Optimizing Engagement Across TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram

Strike Social executed a data-driven approach, optimizing influencer content across platforms to maximize engagement while maintaining cost efficiency. TikTok played a crucial role in driving custom engagements, while Facebook and Instagram delivered a strong balance of cost savings and engagement.

Seamless Performance Across Platforms with Strategic Execution

Strike Social’s adaptive strategy combined precise targeting, ongoing optimizations, and tailored creative adjustments to maximize results across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Using this approach, the campaign maintained a consistent brand messaging while capitalizing on each platform’s unique engagement potential.

• Real-Time Campaign Adjustments: Strike Social’s real-time monitoring tools enabled dynamic bid, pacing, and audience optimizations, resulting in 48,000+ link clicks while maintaining cost efficiency.
• Consistent Multi-Platform Targeting: The team strategically aligned messaging across platforms, ensuring that younger audiences on TikTok and established consumer segments on Facebook and Instagram received relevant, engaging content.
• Platform-Specific Creative Optimization: Influencer content was adapted to fit platform-specific best practices, enhancing engagement rates and increasing campaign effectiveness.

With real-time optimizations and influencer-driven content, Strike Social helped this CPG brand drive efficient traffic at scale. Our strategic execution ensured the right messaging reached the right audience for the best possible performance.

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Complete Guide to Moving TikTok Ads to YouTube Shorts Ads

If it’s a short-form domination battle between TikTok vs. YouTube Shorts, the former is the clear winner. According to Sensor Tower’s State of Mobile report, TikTok captures 55% of short-form video watch time in the U.S., while Instagram Reels holds 36% and YouTube Shorts at 26%.

However, TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains highly uncertain. After the app’s brief ban in January, concerns continue to grow among both creators and advertisers.

While U.S. content creators have started shifting to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, advertisers see YouTube as the strongest TikTok alternative—offering a stable platform and a massive audience base.

If you’re considering moving from TikTok to YouTube Shorts ads, you’re in the right place. This guide will walk you through the transition, helping you navigate the platform differences, optimize your YouTube Shorts ads, and effectively tap into YouTube’s 200-million+ user base.

Why YouTube Shorts Is the Smart TikTok Alternative for Advertising

While YouTube Shorts may be YouTube’s response to the short-form vertical video trend, the platform as a whole offers far greater opportunities for advertisers. Backed by Google’s ad ecosystem, YouTube had just become the world’s second-largest search engine where audiences look for new products or research new brands.

If you’re only thinking about YouTube Shorts as a TikTok alternative, you might be overlooking the full potential of advertising on YouTube and its broad network. Here’s what you’re missing:

TikTok’s Uncertain Future

TikTok may be back in the app stores for new users to download, but for advertisers, there’s still some turmoil.

As concerns about a potential TikTok ban continue to rise, many brands have considered cross-platform strategies to safeguard their advertising investments. In fact, ad spend forecasts show a significant shift, with 10.7% moving to YouTube and 12.9% shifting to Connected TV (CTV) channels in the near future.

Realistically speaking, YouTube offers a more stable and secure option for U.S. advertisers, both technically and operationally:

• YouTube is owned by Google (Alphabet Inc.) and operates under U.S. jurisdiction, which mitigates concerns about foreign adversary risks—something TikTok can’t fully avoid.
  • Unlike TikTok, YouTube faces no immediate legislative threats, making it a much more reliable long-term platform for ad spend.
  • In response to TikTok’s uncertainties, YouTube has been proactively courting creators, encouraging them to shift to YouTube Shorts and “find your community” on the platform. This is part of YouTube’s strategy to acquire as many creators and advertisers as possible before the looming April 2025 deadline that could impact TikTok’s availability in the U.S.
• As some U.S. advertisers have explored, VPNs were briefly considered as a workaround to access TikTok during the ban. However, this approach is risky, as VPN usage can expose devices to malware, thus is not advisable.
  • YouTube, in turn, has only since expanded its reach, from the original website YouTube.com to the mobile app. Now, it has Connected TV reach as well, with Google TV and YouTube TV placements that advertisers can utilize to increase brand awareness.

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Further Reading

Here’s Why Google TV Ads Expand Your Reach Even Further

Many advertisers wonder, “Should I opt into Google TV?” If you’re running reach-focused campaigns, the answer is yes. Adding Google TV as a placement in your YouTube strategy enhances audience reach, giving your ads greater visibility across connected TV screens.

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YouTube Shorts’ Growth By the Numbers

YouTube Shorts has seen massive growth in the U.S., with monthly active users (MAUs) rising from 118.1 million in 2020 to 164.5 million in 2024. With YouTube’s expansion into Connected TV (CTV), this reach has extended further, adding 8 million users from YouTube TV screens.

As an official ad placement, YouTube Shorts has positioned itself as a strong competitor to TikTok in the short-form video advertising space.

Still mulling over whether YouTube Shorts ads are the way to go? Here’s what the numbers say:

• 5.91% Engagement rate – the highest among short-form platforms (TikTok 5.75%; Instagram Reels 5.53%
• 106.28% More likes than regular video content on YouTube
• 3x Increased ad RPM (revenue for creators)
• 43% U.S. advertisers already leveraging YouTube Shorts ads for promotions

Advantages of Advertising on YouTube Shorts

Transitioning your TikTok ads to YouTube Shorts unlocks a range of benefits, thanks to YouTube’s established presence in video advertising. With years of dominance in the space, YouTube provides a more stable and scalable platform—especially if TikTok is no longer a viable option for your brand.

Strong Creator Ecosystem

If influencer marketing is central to your TikTok ad campaigns, YouTube Shorts offers a powerful alternative. YouTube has its own thriving creator community, and studies show that 59% of content is shared across multiple social platforms—primarily TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Before making the switch, check if your TikTok influencers have a YouTube presence—you may already have an existing audience to tap into.

To make partnerships easier, YouTube offers BrandConnect, a platform designed to connect brands and creators seamlessly. Announced during the Google Marketing Live Update, BrandConnect allows advertisers to:

• Find creators who have already tagged or reviewed your brand
• Propose collaborations for sponsored content
• Promote creator content directly in YouTube Shorts ads

Broader Audience Reach

TikTok’s user base skews younger, with 25% of its audience aged 18-24 and over 30% aged 25-34. While this is great for brands targeting Gen Z and Millennials, YouTube offers a more diverse audience, including older age groups with higher purchasing power.

Here’s a breakdown of YouTube’s U.S. demographic reach:

• Gen Z (25.1%) and Millennials (25.5%) make up the majority of users
• Gen X (19.9%) and Baby Boomers (15%) represent a significant portion of viewers
• YouTube Shorts’ audience mirrors this diversity, with:
  • 18-24 (15.7%)
  • 45-54 (12.9%)

This means that YouTube Shorts ads can reach not only younger audiences but also consumers with greater purchasing intent and spending capacity—a crucial factor for high-value brands and premium products.

By shifting your TikTok ad campaigns to YouTube Shorts, you’re expanding your reach to a wider audience with stronger conversion potential.

Expanding Reach with YouTube (and Google’s) Ecosystem

As part of Google’s extensive ecosystem, YouTube can be integrated with other Google platforms to maximize your campaign reach.

This allows advertisers to expand to multiple touchpoints within a single network, significantly expanding audience reach.

Thus, for advertisers transitioning from TikTok to YouTube Shorts ads, this can be challenging and overwhelming. Google offers a wide variety of campaign types, ad formats, and placements, making it easy to feel lost in the options.

While you might be tempted to explore display ads or Performance Max campaigns, YouTube is your best option if your focus is on video advertising.

Let’s break down how your TikTok ad campaign focused on reach can be expanded when shifting to YouTube Shorts or YouTube ads overall:

* For Efficient reach & Target frequency campaign sub-objective (includes bumper)
* For Non-skippable reach & Target frequency campaign sub-objective

TikTok ads are primarily limited to the app, appearing in the For You Feed, Following Feed, and Profile Feed. However, if you’re looking to expand your reach, you can also advertise through Pangle, TikTok’s ad network, which allows you to connect with audiences across 100,000+ global apps.

