Creating Exceptional TikTok Advertisements: The Comprehensive Guide for 2024

TikTok ads help brands attract a young, content-hungry crowd. Follow these important tips to start making your own winning TikTok ads.

TikTok ads have the potential to reach 884.9 million people over the age of 18, or 18% of adult internet users. Globally, the average TikTok user spends nearly 20 hours per month on the app. TikTok ads have the potential to reach 884.9 million people over the age of 18, or 18% of adult internet users. Globally, the average TikTok user spends nearly 20 hours per month on the app.

What are TikTok ads?

TikTok ads are paid promotional content presented by brands or creators to a specific target audience, usually in the form of a full-screen video. Advertising on TikTok is a form of social media marketing designed to increase brand awareness or promote a specific product or service.

The organizational structure of TikTok advertising consists of three levels:

TikTok Ads: individual ads, usually presented in the form of a video showcasing a product or service or as a special offer.

TikTok Ad Groups: collections containing multiple TikTok Ads.

TikTok Ad Series: a collection containing multiple TikTok Ad Groups.

For example, an apparel company might create a TikTok video ad to promote a pair of sneakers, and this ad would be one of the Ad Groups, which might contain multiple marketing videos for different styles of sneakers. And these ad groups might be grouped together in a TikTok ad series about a summer shoe sales campaign.

Types of TikTok ads

In-feed ads

In-feed ads on TikTok are ads that you can create yourself using the TikTok Ad Manager interface.

TikTok Video Ads

TikTok Video Ads represent one of the prevalent forms of advertising on the platform. These ads are created by brands or creators and published through a TikTok Ads Manager account.

Video ads closely resemble regular TikToks, but any engagement with a video ad redirects users to a landing page or prompts an app installation. In essence, TikTok video ads directly link to the advertised content.

Spark Ads

Spark Ads differ from standard video ads as they amplify organic content from any user's TikTok account. They seamlessly integrate into your profile alongside your other TikToks and remain visible even after you cease paying to promote them.

Spark Ads offer the flexibility of being duetted or stitched, enabling your audience to engage with them more meaningfully, for better or worse.

Moreover, since they persist even after the promotion period ends, Spark Ads can have a lasting positive impact on your brand's overall metrics. According to TikTok, Spark Ads boast a 142% higher engagement rate compared to standard in-feed ads.

You can utilize content from your own business profile or from other content creators' profiles (with proper permission—here's how to obtain it).

TikTok Image Ads

Image ads consist of still images featuring a brand or app name along with ad text. They are exclusively available through the Global App Bundle and Pangle Placements, although the latter may not be accessible worldwide—refer to the provided chart for a country-by-country breakdown.

Playable Ads

Playable ads on TikTok are essentially simple mini-games designed to drive engagement—after all, who can resist a game? However, this feature is only accessible in specific countries.

Shopping Ads

Starting from spring 2023, TikTok is gradually discontinuing both "Dynamic Showcase Ads" and "Collection Ads" while integrating the main functionalities of these features into Video Shopping Ads. Currently, Video Shopping Ads are in the testing phase and accessible only to select advertisers.

TikTok Bidding Methods

TikTok has four available bidding methods:

CPV

CPV stands for cost per thousand views. A view is counted when a user watches your video for more than 6 seconds or when a user interacts with your video in the first six seconds (whichever happens first). CPM is a suitable bidding method if your objective is to increase views. The image above provides an example of CPM bidding.

CPM

CPM refers to cost per thousand impressions. Opting for this method means the platform will prioritize pushing your ad to gain as many impressions as possible, making it ideal if reach is your marketing goal.

oCPM

oCPM represents optimized cost per thousand impressions. Your ads will be displayed to individuals more likely to complete a conversion event, become a lead, or install an app. This method is recommended if your aim is to acquire followers, gain app installs, or generate sales.

CPC

CPC, or cost per click, is suitable for selling products, app installs, conversions, and profile visits.

If you're new to TikTok ads, there's a suggested bid feature that assists in determining the appropriate price to set. The higher your bid per action, the greater the likelihood of outperforming your competitors and reaching both ad group and campaign-level daily budgets more quickly.

Is advertising on TikTok worthwhile?

According to the TikTok Marketing Science Global Retail Path to Purchase Study, TikTokkers are 1.5 times more likely to immediately purchase items they find on the platform compared to users of other platforms. TikTok ads are definitely worth the investment if you have the right marketing strategy and a competitive bid.

Use Hootsuite to expand your TikTok presence alongside other social channels. With a single dashboard, you can schedule and publish posts, engage your audience, and measure performance at optimal times. Try it for free today.