Running TikTok Ads: the How, the Cost, and the Process
TikTok has to be an invaluable member of your social media marketing strategy in 2024. The platform has proved itself alongside others like Instagram and Facebook for engagement and e-commerce conversion.
It has become an unlikely shopping platform for many young users worldwide.
Now to thrive on the platform you need a good strategy with ad backing to ensure your growth. However, many people are unsure where to begin and how to obtain TikTok advertisements.
In this guide, we'll look at how to create outstanding TikTok advertising, use the ads manager, and go through the complete ad process.
TikTok Ads Explained
TikTok ads are promotional content that you pay for on the platform to advertise your brand's product or services. They appear alongside the app's video interface using different features and sponsored effects, to promote your brand content on the platform.
The Cost of TikTok Ads
Every ad campaign on the platform has different costs because each one is different.
The price of TikTok ads depends on factors like:
Bidding strength: This is the amount of money companies spend to secure a particular ad campaign. Since TikTok uses an auction-based system, various brands bid against each other for ad placement on the platform. The price can be further increased because of the overall cost per click (CPC) or cost per mile (CPM) in an ad campaign.
Ad type: With different ad types on the platform come different pricing points. In-feed ads cost different from branded hashtag ads because of their placement and reach.
Targets: The target audience for the ad campaign also determines the total price. The easier the audience is to reach, the lower the cost of sponsored ads and vice versa.
Market competition: The level of competition in your chosen industry can also affect the cost of ads. The higher the demand, the more the ads cost.
Types of TikTok Ads
Popular types of TikTok ads include:
- In-feed ads
In-feed ads are aD types that display along a user’s content feed. They look like regular TikTok videos and you hardly notice them.
- Spark ads
Spark ads boost existing organic content from TikTok accounts. They are also shown as in-feed ads. They are great for monetizing your account.
- TopView ads
TopView ads are a pricey option that makes sure your ad is the first video users see when they open the TikTok app.
- Branded effects ads
Branded effects ads appear in custom filters and lenses that users can use in their own TikTok videos.
- Branded hashtag ads
Branded hashtag challenge ads help brands create custom hashtags that interact with users and their content.
- E-commerce ads
TikTok e-commerce ads are used to push product discovery and sales.
Steps to Run TikTok Ads
Here's how to get ads on your TikTok account:
Open a business account
Start by opening up a business account, or switch from a normal account to a business account.
To switch to a business account go to settings and then privacy. You will find the manage account tab, click on it, and tap Switch to a business account. After a few moments, your account will be successfully changed and then you can then access the analytic section of the platform.
Start TikTok Ads Manager
The TikTok app is available for both mobile and desktop but using your TikTok ads manager account is preferable on desktop platforms. So go to the website and start the app to open TikTok ads manager. Go to the campaign page and click Create to begin.
Choose your ad
There are two types of ad formats on the TikTok ads manager. You have the basic and advanced options.
The basic option is meant for putting out simple art types without too many specifications. Whereas the advanced option is reserved for more detailed ad campaigns.
Choose your advertising goal
When you choose your ad, you then choose your advertising preferences. You are giving options for traffic, community interaction, lead generation, and website conversions.
The traffic option sends more people to your website, while the community interaction provides more followers for your account and profile. The lead generation option adds contact information to your ads while the website conversion boosts interaction on your web page.
Select your audience
The next step in your TikTok ads manager account will be to select your target audience. You can pick “Automatic audience” to let the app decide for you, but it’s better to add a few specifications of your own to get more flexibility in your approach. You have to choose the “custom audience” option for that.
You can choose between various demographics based on age group gender language and even location. Depending on your selection, your size of audience increases. You can also narrow it down further into areas of interest by using key industry words such as “beauty” or “fitness.”
Set your budget and schedule
Next, choose your daily budget. You can start at a minimum of $5 each day or use $70 for the entirety of your campaign. After this, choose how long you want your ad campaign to run. You can play a specific date and select “No end date” to run your campaign continuously.
Create your ad and submit
This is the final stage of creating your TikTok ad campaign. On the manager page, select a TikTok video or upload a new one and click submit.
You can also add a caption to your content and place a call-to-action button with a link. After submission, your TikTok ad will be reviewed and processed before being run on the platform. The review process typically takes about 24 hours to complete.
If your ad fails the review process and is flagged, you will be contacted by the ad group on the TikTok ads manager platform. Here, you will get more information on your ad’s rejection and know the necessary steps to take.
Conclusion
Running ads on TikTok is a simple process when you get the hang of the steps. You need to have a business account and understand your target audience to successfully use the TikTok ad manager to its full potential.
As your ad runs, remember to follow your results to learn what works for your campaign and what doesn’t. This will help you fare better when you run your next campaign.