With YouTube Shorts, you can expand your audience reach and strengthen lower-funnel campaigns, allowing for precise targeting at different stages of the customer journey. Additionally, brand safety remains a top priority on YouTube, to make sure your ads appear alongside safe and suitable content. 

To avoid last-minute scrambling as TikTok’s future remains in flux, future-proofing your ads by transitioning to YouTube Shorts makes sense. While the shift from TikTok ads to YouTube Shorts ads may involve several steps, it will undoubtedly offer greater stability and benefits in the long term.

YouTube Shorts vs. TikTok Ads: What You Need to Know

Before making the shift from TikTok ads to YouTube Shorts video ads, you must consider key elements such as ad creatives, cost structures, and campaign setup. While both platforms focus on short-form video content, YouTube offers a wider range of placements compared to TikTok. 

This means that your video advertising strategy will need to be adjusted to ensure optimal performance on YouTube Shorts.

Format Considerations

Short-form video content is best viewed in the 9:16 vertical format, but both TikTok and YouTube Shorts offer flexibility in aspect ratios, allowing for a variety of creative approaches. For instance, if you want your audience to focus on a smaller creative, you can easily adjust. However, maximizing screen space with vertical videos remains the optimal choice for capturing attention.

Here’s a quick guide on ad creative specs, safe zones, and how TikTok vs. YouTube Shorts compare:

As shown above, YouTube Shorts supports a broader range of file types. This allows brands and influencer partners to repurpose existing video content more easily and tailor ads to different viewing experiences. Moreover, YouTube Shorts’ structure for headlines and text enables clearer messaging and calls to action (CTA), regardless of where your ad appears.

Ultimately, scaling your advertising from TikTok to YouTube Shorts can enhance your creative flexibility, allowing you to produce more engaging content for your audience.

Cost Comparison

Budget considerations will naturally be a key factor when shifting your advertising strategy from TikTok to YouTube Shorts. While YouTube claims a 6% higher share in ad spend compared to TikTok, you might assume this means higher advertising costs—but that’s not always the case.

We analyzed Strike Social’s U.S. YouTube and TikTok campaigns, focusing on clicks and actions to determine how campaigns would perform if transferred. The reason behind this is simple: YouTube’s diverse campaign formats and objective options allow for greater precision in targeting your goals.

Instead of being limited to just one video view format, such as YouTube Shorts, you can also take advantage of other placements where your ads could perform even better.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the costs for TikTok ads vs. YouTube ads, helping you make a more informed decision:

YouTube’s CPC and CTR, while fluctuating, tend to be more stable and predictable than TikTok’s. This makes budgeting and campaign planning easier, giving advertisers more confidence in their decisions.

While YouTube CPC levels are not immune to the holiday seasons, TikTok also shows a rise, especially during Q4. As seen above, even with YouTube ad costs rising, driving clicks is managed well, as long as brands are partnered with the right YouTube advertising agency. 

Differences in Campaign Setup and Management

If you’ve worked with other ad management platforms like Facebook or Snapchat Ads Manager, you’ll notice some similarities in system navigation.

However, if your experience is primarily with TikTok ads, transitioning to Google Ad Manager for YouTube Shorts may require additional guidance. Here are the key differences to keep in mind:

Campaign Goals

In TikTok Ads Manager, campaign objectives are straightforward and tied to specific goals, with a simple setup process and consistent feed placements.

As for Google Ad Manager, you’ll need to select the appropriate campaign objective and format tailored specifically for YouTube Shorts ads. Here are some of the relevant formats for YouTube Shorts:

• Awareness & Consideration
  • Demand Gen
  • Video (Video views, Efficient reach)
• Conversion Goals
  • Demand Gen
  • Video (selecting Video as a sub-objective would also direct to Demand Gen due to the transition from Video Action Campaigns)

Targeting Options

Apart from the usual audience targeting features such as location, age, and interests, you can create Custom Audiences or Audience Segments. While this feature is also available in TikTok through Saved Audience, you’d have to prepare your audience list in the TikTok Business Center as there’s currently no option to do it within the campaign setup page.

• For YouTube, you can use a previously saved audience list or create a new one immediately without leaving the setup page. 
• YouTube advertising now allows users to target Nielsen DMA regions. TikTok launched this feature in 2021, and Google followed suit in 2023.

Ad Placements

Did you know that with CTV views growing 130%, YouTube has been thriving on both short-form and now bigger screens? Thus, there’s no harm in being flexible with where your ads can appear.

Although there isn’t a specific option to exclusively place ads on YouTube Shorts, with proper optimization, you can focus your efforts on this placement. Achieving this is made easier with the right software and a skilled team to help maximize your performance while staying within budget.

For example, during the Q4 season, we helped an HVAC brand leverage the power of YouTube Shorts ads, achieving 59% cost efficiency and generating up to 5.3 million total video views during the campaign flight.

Shifting Gears From TikTok Ads to YouTube Shorts

Transitioning from TikTok ads to YouTube Shorts is a significant shift, especially if TikTok has been a primary source of leads or sales, delivering strong results for your brand. However, the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future in the U.S. raises questions about its long-term viability. Marketers and brands must adapt quickly, rather than waiting until it’s too late.

The good news is that your current TikTok ad campaigns can be successfully transitioned to YouTube Shorts, opening up copious opportunities. Ready to take the leap and thrive on a new platform? Send us a message below, and let us help you elevate your ad performance as you move from TikTok to YouTube Shorts ads.

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The post Transitioning TikTok Ads to YouTube Shorts Effectively appeared first on Strike Social.

Guide to Transitioning Your TikTok Ads to Instagram Reels

If the TikTok ban proceeds without a resolution, advertisers will need a new platform to reallocate their ad spend. With 170 million U.S. TikTok users, now “TikTok refugees”, seeking a new home for short-form content, Instagram Reels is emerging as the top alternative.

Instagram Reels offers an experience that closely mirrors TikTok’s feed, making it a natural transition for audiences and advertisers. Plus, with Instagram’s foundation in photo and video content, brands gain expanded opportunities beyond short-form video.

For advertisers looking to move TikTok ads to Instagram Reels, the transition may seem straightforward. And with the right tools and strategy, it can be. This guide will walk you through everything you need to run ads on Instagram Reels and successfully make the switch.

Why Choose Instagram Reels

Did you know that Reels now make up 38.5% of the content on users’ Instagram feeds? That’s nearly on par with the platform’s original focus—photos, which account for 39.8% of shared content. Despite launching later in August 2020, the growth of this content format is surely not going unnoticed.

Rising Popularity and Engagement

In the plight of the news of TikTok restrictions from 2024, Reels was already the first choice of U.S. users. Based on MGH, Inc.’s survey, about 60% say they will jump to this platform if it totally closes down.

Instagram Reels can easily be seen as TikTok’s competitor, with its significant share of the short-form video audience. While TikTok leads with a 5.53% engagement rate, Instagram Reels is closely behind at 4.36%. The platform is also seeing consistent growth, with a 3.7% YoY increase in user count, further boosting its appeal.

For brands leveraging influencer marketing, Instagram has introduced new updates. One of which is Trial Reels, which allow content creators to A/B test their videos before releasing them to the public.

Additionally, Instagram Reels now allows videos up to 3 minutes long, providing more time for creators and advertisers alike to connect with audiences.

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Further Reading

Partner Up with Brilliant Instagram Creators with Partnership Ads

As you continue to utilize influencer content for your brand’s marketing, Instagram continues to innovate to ease up the process. Know how you can connect with more communities and audiences on Instagram using Partnership Ads.

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Meta’s Robust Ad Ecosystem

While TikTok captures about a third of the U.S. population, Meta’s dominance in social media advertising is unmatched. With Facebook and Instagram holding 77% and 56% of the U.S. social media market, respectively, TikTok trails behind in fourth place at 45%.

