand avoids naming, but focuses on simple human communications.

Chipotle conducted two immensely successful branded hashtag challenges. The initial one, #LidFlipChallenge, drew inspiration from a Chipotle employee’s genuine enthusiasm for assembling burrito bowls. The subsequent challenge, #GuacDance, synchronized with the viral “Guacamole Song.”

#3 e.l.f. Cosmetics

e.l.f. Cosmetics combined several types of advertising to promote on TikTok. They ran in-feed and shopping ads, as well as partnered with influencers. This allowed them to create an image of a trustworthy brand chosen by many consumers. As a result of such a well-structured sales funnel, the acquisition costs for their add-to-cart strategy decreased by 56%.

You can also inspire yourself by browsing the TikTok Ads Library.

The best practices for organic TikTok advertising

To promote yourself on TikTok, it’s not necessary to set up paid advertising. This social media ranks accounts well if they publish interesting content and engage with users.

If you’ve chosen the free promotion path, consider these tips.

• Be authentic. Don’t try to copy someone else. Boldly share your emotions, observations, and talents.
• Make your videos short and snappy. The recommended clip length is 12 seconds. Try to convey the main essence of your video and add something unique to it.
• Tell stories. For example, you can give advice based on your experience or share a typical situation that your clients face.
• Use relevant hashtags. They allow you to reach a wider audience. But don’t try to add too many hashtags, it’s better to choose the most relevant ones.
• Participate in TikTok trends and challenges. If you’re out of ideas, just follow trends. Popular challenges are marked with hashtags. If a user is interested in one of them, they might come across your video.
• Include calls-to-action. Sometimes, the simplest way to encourage action is to say it out loud. You can ask users to subscribe to you or leave a comment to increase organic reach.

To wrap up

To promote your brand on TikTok, you can utilize several approaches, each suited to different objectives. Moreover, the cost of advertising on this platform is relatively low. To succeed on TikTok, it’s essential to move away from direct advertising, develop native videos, and continuously experiment with targeting settings for your audience.

FAQs

How do you make TikTok ads?

To create a TikTok ad, the first step is to obtain your unique Ads Manager. For this, you need to have a business account. You can register one using your email address or phone number. After that, provide the necessary information: country, region, time zone, preferred billing currency, and business name. You also need to attach your bank card to the advertising account. Finally, go to the Campaigns tab to launch your first ad on TikTok.

What is a good CTR for TikTok ads?

The click-through rates for TikTok video ads can differ based on factors like industry and ad format. Typically, a good CTR is 1-3%.

How long do TikTok ads take to get approved?

Following the launch of a TikTok advertising campaign, it takes approximately 24 hours for moderation and approval. However, during weekends and holidays, this process may extend to 48 hours.

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How do you set up TikTok ads?

To set up an advertising campaign on TikTok, you first need to create your unique audience. You can do this in the Tools tab. Additionally, you can gather audiences using TikTok Pixel, which collects data from users visiting your website. You should also decide on the goal of your advertising campaign. For example, it could be website clicks or impressions. Also, don’t forget to prepare your advertising materials in advance for display. These can be images in carousel format or videos.

How do you use TikTok ads?

You can use TikTok ads for various purposes, including increasing brand awareness or promoting your products/services natively. This social media also allows you to drive traffic to your website or create retargeting campaigns.

How do you advertise on TikTok?

To advertise on TikTok, you must have a business account. Any user can register for one. Before launching any advertising, be sure to familiarize yourself with TikTok Advertising Policies to avoid violating platform rules. For example, this social media prohibits conducting political campaigns or promoting tobacco products.

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