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At ePlaybooks, we’ve worked with countless ecommerce brands eager to nail the strategy for TikTok advertising, and for good reason.
What started as a short-form video app for entertainment has exploded into one of the most powerful marketing platforms in the world. With over 1.5 billion monthly active users and engagement rates higher than most social media platforms, TikTok gives brands a rare opportunity to connect with audiences through authentic and highly interactive content.
Whether you're looking to connect with the Gen Z and younger audience or you want to create a viral campaign on TikTok and dominate your niche, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about TikTok Advertising.
TikTok advertising is the use of paid promotional content on TikTok to reach specific audiences, boost brand awareness, and drive actions such as website visits, app downloads, or product purchases.
It works through TikTok Ads Manager, where businesses can create and manage different ad formats from short in-feed videos that appear with organic content to premium placements like Top View ads that appear when users open the app.
Almost any business, creator, or organization can advertise on TikTok, as long as they meet the platform’s eligibility and content guidelines.
TikTok does have restrictions. Certain industries (e.g., tobacco, gambling, adult content) are prohibited, and advertisers must comply with TikTok’s advertising policies and local laws.
Also, TikTok advertising is available in many countries and regions across the globe, but availability isn’t universal. Certain markets have geographic restrictions. For example, TikTok is currently unavailable in India due to government regulations.
TikTok advertising comes with multiple benefits for businesses and brands:
With over 1.5 billion monthly active users across more than 150 countries, TikTok offers one of the largest and fastest-growing audiences in the digital space. Brands can connect with diverse demographics, from Gen Z to older age groups, across multiple regions.
TikTok’s features like short-form video format and personalized “For You” feed keep users highly engaged. The average TikTok Shop user uses the app for an average of over an hour daily.
Engagement rates are significantly higher compared to many other social media platforms, meaning your ad has a better chance of being seen and acted upon.
TikTok thrives on originality, trends, and authentic storytelling. This means you can powerfully showcase your brand in many creative ways. You can create ads that feel like organic content rather than traditional commercials. You can also leverage trending audio, effects, and challenges to boost your ad campaigns.
TikTok Ads Manager provides targeting options, including:
TikTok gives you access to a variety of ad formats for different objectives. These formats include In-feed ads for seamless integration into the user experience, Top View Ads for maximum visibility, branded hashtag challenges, and Spark Ads to boost your organic content.
This flexibility allows you to tailor campaigns that target specific goals like awareness, engagement, or direct conversions.
TikTok now offers built-in ecommerce features like TikTok Shop, which allows users to discover, explore, and purchase products without ever leaving the app. This seamless shopping journey reduces friction and helps shorten the sales funnel. If you’re looking to launch your own TikTok Shop, experts at ePlaybooks can guide you through every step to set it up for success.
Here are the types of TikTok ads, how they work, and where they appear:
In-feed ads are short video ads up to 60 seconds (or could be 15-30 seconds as recommended) that appear in a user’s “For You” feed, blending in with organic TikTok content. These ads come with the label “Sponsored”, and can include clickable CTAs (e.g., Shop Now, Learn More).
If you're looking to drive traffic to your website, generate conversions, and build brand awareness with content that feels native to the platform, in-feed ads are the way to go.
TopView ads are premium ad placements that appear immediately when a user opens TikTok at the top of the feed. These ads can last up to 60 seconds with full-screen video and autoplays with sound. Users can engage with these ads through comments, sharing, and visiting the brand's profile.
TopView ads are best for large-scale awareness campaigns, new product launches, or major brand announcements.
Branded hashtag challenges are interactive campaigns that encourage users to create and share content around a specific branded hashtag.
These hashtags encourage User-generated Content (UGC). When users click on this hashtag, they are directed to a landing page that shows the brand’s UGC and video content.
Branded hashtag challenges are promoted on TikTok’s Discovery page and usually run for 3–6 days. They are best for boosting engagement, increasing brand awareness, and tapping into TikTok’s community-driven trends.
Branded effects allow you to create custom AR (augmented reality) filters, stickers, and effects that users can add to their videos. With this type of TikTok ad, you can include 2D, 3D, or motion effects. You can also boost this ad through other ad formats, like in-feed ads and branded hashtag challenges.
Branded effects last up to 10 days on the platform and allow users to interact with your brand in a creative, personal way. These ads are best for improving your brand recognition through interactive and playful experiences.
Spark ads boost existing organic TikTok videos either from your own account or from creators, turning them into paid ads.
If you want to preserve all your original posts’ engagement (likes, shares, comments), spark ads are the way to go. You can also link them directly to a website or TikTok Shop.
Spark ads are best for combining the trust and engagement of your organic posts with the reach that paid promotion offers. By amplifying high-performing content, you can tap into the authenticity and social proof of the content while still retaining control over your ad messaging and audience targeting.
Ecommerce ads are directly integrated with TikTok Shop, allowing for seamless product browsing and purchases within the app.
The types of TikTok ecommerce ads include:
TikTok advertising can vary based on the following factors:
While TikTok allows you to launch ads with a minimum daily spend of $50 at the campaign level or $20 per ad group, those figures are more of a baseline. In reality, if you’re just starting, you want to plan on $1,000 to $3,000 per month to test multiple creatives, audiences, and offers effectively. This budget provides enough room to gather meaningful data, pause what doesn’t work, and double down on winning strategies.