Meta also leads in digital ad spending with a 21.3% share in the U.S. and commands an even larger 74.5% of social media ad spend. This makes advertising on Instagram Reels a strategic move, allowing brands to tap into Meta’s extensive ecosystem.

Beyond Instagram Reels, advertisers gain access to Facebook video placements, Feeds, and Meta Audience Network, which extends its reach across over 10 million publishers.

Stability Amid Regulatory Challenges

With TikTok facing ongoing scrutiny in the U.S., advertisers need a reliable and stable platform to continue reaching their audiences. As part of Meta, Instagram offers a more secure advertising environment, backed by an established U.S. presence and strong financial performance—Meta stocks saw a nearly two-thirds increase by the end of Q4 2024.

Even before the January 19 TikTok ban, creators were already directing their audiences to Instagram as their new content hub. This shift underscores Instagram’s role as the primary beneficiary of ad spend reallocation and the trust and long-term stability the platform provides for brands and advertisers.

Is Instagram Reels the Right Choice?

TikTok has built a unique space in short-form video, but does Instagram Reels truly compare? If you’re considering shifting from TikTok ads to Instagram Reels advertising, it’s important to understand the similarities and differences.

Let’s break down how these platforms align for advertisers and what you need to consider when making the switch.

Audience Demographics

Instagram Reels ads reach users starting at age 18, and Instagram’s audience closely mirrors TikTok’s, especially among younger demographics. In fact, 78% of U.S. adults aged 18-29 use Instagram, compared to 62% on TikTok. Here’s how the two platforms stack up across different age groups:

While younger users are active on both platforms, Instagram has a notable advantage in reaching older demographics—particularly users 30 and above, such as parents, families, and professionals. This makes Instagram Reels a strong alternative for targeting a wider age range beyond Gen Z.

Diversifying Ad Spend

According to eMarketer data, Instagram is set to capture up to 22% of ad spend reallocation. This puts Instagram ahead of its partner app, Facebook (17%), and YouTube (10%), making it the top alternative for advertisers shifting budgets from TikTok.

But what about ad costs? Does transitioning from TikTok ads to Instagram Reels mean a higher cost with the incoming competition? Jump to our costs and budget discussion for an in-depth look at Strike Social’s ad cost data for TikTok and Instagram.

Instagram Reels vs. TikTok Ads: Key Differences to Consider Before the Move

You’ve noticed the similarities—where TikTok and Instagram overlap, the shared features, and the advantages you can leverage. Now, let’s examine how the actual campaign preparation and setup differ. We’ll explore the creative process, ad campaign setup, and optimization as you transition from TikTok to Instagram Reels advertising.

Creative Adjustments

While both TikTok ads and Instagram Reels use a 9:16 vertical format, their safe zones, ad specs, and text placements differ. Optimize your video ad creatives for Instagram Reels’ layout to ensure a smooth transition. For a clearer view, let’s visualize this:

A side-by-side comparison reveals that moving your ad from TikTok to Instagram Reels offers a larger safe zone. TikTok’s ad layout accommodates up to four lines of text, requiring additional space at the bottom—an area that should be kept free of calls to action (CTAs).

Additionally, primary text on Instagram Reels appears in a smaller font size compared to TikTok, providing more space when transferring your video ad.

Refer to the table below to make sure your TikTok ads are compatible with Instagram Reels’ specifications. It outlines the minimum requirements to guarantee that when you switch from TikTok to Instagram Reels advertising, you’ll maintain (or even improve) the visual resolution for your audience’s view.

With the data above in mind, you can now tweak your image or video ad creatives to be more compatible before you launch your paid ads on Instagram. Keep in mind that you are entering a more aesthetically coordinated type of content platform, and it’s important to make the right impression with your Instagram Reels ads.

Costs and Budget

As you finalize your transition from TikTok to Instagram Reels ads, ad spend and campaign budget will definitely be important factors to consider. Without understanding how competitive Instagram advertising can be, you might be concerned about the potential increase in costs when making the switch.

To help you make an informed decision, let’s take a look at Strike Social’s campaign data:

CPM and CTR Trends

Many brands are vying for brand awareness on TikTok, leading to historically higher CPMs on the platform. Although TikTok’s CPM for Q1 2025 is projected to drop to $4.20 due to the impending ban, you can also expect lower engagement, especially if your primary audience targeting is largely or exclusively U.S.-based.

This trend has already been observed at the end of Q4, when TikTok’s CPM began to narrow the gap with Instagram CPM. Strike Social’s data further shows that while TikTok’s click-through rates (CTR) have been higher, there is a noticeable drop as the January ban approaches. During the same period, Instagram’s CTR continued to rise, highlighting the growing effectiveness of Instagram Reels advertising and demonstrating that it can now compete on equal footing with TikTok.

As indicated in the data, if impressions and brand awareness are your primary goals, based on our data (and with the steady user growth on IG),  Instagram offers lower CPM trends compared to TikTok. While Q4 does show an uptick in rates—likely due to the holiday season—these higher CPMs are still relatively close to the previous month’s levels, rather than a drastic peak.

TikTok vs. Instagram Cost Benchmarks

To give you a better sense of the cost differences, here’s a quick comparison of cost benchmarks for various campaign types on TikTok and Instagram:

It’s clear that Instagram can now match TikTok’s cost levels, particularly in terms of CPM and CPV. While you’ll need to adjust your campaign budget for Instagram advertising, the data suggests it will ultimately be a more efficient investment.

However, competition is likely to increase as more brands consider making the switch, which could raise these costs over time. With the right agency partner, you can optimize your costs while ensuring campaign performance stays strong. Learn more about how we can help you make the switch by scheduling a personalized walkthrough of our AdTech services.

Ad Setup, Targeting, and Campaign Management

While ad management software is generally easy to understand once you’re familiar with how it works, there will be some unfamiliar terms and tools that differ from what you’re used to.

One basic thing, though, is that both TikTok and Meta Ads Manager funnel down starting from Campaign to Ad Groups or Ad Sets and Ads level. However, for instance, TikTok classifies views as 2-second views, 6-second views, and video view-through. For Instagram (Meta), the classification for video views goes from 2-second video plays to 3-second video plays and ThruPlay.

To help simplify your process, we’re going to give you some of the things you can adapt to while shifting your ads over from TikTok to Instagram Reels:

Ad Placements

• TikTok: Available ad placements include TopView (the first ad shown upon opening the app) and In-Feed (For You, Search, Profile). In TikTok Ads Manager, you cannot specifically choose which placement you want your ad to appear in. However, you can deselect the tick box if you do not want your ads to appear in the Search Feed or search results.
• Instagram: Available ad placements include Reels, Explore, and In-Stream (post-loop). In Meta Ads Manager, you can choose to promote exclusively on Instagram Reels or expand to other placements. If you select Advantage+, Meta will automatically determine the placements where your video ad will perform best within the Meta Audience Network.

Audience Targeting

• TikTok and Instagram Reels offer similar audience targeting options. Meta recently added DMA targeting (introduced in 2023), which was already available on TikTok since 2021.
• A key distinction lies in Custom Audiences:
  • TikTok requires a minimum of 1,000 users in a Custom Audience to begin targeting matched users.
  • Meta only requires a minimum of 100 users, making it easier to refine your ad audience with smaller lists.

Ad Monitoring and Management

• Both TikTok Ads Manager and Meta Ads Manager provide comprehensive ad monitoring tools designed for their respective platforms. For a quick comparison, here’s a side-by-side view of TikTok Ads Manager and Meta Ads Manager:

• Getting familiar with a completely new platform may take some time and require adjustment. Browse through our Meta Ads Manager guide to begin your learning.

Make the Switch to Instagram Ads Without Sacrificing Performance

TikTok is still very much active to this point, that much is true. But for U.S. advertisers, your local audiences can still be reached through other mediums that don’t compromise your costs and keep traffic and sales coming through. Your priority now is to never let your ad campaigns go dark, and moving TikTok ads to Instagram Reels may just be the best decision you make.

