How to Create a TikTok Ad

TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among young people. Its engaging short-form videos and rapidly growing user base have instigated countless trends. As a result, brands have started tapping into the platform to reach their audience in a creative and authentic way.

Many brands have started wondering how to create ads on TikTok. TikTok has over one billion monthly active users worldwide and is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms. It has a vast and diverse audience, which includes many different sub-cultures and communities that brands can try to reach. While the majority of TikTok users are Gen Z, you can find older generations scrolling through TikTok too. 

The algorithm is uniquely designed to show content that will resonate with each user. That means that if your ad is engaging and captures the essence of TikTok culture, it has the potential to go viral. TikTok users are drawn to genuine and relatable content and will celebrate anyone who embraces the spirit of the platform.

For many brands, creating the first TikTok video and turning it into an ad can feel daunting. Authenticity and creative storytelling are the keys to going viral. However, that doesn’t always feel natural for brands that have an image or reputation to protect.

How to create a TikTok ad that drives engagement:

You don’t need a large production budget to create your first TikTok video ad. You just need a knack for storytelling as TikTok users prefer ads that are authentic and relatable.

Start with a hook

TikTok users will scroll right past a video that doesn’t capture their attention immediately. That means that you need to have a hook at the beginning of your content. People who come to TikTok aren’t just looking for “one authoritative answer”. They are seeking perspectives, techniques, human connection, and new ideas. 

According toTikTok’s What’s Next 2024 Report, one way to hook your audience is to tap into their curiosity. Start with a hook that raises a question and makes them lean into your video to find out what’s going to happen next.

Embrace emotions

TikTok videos are entertaining because they show a feeling or moment that is hard to put into words. They often highlight an experience that’s common in a community in a new and innovative way. 

There is a reason why reaction videos are so popular. They show real people reacting to a trend or something that we have all experienced, with their raw emotions put front and centre. A viral TikTok video might use storytelling elements to build tension at the start of the video and then use humour to make the user laugh. 

We all feel emotions and brands that acknowledge them in an original way can build trust with their audience.

Tell a story

The best TikTok videos tell a great story, but they might not always follow a traditional story arc (beginning, middle, end). Sometimes celebrities are the main characters in the video and sometimes TikTok users become the main character. A TikTok trend is often so much fun to participate in because the TikTok community is writing the story together. Every video contribution adds to an idea, which becomes a trend, and then evolves into an epic internet saga being written in real time.

If brands want to be a part of a trend, then they either need to spark the new idea in a video or be a part of a bigger-picture story.

How to set the right objectives for your TikTok campaign:

Before diving into launching an advertisement on TikTok, you need to define the campaign objective. Setting up clear goals will guide your strategy, help you create better content, choose the right ad format, and ensure you measure the success of your campaign accurately.

For example, a traffic campaign might be used to generate awareness and engagement with a brand. A fashion brand might run a user-generated “outfit check” style video in the city to show how their clothes can be styled and encourage users to visit their TikTok profile or drive traffic to their website. They then might also use a conversion campaign to generate product sales and use creative that shows their garments up close and highlights their unique features.

Brand awareness

If your main goal is to increase brand visibility and recognition, then focus on creating attention-grabbing and memorable content. Leveraging popular challenges or collaborating with TikTok influencers can amplify your message. 

If your goal is brand awareness, then you can track metrics like video views, shares, and impressions.

Engagement and interaction

If you want to drive engagement with your brand, then try leveraging TikTok’s interactive features, such as duets and challenges. You can encourage users to create their own content related to your brand and measure engagement through traffic, comments, likes, and shares.

Conversion and sales

If you want to drive sales, then add compelling calls to action in your ads. TikTok’s shoppable features can also be used to help users discover your brand and then make a purchase. Track conversion metrics, such as click-through and conversion rates.

How to reach the right audience with your TikTok ad:

The audience targeting features in TikTok's ads manager account are similar to those found in other social media platforms such as Meta. You can use demographic, interest-based, and custom audiences to reach your customers throughout the purchase journey. After you create an ad group, you can also experiment with different targeting parameters and filters to refine your approach over time.

Collaborating with influencers whose audience aligns with your target market is also a great way to build trust. You should also stay in tune with TikTok trends that are making waves in your target communities. Weave these trends into your ads to make them feel native to the TikTok experience while boosting discoverability and shareability. You can also use Spark Ads to boost organic content that is already performing well. These ads also leverage the likes and comments that have already been created on your organic TikTok.

Keep in mind that TikTok ads are short-lived and you will need to update your ads and target audience frequently. Campaigns on TikTok tend to have about two to four weeks of strong performance before engagement with the ad creative drops off. Ad fatigue sets in earlier than other platforms such as Meta because TikTok is all about novelty and trends.

TikTok is for the lighthearted.

People go to TikTok to be entertained and inspired. Brands should be lighthearted in their approach and join in on the fun.