If you’re launching new products, your investment should be higher. You want to allocate around $5,000 to $10,000 per month if you want to gain traction quickly, particularly in highly competitive categories.
Ready to create high-converting TikTok ads? Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to creating TikTok advertising:
To run ads, you’ll need a TikTok Business Account. This gives you access to TikTok Ads Manager, analytics, and additional features.
Go to TikTok Business Center and sign up with your business email. Fill in basic details like your business name, industry, website, and country. Verify your account with the required documents (e.g., business license, tax ID if applicable).
Once approved, you’ll unlock advertising tools, audience insights, and the ability to connect to TikTok Shop if you plan to sell products directly.
Once your account is all set up, you can access TikTok Ads Manager. TikTok Ads Manager is your control hub for creating and managing ad campaigns. Log in to TikTok Ads Manager and add your billing information.
Choose a payment method, either manual (prepay before campaigns run) or automatic (TikTok will charge you after spending reaches a threshold). Also, set your account currency, as this cannot be changed later.
TikTok allows you to define what you want your ads to achieve. Campaign objectives fall into three main categories: Awareness (Reach), Consideration (Traffic, Video Views, and Community Interactions), and Conversion (Lead Generation, App Promotion, Website Conversions, and Product Sales). So, if your goal is to drive purchases, choose Conversions. You can set up the TikTok Pixel on your website to track results.
Next, define your ideal customers using TikTok’s targeting options. You can define your target customer based on age, gender, language, location, interests, and behaviors.
TikTok also offers device targeting (operating system, connection type, mobile data usage, etc), custom audiences (you can upload customer lists, retarget website visitors, or re-engage app users). Lookalike audiences allow you to target new people who share traits with your best customers. If you’re testing your creative design, you can start broad and narrow down later based on performance.
TikTok offers two placement options:
Decide how much you want to spend and how TikTok should allocate it. You can choose between a daily budget (spend a set amount each day) or a lifetime budget (spread across the campaign duration). The minimum spend is $50 per day at the campaign level and $20 per day at the ad group level. You can start with a lower daily budget to test creatives, then scale up the creatives that perform well.
TikTok thrives on engaging, authentic video content. Add engaging captions, trending music, or voiceovers to your video and use clear CTAs such as Shop Now, Learn More, Sign Up, and Download. You can leverage TikTok’s Smart Video Creative tool to automatically generate variations of your video to test performance.
TikTok ads come with specific creative requirements that vary depending on placement. In general, you’ll need a video or image asset, your brand or app name, an ad description, and a clear call-to-action (CTA) button.
Below are the key specifications you should follow:
Video ad requirements
Image ad requirements
Before going live, double-check your targeting, budget, and creative, and preview how your ad will look in TikTok’s feed. Submit for TikTok’s ad review process (usually takes a few hours, but can take up to 24 hours). Once approved, your ads will start running and delivering results.
Don’t forget to monitor performance in TikTok Ads Manager. Use KPIs like CTR, CPC, CPM, and conversions to optimize over time.
Here are some best practices to set your ad up for success:
TikTok thrives on authenticity. Overly polished or “salesy” ads often get skipped. Instead, focus on using UGC-style content that feels organic. Keep your intros engaging and hook your viewers in the first 3 seconds. Think of your ad as entertainment first, marketing second.
TikTok is powered by trends, hashtags, and audio. To stay relevant, incorporate trending sounds, effects, and memes into your ads. Use TikTok’s Commercial Music Library for copyright-safe music. Also, add hashtags relevant to your niche, not just viral ones.
While TikTok supports videos up to 60 seconds, you want to keep it at the sweet spot of 9 to 15 seconds. Get straight to the point and avoid long build-ups. Showcase your product or message early and use quick cuts and captions to maintain attention.
After grabbing attention with an engaging ad, guide your audience on what to do next. For example, “Shop Now” and “Download Now”. You can also include urgency with your CTAs (e.g., “Limited Time Only”).
Don’t rely on one video. TikTok’s algorithm rewards experimentation. Test at least 3 to 5 ad creatives per campaign. Use various hooks, formats (tutorials, testimonials, unboxings), and lengths. Use A/B testing to refine targeting and messaging.
TikTok creators often understand the platform’s culture better than most brands. Partner with micro-influencers for cost-effective, authentic promotion. Use the TikTok Creator Marketplace to find vetted influencers within your niche. You can also consider Spark Ads to boost creator content directly as an ad.
Since TikTok is a mobile-first app, ensure your landing pages load fast and are mobile-optimized. Highlight pricing, offers, and benefits clearly in the first frame.
You can use TikTok Shop for in-app purchases to reduce drop-offs.
If you can focus on creative storytelling, trends, and performance tracking, TikTok ads can be a game-changing channel for your brand growth and sales. The platform’s mix of creativity, reach, and targeting capabilities allows you to connect with audiences in ways that feel authentic and engaging.
If you want expert guidance on maximizing TikTok advertising to boost awareness and sales, the team at ePlaybooks is ready to help.
To create a TikTok ad:
The average cost per mille (CPM) on TikTok ranges from $3.20 to $10. So, 1000 views on TikTok ads can cost anywhere between this range ($3.20 to $10), depending on the ad format, bidding strategy, and targeting.
Here are some requirements for TikTok ads:
The requirements to promote on TikTok include:
You’ve probably already considered selling on Amazon but its way easier than you think.
Call Us Now