Simplify this transition by partnering with the right experts and using the right tools. Strike Social specializes in ad activation and management, easing the burden on your in-house advertising team and taking care of the heavy lifting for you.

Ready to make the move to Instagram Reels? Contact Strike Social today to get your Instagram ads up and running.

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The post Shifting From TikTok to Instagram Reels Ads Without Losing Performance appeared first on Strike Social.

How to Create Successful Mother’s Day Advertising Campaigns

In 2023, Americans allocated up to $35.7 billion for Mother’s Day gifts and festivities, according to the National Retail Federation. With Mother’s Day ranking as the third-largest retail holiday in the US, it’s clear that brands can’t afford to overlook the opportunity to capture consumer attention during this high-spending occasion.

Wondering how to ensure your brand stays top-of-mind? Explore the strategies in this blog to learn how to make the most of this significant holiday.

Analyzing Consumer Behavior for Mother’s Day Marketing Strategies

Before we strategize how your brand can make its mark on Mother’s Day 2024, you must understand first how consumer behavior shifts during this holiday. Let’s dissect the trends from Mother’s Day 2023 and identify patterns to guide our approach. As the world inches back toward normalcy, we must assess whether online advertising remains the primary avenue and, if so, how best to leverage it.

Shopping Destinations

According to NRF’s survey, online spending surged in 2020 due to limited options, but over the past three years, there’s been a resurgence in physical store visits. Specialty stores have also seen a hike as shoppers seek out establishments catering specifically to their desired products or services.

Gift Choices

Flowers, greeting cards, and special outings have remained the top three gift choices for three consecutive years. The allure of “gifts of experience” continues to grow, reflecting consumers’ desire for meaningful presents that foster lasting memories.

Although jewelry and electronics dominate consumer sales and spending, special outings claim the second spot, highlighting the preference for unique experiences.

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Further Reading

Advertising Strategies to Build Up Your 2024 Father’s Day Campaigns

With Father’s Day just around the corner, brands have a prime opportunity to capture attention. As the celebration kicks off near summer, now is the time to refine your paid social campaigns for greater reach and engagement.

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How Advertisers Can Spark Buzz for Mother’s Day Promotions

Now that we understand shoppers’ preferences and behaviors during this retail holiday, how can we align our Mother’s Day advertising strategies to stay at the top of our minds? Here are the tips to keep in mind:

Engage Your Audience with Gamified Ads

Did you know that consumers are 56% more likely to click on a gamified ad than a static one? Incorporate prizes and instant-win draws into your ads, such as Mother’s Day gifts or vouchers, to cater to consumers looking to save on their 2024 Mother’s Day purchases.

A Reels ad on Facebook or Instagram can efficiently convey all the necessary information in one shot. Acanva Home exemplifies this approach in their ad, presenting all the details upfront without requiring viewers to scroll through to grasp the mechanics.

In a Click-focused campaign, each clickthrough to your ad indicates your ad’s effectiveness. Here are the benchmarks to gauge your ad’s performance during the Mother’s Day advertising period:

Highlight Relationships and Motherly Love

Mother’s Day is fundamentally about celebrating relationships, particularly the bond between mothers and their loved ones. Tailor your campaigns accordingly:

• for women aged 30 and above, expressing gratitude towards mothers in general may resonate;
• younger demographics like Gen Z and millennials may appreciate assistance in finding the perfect gift for the maternal figures in their lives.

Short-form ads could certainly hit the spot, much like Papier’s TikTok Interactive ad with a 12-second duration. This engaging clip highlights the versatility of their customizable gifts, making every second count.

If the goal is to maintain viewer engagement until they reach your CTA, you must consider these CPV benchmarks during this advertising period:

Communicate Your Mother’s Day Marketing Offers

Don’t hesitate to promote your Mother’s Day offers prominently. Whether it’s discounts, promo codes, or special deals, ensure your audience knows about them. Since discount stores have consistently ranked among the top five shopping destinations for the past four years, being explicit about your discounts can significantly impact your Mother’s Day advertising campaigns.

Carousel ads on Facebook, optimized for Impressions, offer an ideal platform for showcasing multiple offers or discounts across various products. Check out this example from Tea.Tsy, where they effectively showcase their products, highlight promo codes and demonstrate potential savings on purchases.

During April, Facebook’s CPM can drop by 5%. However, it’s essential to note that it may be slightly more competitive during the 1-2 weeks leading up to Mother’s Day.

Promote Gift Sets and Packages

Gift sets are increasingly popular, with 57% of consumers seeing them as good value for money. They’re perfect for cost-conscious and time-pressed shoppers, offering convenient options for impulse purchases and thoughtful gifts. If your brand offers packages or gift sets, now is the perfect time to use them in your Mother’s Day marketing strategy. 

Take inspiration from Valentino’s video ad showcasing a meticulously crafted gift box, a perfect example of enticing packaging that adds value to your offerings.

Celebrate Your Brand This Mother’s Day 2024

While Mother’s Day might seem like just another retail event, it’s a golden opportunity waiting to be seized. With online shopping continuing to dominate this season, there’s no better time to leverage the hype and dive into the frenzy.

We understand your love for your moms and the brands you represent. So, why not make this Mother’s Day 2024 a win-win? Craft compelling campaigns that tug at heartstrings and connect with consumers on a deeper level. By delivering what they want and need, you’ll ensure your brand feels the love it deserves.

As you gear up for Mother’s Day 2024, keep your finger on the pulse of consumer trends, think outside the box, and offer irresistible deals. With the right strategy, you’ll make this Mother’s Day one to remember.

The post Trends and Ideas for Mother’s Day Advertising 2024 appeared first on Strike Social.

Tapping into the right audience can transform an advertising campaign from good to groundbreaking – our TikTok case study shows how the 55+ age group became a pivotal demographic for one of our health campaigns. A US Healthcare brand that raised awareness about critical healthcare services did that by honing in on an often-overlooked demographic: the 55+ age group. This strategic focus led to a 37% reduction in Cost-Per-Thousand Impressions (CPM), setting a new benchmark for efficiency and engagement in health-focused advertising.

How Targeting 55+ Audiences Boosted TikTok Campaign Efficiency

The primary goal was clear: amplify awareness of vital healthcare services through a powerful TikTok campaign. The strategy was to geo-target in-feed ads to men and women aged 25+, supplemented with carefully chosen health and wellness hashtags. This approach was designed to weave the campaign’s messaging seamlessly into broader conversations around health and wellness on the platform. With this approach, we seamlessly wove the campaign’s messaging into broader conversations around health and wellness on the platform.

The campaign utilized precise localized ad targeting, using specific zip codes to enhance ad relevance and engagement rates, effectively reducing wasted impressions. Furthermore, by including older demographics, specifically the 45+ age group, the campaign tapped into an audience that engages more deeply with content. This increased video completion rates and improved the campaign’s standing with TikTok’s algorithm, reducing the overall CPM.

A broad array of relevant hashtags—from #HealthAndFitness to #WellnessMotivation—was strategically employed to expand the campaign’s reach. This use of hashtags ensured the ads appeared in more relevant searches and feeds, attracting genuinely interested health and wellness viewers, significantly reducing ad costs.

This TikTok campaign demonstrates the untapped potential of older age groups in the healthcare and wellness sector. By strategically targeting the 55+ demographic, the campaign improved engagement and efficiency and set a new standard for optimizing health campaigns’ reach and impact.

Interested in how Strike Social can help invigorate your health campaign with tailored social media strategies? Book a meeting today for a quick discussion about how we can transform your digital advertising efforts and achieve remarkable results.

The post TikTok’s 55+ Age Group Invigorates Health Campaign CPM by 37% appeared first on Strike Social.

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This post was updated in January 2025 to provide you with the latest information.

After News of the US TikTok Ban, How Can You Shift Your Social Media Ad Strategies?

The latest U.S. TikTok ban updates include a tentative shutdown date set for January 19, users migrating to another Chinese social app called RedNote, and incoming President-elect Trump planning to attempt saving the app after his inauguration.

Despite the challenges posed by the upcoming TikTok ban, it seems that the concerns primarily stem from lawmakers, attributed to their limited understanding of the technology, rather than from the US audience, which has shown remarkable composure. While significant and deserving of attention, the situation about the US TikTok ban presents an opportunity for us to prepare you for the inevitable and forthcoming shift.

The Uncertain Future Post-TikTok Ban

It all started in 2020 when then-US President Donald Trump viewed TikTok as a national security threat and announced that the government was considering banning the app. Fast forward to March 13, 2024, when the Senate passed the bill approving the legislation that forces TikTok to sell ownership from a Chinese-owned company to a United States-owned one.

While the TikTok app may not be a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE), ByteDance has a diverse ownership structure: 60% by global investors, including those from the U.S., 20% by its Chinese co-founders, and 20% by its employees, which includes thousands in the U.S.

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Further Reading

Map Out the U.S. TikTok Ban Timeline

Reflect on TikTok’s evolution in the US—from a platform for dance trends and viral skits to a centerpiece of national security debates. Explore the multifaceted story of the app’s rise and the controversies that have culminated in TikTok being banned from government access and potentially from US users entirely.

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What the Media is Talking About

Despite ongoing discussions and legislative actions in the works for months, TikTok’s popularity remains strong. However, the threat of the U.S. TikTok ban is a real possibility. This raises important questions for advertisers about adapting and preparing for a future that might change TikTok’s operations drastically.

What Does the Bill to Ban TikTok Mean for Future Campaigns?

Should it retain its affiliation with ByteDance, its Chinese parent company, the potential ban of TikTok in the United States presents a complex scenario for advertisers utilizing the platform. Here, we examine what such a scenario could mean for brands and advertisers capitalizing on TikTok views and engagement:

Reach and Targeting Challenges

• With the TikTok app banned, a primary consequence would be the immediate loss of the US audience demographic. Advertisers who have been targeting American users might find themselves asking, “Why can’t I target USA on TikTok ads?”
• The answer lies in the unavailability of TikTok within the United States, compelling those who wish to reach American consumers to pivot towards TikTok local ads. 

How Can TikTok Advertisers Adapt to the Change?

The possibility of TikTok being banned in the U.S. is becoming increasingly likely. Even if a request for another 270-day extension is approved, delaying the ban until October, TikTok advertisers in the U.S. must take proactive steps to adjust their strategies.

Below are key approaches to consider in light of the uncertain future concerning TikTok getting banned in the U.S.:

Adjusting your Audience Targeting Strategy

If the United States is no longer available for targeting, you can adjust your location targeting settings within TikTok Ads Manager. This is particularly useful for international brands, ensuring that budgets are not wasted on an unavailable US audience.

Alternatively, you can identify countries with significant US/American tourist populations as alternative targets. This approach helps maintain engagement with American users indirectly, for example, through their top travel destinations. For instance, the top 5 American travel destinations in 2024 that can be targeted on TikTok are United Kingdom*, Canada, Japan, Indonesia, and Italy.

* Targeting the United Kingdom (GB) is only available for managed accounts in Australia (AU).

Safeguarding Digital Assets

In anticipation of TikTok assets potentially becoming inaccessible, consider migrating them to alternative platforms like Meta and YouTube. Expanding to these platforms secures your assets and opens up new avenues for short-form video advertising.

• Reels is dominating on Facebook and Instagram, with users spending approximately two-thirds of their time engaging with video content. Moreover, Instagram alone is projected to account for over 50% of U.S. ad spend in 2025.
• Advertisers transitioning to Shorts in 2025 should note that 43% of U.S. ad buyers are already active in this space. Optimizing YouTube ad costs is achievable with the support of the right AdTech agency. By leveraging the flexibility to optimize across Shorts, feed, and even CTV, you can achieve high performance at competitive costs.

Keep producing vertical, short-form content to align with your audience’s established viewing habits and preferences, ensuring a consistent user experience across platforms.

Budgetary Considerations and Planning

Anticipate potential changes by formulating a plan that includes TikTok but also consider a strategic reallocation of your budget towards alternative platforms.

For instance, in planning a Super Bowl 2025 campaign where TikTok is a primary channel, consider reducing its budget while increasing allocations for Meta and YouTube. Here’s an example:

This strategy involves adjusting the advertising budget, initially allocating 50% to TikTok in Q3 2024, then reducing it to 40% by Q4 2024. To address anticipated changes proactively, the plan includes further decreasing the TikTok budget to 25% by Q1 2025. The funds saved from this reduction will be shifted towards YouTube advertising, capitalizing on its Shorts feature, which closely mirrors the short-form video format popularized by TikTok.

By proactively adjusting audience targeting settings, migrating digital assets, and reevaluating budget allocations, you can stay ahead and maintain your brand’s advertising strategies with minimal disruption.

What Opportunities Lie Ahead for TikTok Advertisers?

With the US TikTok ban on the horizon, it’s evident that adaptability is key. The risk of TikTok becoming inaccessible overnight highlights the need for proactive planning and strategic foresight. Being caught off-guard by TikTok’s potential exit from the US market could significantly impact your advertising efforts. Still, with the right tools, you can turn these challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.

Collaborating with an advertising partner capable of navigating these uncertainties is crucial. Our experienced team offers essential insights for expanding your advertising to other platforms, preparing you for any outcome of the U.S. TikTok ban. Arrange a consultation with us to explore how your advertising strategies can continue to thrive.

The post Can Advertisers Overcome the Challenges of a Potential TikTok Ban in the US? appeared first on Strike Social.

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This post was updated in January 2025 to provide you with the latest information.

Restriction of TikTok in the United States & Marketers’ Next Move

The ticking clock on the restriction of TikTok in the United States grows louder each day. As US TikTok app users closer to the possibility of a ban, the platform’s vibrant community, encompassing a wide range of demographics, faces an uncertain future.

The concerns surrounding TikTok go beyond its user base, as marketers globally prepare for potential disruptions to advertising strategies and content creation if the full restriction of TikTok in the United States moves forward.

To fully grasp this complex debate, we must look back at TikTok’s evolution in the US. It’s a tale of transformation—from a hub for dance trends and viral skits to a focal point of national security discussions. Join us as we unpack the multifaceted narrative of the app’s ascent and the ensuing controversies that have led to increasing TikTok restrictions in the US.

See a snapshot of the pivotal moments that have shaped TikTok’s journey in the US, underscoring the app’s ascent and the controversies that have threatened its presence.

The evolving narrative around TikTok’s operational challenges in the US  speaks a broader conversation about digital privacy, national security, and the future of international tech companies on American soil.

For marketers who have found efficacy and opportunity on the platform, the looming question is not just hypothetical but pressing: ‘What are the next steps after hearing the news about the restriction of TikTok in the United States?”

Why Panicking Shouldn’t Be On Your 2025 TikTok Advertising Strategy

The motion for TikTok restrictions in US has caused fear and panic among many users, creators, and advertisers. Headlines scream “Ban TikTok!” while social media feeds are flooded with speculation and lists of “Here’s what to do”. But before hitting the panic button, let’s take a deep breath and separate fact from fiction based on the recent news about the restrictions of TikTok in the United States.

Focusing on Facts Rather than Fear

Unfortunately, the uncertainty surrounding TikTok getting banned has become a breeding ground of confusion and baseless decisions. Here are some common anxieties we’ll discuss and give light:

Complete TikTok Ban Imminent

• While the US House has proposed a nationwide ban in 2024, the enactment could take effect by January 19, 2025. The situation is constantly evolving, with ongoing discussions and investigations. There’s still many discussions going on, such as TikTok appealing to President-elect Donald Trump, showing his stats from the last election and how TikTok views boosted him amongst other candidates.
• However, shall the full restrictions of TikTok in the United States take effect, this would impact not only the general public but also government devices and all government contracts. This includes personal devices used for federal contract work. To determine if your company is exempt from these restrictions, consider conducting an EPLS search.

Data Vanishing Act

• Users worried about losing all their data can find some solace here. Since June 2022, TikTok claims to have transferred US user data to Oracle servers in the US. However, skepticism persists regarding China’s potential data access.

Safekeeping Content

• Similar to having a window to access the data, even in a scenario when complete TikTok restrictions take place, users can download their data –  photos, videos, and other content.

The Fall of the TikTok Influencer

• Geographical restrictions may not signal the end of influencer marketing fueled by TikTok Spark Ads.
• Many influencers and creators are already pivoting to alternative platforms and reshaping their strategies to cultivate fresh audiences from the ground up.

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Further Reading

YouTube Shorts vs. Reels: What’s the Next Go-To Short-Form Platform

With a potential TikTok ban looming in the US, advertisers should keep their options open. Between YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, which short-form platform should you turn to next?

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TikTok Community Adaptation

• If a ban happens, it’s unlikely to be immediate. The restriction of TikTok in the United States would give advertisers time to adjust their strategies and explore alternative platforms that might emerge to fill the gap.
• Businesses and creators should be ready to follow where the TikTok Nomads will eventually find their new home.

Short-Term Effects of Full TikTok Restrictions for U.S. Advertisers

Advertisers who have decided to stand still and tell their clients “Business As Usual” right after the news breaks out may reap their rewards.

Surge of Ad Costs on Other Short-Form Platforms

The ripple effect of TikTok restrictions in the US could catalyze a redistribution of ad budgets across paid social platforms.

Once ad money started to steer away from TikTok, advertisers might feel the tilt of price movement when comparing ad cost to other major short-form video platforms such as YouTube and Meta. This heightened activity might initially drive up ad costs.

Loyalty to TikTok May Still Pay Off

Moreover, the departure of brands who advertise on TikTok, anticipating a ban, opens up the floor for lower competition on the platform. This scenario creates a more open playing field for those who choose to stay, offering enhanced visibility and potentially higher engagement rates at lower costs.

Remember, the users did not leave the platform, and TikTok’s average time spent on the platform continues to rise. Isn’t that the land filled with milk and honey for the TikTok advertisers?

New Avenues to Discover when Diverting TikTok Ads

Lastly, the rise of emerging platforms in the wake of TikTok’s challenges could spotlight new advertising opportunities. These platforms will likely introduce innovative targeting options and deeper audience insights, offering fresh avenues to explore and capitalize on.

YouTube has developed its ad solutions by adding YouTube Shorts to its ad placements (Video Action Campaign, Video View Campaign, and Video Reach Campaign).

Further, Facebook is supercharging Reels by adding it to their sales-driven campaign objective, shopping ads.

How Do We React About The Restriction of TikTok in the United States

In today’s lens, the news of TikTok getting banned may seem like a hurdle, but it can also be an opportunity for growth and efficacy. Businesses that remain adaptable and embrace change will be well-positioned to thrive in the evolving digital landscape.

Advertisers should stay on their fingers about the latest developments surrounding the ban and potential timelines.  From a long-term perspective, advertisers can prevent TikTok doom’s day by diversifying their marketing strategies by exploring alternative platforms and tailoring content to each platform’s specific audience and format. Remember, strong content that resonates with your target audience is the backbone of any successful digital marketing campaign, regardless of your chosen platform.

For short sprints of TikTok ad campaigns, media buyers may see efficiency once the room filled with buyers starts emptying some space due to moving ad money away from TikTok. Remaining proactive, creative, and data-driven, you can transform uncertainty into a springboard for success in the ever-changing world of digital marketing.

If you want to talk more about the possible effects and what to do next about the news around the restriction of TikTok in the United States, feel free to contact our Strike experts.

The post Marketers’ Reaction to The Restriction of TikTok in the United States appeared first on Strike Social.

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This post was updated in February 2025 to provide you with the latest information.

How TikTok Shop Transformed Buying Habits From Discovery to Purchase

Social media advertising platforms have now transformed beyond mere communication tools to bustling centers for e-commerce activities. TikTok Shop, introduced to the US market in September 2023, has rapidly gained traction, generating $363 million in consumer spending by November 2023 — just two months after its launch. It’s remarkable how the platform has evolved from a simple music and video-sharing app to a magnet for brands seeking advertising opportunities.

Keep on scrolling to discover the surge of TikTok shops and their significance for advertisers. Get amongst the lineup and seize the opportunity to maximize the capabilities of your TikTok shop ads.

The Rapid Ascent of TikTok Shops

TikTok’s share for video ad spend is currently at 7.0%, lagging behind YouTube and Meta at 8.2% and 30.4%, respectively. Now, TikTok Shop emerges as another avenue to increase the platform’s total ad spend.

Brands are flocking to TikTok Shops to tap into its engaged user base and create shoppable channels directly within the app. Integrated seamlessly into the platform, TikTok Shop ensures users are exposed to e-commerce opportunities, whether through showcased brands or live streams. With just a few clicks, users can browse and purchase products, all without leaving the app.

TikTok’s UX Simplifies Shopping Without Leaving the Platform

TikTok Shop’s integration into the main tabs of the app underscores its significance as a core feature, with users able to effortlessly transition between content viewing and shopping within the platform. While the concept of shop integration has faced challenges on other platforms, TikTok Shop demonstrates its resilience by providing easy access to customers.

As an example, when we looked up NYX Cosmetics on TikTok, the top results appeared on the first page. Additionally, we can browse through shops offering NYX products, videos, hashtags, and users. By selecting the users tab, we found our way to the NYX Cosmetics main TikTok channel and viewed their content. Furthermore, since their TikTok Shop is linked, we got to browse through their products without needing to return to the search results. Overall, TikTok excels in user experience with this integration.

The #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt Movement

The surge of influencer marketing on TikTok coupled with the introduction of TikTok Shop has provided brands new opportunities to connect with consumers. With a quick search of the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, users can find genuine reactions, recommendations, and reviews of products that other users and influencers have purchased. TikTok’s integration of shop listings and affiliate links has opened new avenues for influencer marketing, with over 100,000 creators already tapping into TikTok Shop’s affiliate program.

Discover how #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has empowered brands to collaborate with influencers and boost their presence on the TikTok shopping ad trends:

Dyson Airwrap

This hairstyling tool has become an instant sensation, accumulating over 5.1 billion views and sparking waves of enthusiasm from influencers and users alike. The Airwrap’s success lies in its ability to showcase its effectiveness through captivating video content.

L’Oréal

By utilizing the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, L’Oréal orchestrated its highest-volume sell-out to date by creating an exclusive box labeled with the hashtag and distributing it to 200 influencers. The campaign generated 4.5 million clicks and 1.7 million engagements.

Is Gen Z Redefining Consumer Behavior?

TikTok Shop and TikTok Live stand out as crucial features of the TikTok app where Gen Z’s preferences shape purchasing habits and brand perceptions. Here are key highlights of Gen Z’s dominance:

• Research suggests that Gen Z is more inclined to make purchases influenced by TikTok than any other channel. Moreover, 95% said that their last #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt purchase was worth the hype.
• Gen Z places high trust in TikTok influencers, surpassing other channels by nearly 40%.
• Evidence shows that products going viral on TikTok experience substantial growth, with one brand noting an 85% month-on-month increase in sales on Amazon.
• TikTok’s impact extends to eCommerce giants like Amazon, where dedicated features like Amazon Finds highlight products that have gained traction on TikTok, underscoring its influence throughout the customer journey.

TikTok Shop’s Growing Appeal to Buyers and Advertisers

As TikTok Shops gain momentum, the number of buyers continues to climb steadily. With an anticipated 35.8 million US social buyers in 2024, TikTok has quickly caught up to Facebook, with both platforms boasting a 37% user base making purchases. 

Here’s why the trend toward TikTok Shop purchases is expected to persist, and why brands should take note:

Valuable Insights from Actual Customers

• TikTok Shops offer valuable insights by showcasing how many people have purchased a product. This provides social proof to consumers and enables brands to evaluate market trends and competitors’ success.
• Integrated shop features allow customers to leave reviews after their purchase, providing prospective buyers with firsthand information about the product’s quality and suitability.

Affiliate & Influencer Marketing Opportunities

• Consumers tend to trust personalities they admire, which is why major brands often enlist top celebrities like Jennifer Aniston for their advertisements. Today, influencers have become equally influential choices for brands.
  • Affiliate marketing: Influencers can feature products in their video content and provide direct purchase links through their TikTok Shop basket, simplifying the buying process for their viewers and followers.
  • Influencer marketing: Brands can collaborate with influencers for video ads or live streams, effectively showcasing products and driving engagement. Another prevalent strategy is sending PR boxes to influencers, allowing them to feature products on their TikTok channels and reach a broader audience.

Drive More Views and Sales to Your TikTok Shop with These Strategies

Given TikTok’s primary focus on video content, it’s only right to capitalize on video ads to promote your TikTok Shop effectively. So, how exactly can you boost your TikTok Shop by seamlessly integrating ads into the platform’s video stream? 

Steal the spotlight with captivating video content

• The key to visibility on TikTok is consistent content creation. Showcase your products, business, and team in engaging videos. Incorporating human elements into your ads can significantly enhance their appeal.
• As an example, Cult Beauty leverages user-generated content (UGC) and hosts various series showcasing their products, like “Swatch This Space ”. In these videos, they demonstrate swatches of lip products and foundation palettes, helping buyers find the perfect color to match their preferences.

UGC: Unlocking great content

• While you create your own content, your customers can also do it for you! Engage with your community by featuring content created by your buyers and consumers. UGC not only builds trust but also extends your brand’s reach as it connects with the creators’ communities.
• NYX Cosmetics, for example, heavily relies on UGC to promote its brand, showcasing real users’ experiences with their products.

Utilize Video Shopping Ads

TikTok offers a range of advertising options designed to enhance your TikTok Shop and drive sales. Here’s how you can maximize these innovative ad formats:

Spark Ads

Take your existing videos to the next level with TikTok Spark Ads. By boosting your content, you can expand your reach beyond your current followers and tap into a broader audience.

Product Catalog

Get started on building your TikTok Shop by adding your products manually or using the provided templates.

TikTok Video Shopping Ads

These ads allow viewers to shop directly from captivating video ads featured on the For You page. Combining the best features of Collection Ads and Dynamic Showcase Ads, TikTok Video Shopping Ads offer an engaging and efficient shopping experience for users.

Is Your Brand Ready to Move to TikTok Shop?

Are you prepared to make the leap to TikTok Shop for your brand? Now that you’ve learned about the unique features and advantages of TikTok Shop, it’s time to consider integrating them into your marketing strategy. 

While transitioning to a primarily video-based platform like TikTok may seem daunting for e-commerce brands, adaptation is key. Remember, your consumers are your audience, and increased visibility builds trust in your brand. Ultimately, embracing new opportunities like TikTok Shop can enhance your brand’s reach and credibility, leading to greater success in the long run.

The post Exploring the Rise of TikTok Shop in Modern E-commerce appeared first on Strike Social.

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Rest assured, TikTok advertising doesn’t have to resemble a game of chance. By mastering the art of crafting TikTok ads that meet approval standards, you can embark on campaign journeys with confidence and ease, ensuring a smooth passage through the ad review process

Getting Your Ads Approved: Exploring the TikTok Ad Review Process

How long does it take for TikTok to review an ad? Generally, most ads are reviewed within 24 hours, swiftly determining whether your content will grace the users’ screens. This rapid feedback loop offers both promise and potential. However, securing approval is only part of the equation; comprehending the grounds for rejection is equally crucial. Familiarizing yourself with the frequent reasons for TikTok ad rejection can empower you to sidestep these common obstacles. This knowledge fosters a proactive approach, shielding your campaigns from potential setbacks.

Nevertheless, adhering to the guidelines doesn’t guarantee success; you might still encounter rejections. This guide provides insights into the TikTok ad review process, shedding light on potential rejection reasons and outlining effective appeal strategies. It transcends mere process comprehension, steering you towards adept strategic planning.

• How the TikTok Ad Review Process Unfolds
• Are Your Ads in Sync with the TikTok Ad Review Checklist?
• Steps on How to Get TikTok Ads Approved
• The Blueprint for Effective TikTok Advertising

How the TikTok Ad Review Process Unfolds

The journey of a successful TikTok ad campaign begins long before you hit the “Launch” button. Familiarizing yourself with the ad review process is a prerequisite to orchestrating a successful TikTok ad campaign. This mastery paves the way for seamless ad launches and elevates your proficiency in executing effective TikTok advertising strategies.

Let’s take a closer look at how this process works:

Submission to the TikTok ads manager

Once you have submitted your ads to the platform, you momentarily step back, allowing the TikTok machinery to take over. This stage marks the initiation of the meticulous TikTok ad review process. The submitted content undergoes a stringent evaluation to ensure it aligns with the platform’s policies and guidelines. During this phase, every element of your ad, from the visuals to the textual content, is scrutinized to foster a user-friendly and compliant advertising environment.

Industry Entry Review

This phase involves categorizing businesses to determine their eligibility for advertising on TikTok. Categories include “Prohibited,” “Restricted,” and “Allowed,” each with its own set of guidelines:

• Prohibited: Not allowed across all countries and regions
• Restricted: Granted permission in certain countries or regions, under specific conditions (e.g., certification, age targeting, etc.)
• Allowed: Unrestricted across all regions (Subject to Ad Review process)

Note: TikTok’s industry entry guidelines vary based on regions and locations.

Ad Creative Review

At this stage, your video ad undergoes further evaluation:

• Video content review
  • This involves verifying your ad’s suitability for the audience and alignment with TikTok’s advertising guidelines.
• Landing page assessment:
  • If your video ad clears the initial creative review, attention turns to the landing page linked to your ad. This landing page must also adhere to the TikTok ad requirements.
  • Your landing page must not feature prohibited products or services, regardless of the promotions in your TikTok ad. The actual offers on the landing page must match any product discount claims made in the ad.

At this stage, your video ad undergoes further evaluation, including a video content review to verify your ad’s suitability for the audience and alignment with TikTok’s advertising guidelines. Shortly after successfully passing these evaluations, you can proceed to the next step, which is to add audio to video. Landing page assessment comes next, ensuring that your landing page adheres to TikTok’s ad requirements.

If your ads successfully pass through these evaluations, your campaigns should be ready for viewing shortly.

Are Your Ads in Sync with the TikTok Ad Review Checklist?

The moment of truth arrives: the ad verdict. If your ad gets the green light, keep reading for valuable insights. But should the unfortunate “rejected” notification come your way, you’ll be armed with the know-how to take appropriate action.

Now, let’s circle back to the TikTok Ad Review Checklist. Whether refining an existing ad or brainstorming new ad content, this checklist is your best guide. The following pointers should be on your radar to ensure a seamless TikTok ad review process:

• The language you use in your ad creative and copy must align with the approved language for your target location(s). For instance, your ad creative and copy must be in English (US) if your target audience is from the United States.

• Check that your ad creative, ad copy, and display name are free of any spelling errors.

• Your ads must not have any exaggerated, overstated, or deceptive claims. For example, avoid statements like “100% natural materials” or “get brighter skin in 3 days.”

• Steer clear of political, religious, or culturally sensitive material in your ad content.

• Avoid using copy or creative that encourages actions incompatible with the app’s features, such as advising users to swipe up for downloads.

• Utilize high-quality images and/or videos. Familiarize yourself with TikTok’s specific requirements for image requirements and video specifications.

• Brands appearing within your ad creative and the display name on your profile must be consistent with the content on your landing page.

• Ensure that the products or promotions emphasized in the ad creative match the featured landing page offerings.

• According to the TikTok ad creative guidelines, advertisers must optimize their landing pages for mobile viewing. It should display horizontally and vertically, with text and buttons easily readable.

• Moreover, the landing page connected to your ad should use HTTPS to safeguard users’ data. A secured website prevents potential third-party interception and maintains user data integrity.

• Refrain from incorporating unauthorized elements, including brands, hashtags, copyrighted media, and replicas. If you can use elements from another brand, upload the authorization documentation in the Business Verification section within Account Settings.

• Pay close attention to your video ad’s background audio (music or sound). Clarity and coherence are crucial, as audio is mandatory for video ads.

Overcoming Ad Rejection: Steps on How to Get TikTok Ads Approved

Your ability to request a re-review or appeal depends on your ad submission’s current status. Start by checking the status in TikTok Ads Manager, and assess whether the option to submit a request is available:

Source: TikTok for Business – TikTok Rewind: Ad Policy Training

TikTok Ad Appeal Process For Ad Group Rejections (Ad Creative Review Failed):

1. At the TikTok Ads Manager, go to Campaign.
2. Click on the Ad group with the status: Not delivering | Not approved.
3. Advertisers will notice the “suggestions for this ad group,” offering insights into the specific aspects of the Ad Creative Review guidelines not met. They should click ‘View more‘ for further details.
4. The Ad Review Details screen will appear. If required, revise your campaigns based on the ad review checklist. Alternatively, if you believe your ad creative aligns with the guidelines, click on Appeal. State the reason and include supporting materials for consideration. Afterwards, click Submit.

TikTok Ad Appeal Process For Qualification Needed or Expired:

1. From the TikTok Ads Manager, click on Tools, then Documents.
2. Click on Account Documents.
3. Select the appropriate Country/Region and Industry. A list of necessary documents appears based on their selection. Choose the relevant option and click Add. Upload the required documents and proceed to Verify.

However, there are instances when resubmission or appeal requests are not applicable, such as in these scenarios:

• Wrong Industry Entry
  • A “Business error” ad status indicates non-compliance with industry entry review guidelines. This error often arises when advertisers market products unrelated to their industry. For instance, a bag retailer promoting a gambling simulation app would fail this review due to an industry mismatch.”

• Edited For Review
  • There would be instances where the decision will trigger another run through the TikTok ad creative guidelines. The appeal process will remain inactive during this stage. At this point, you must wait for the status of your ad to be updated as it goes through another round of ad creative review.

The Blueprint for Effective TikTok Advertising

While facing ad rejections can be discouraging, it’s not a dead end. Various ad variants might better suit your branding, allowing you to explore alternative avenues. TikTok offers various ad formats to experiment with, potentially yielding more effective ways to promote your brand. You might discover that certain ad formats align more seamlessly with your ad specifications, leading to greater returns. Consider exploring these TikTok ad formats:

• TopView ads
• Infeed ads
• Hashtag challenge ads
• Branded effects ads
• News feed app ads
• Spark ads
• Carousel ads

Nevertheless, adhering to the TikTok ad policies remains a sound approach. Before submitting, cross-check your ads with the TikTok ad approval requirements. Following these guidelines leads you to a smoother journey through the TikTok ad review process. This sense of security can be reassuring as you launch your campaigns, knowing that your well-prepared strategy is well-aligned with TikTok’s criteria.

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The post Effortlessly Navigate the TikTok Ad Review Process and Launch Your Campaigns with Confidence appeared first on Strike Social.

Beyond analyzing the appropriate creative structure of a TikTok ad, an essential technical aspect of creating a TikTok ad is ensuring it adheres to the platform’s video length limits and falls within the boundaries of the TikTok Ad creative policies. Let this blog guide you on how to craft TikTok ad campaigns that are both compliant and effective.

Crafting Campaigns that Comply: Mastering TikTok Ad Creative Policies

During the era of the TikTok followers boosts, in early 2021, 1,829,219 TikTok ads were in the rejection pile. Moreover, this is due to these ads’ non-compliance with TikTok’s ad creative policies and guidelines. 

To avoid being shut down by the TikTok Compliant Team, advertisers must carefully consider the rules that govern which ads are permissible on TikTok and which aren’t. To maintain a consistent and professional appearance on the platform, adhering to TikTok ad branding requirements is crucial for every advertiser.

Failing to comply doesn’t just result in ad rejection—it can damage your brand’s reputation and credibility.

• What Are The Key Elements of TikTok’s Ad Creative Policies?
  • TikTok Ad Content Restrictions within Your Video Ad
  • TikTok Advertising Rules Outside Your Video Ad
• What Are The Consequences of Violating TikTok Advertising Policies on Ad Creatives?
• Let Your TikTok Ads Captivate Attention and Sidestep Rejection

What Are The Key Elements of TikTok’s Ad Creative Policies?

Regarding TikTok’s ad creative policies, there’s more to consider than just the content of your video ad. Let’s break down the essential elements that advertisers need to be aware of:

TikTok Ad Content Restrictions within Your Video Ad

While crafting your ad, you must familiarize yourself with TikTok ad call-to-action rules to ensure your audience is directed appropriately without violating any guidelines.

Prohibited and restricted content:

TikTok has a comprehensive list of businesses that are allowed and not allowed to advertise on the platform. Based on the line of business, you may not be able to advertise in the first place. In addition, the same rules apply to TikTok-sponsored content:

Ad format:

Aside from the images or videos you use in your ad, TikTok makes a point to check that the texts and targeting used align with TikTok ad compliance. Visual appeal is paramount in TikTok ads, but aligning with TikTok ad image guidelines is equally important to ensure your visuals are captivating and compliant.

Related article: A Guide To DMA Geo-targeting On Tiktok: Reaching Location-based Audience

TikTok Advertising Rules Outside Your Video Ad

TikTok’s policies extend beyond the video ad itself. The linked landing page must also be under TikTok ad design guidelines. If your advertisement includes any claims or endorsements, follow the TikTok ad disclaimer guidelines to maintain transparency and trustworthiness.

• Prohibited products or services, like gambling tools and certain weight loss products, must not appear on your landing page, regardless of what’s being promoted in your TikTok ad.

Suggestion: If you have other products on your website that fall under TikTok ad content restrictions, dedicate your landing page exclusively to the product you’re advertising on TikTok. This ensures compliance while allowing you to market your full range of products elsewhere on your site.

• Consistency between ad claims and landing page offers is crucial to avoid misleading users. For example, if you offer 50% off on your video ad, your landing page must not say 20% off. It must be consistent with your offer of 50% off on TikTok.

Suggestion: If you have distinct offers for different platforms (e.g., 50% off for TikTok users and 30% off for Instagram users), consider creating separate landing pages and checkout links for each promotion. Alternatively, employing platform-specific promo codes is a savvy way to maintain clarity and accuracy.

Related article: How does TikTok Uphold Brand Safety and Suitability for its Community and Advertisers?

What Are The Consequences of Violating TikTok Advertising Policies on Ad Creatives?

Before finalizing and submitting your ad for review, it’s best to go through the TikTok ad compliance checklist, ensuring every aspect of your advertisement meets the platform’s standards. 

• Rejected ads: The platform has a team of reviewers who carefully screen all ads as part of the TikTok ad approval process. It can be rejected if an ad violates the TikTok ad creative policies.
• Ad bans: If an advertiser repeatedly violates the TikTok ad design guidelines, their ads may be banned from the platform. This means that you may no longer be able to run ads on TikTok.
• Account suspension: If an advertiser violates TikTok’s policies seriously, their account may be suspended. This means that the advertiser cannot use TikTok, including running ads.

It’s worth noting that the TikTok Ad Review process might offer a lifeline for some rejected ads through the appeal avenue. Yet, envision how much smoother your campaign setup journey could be if you abide by the best practices for TikTok ad creatives and sidestep this strenuous process to gain swift approval.

Let Your TikTok Ads Captivate Attention and Sidestep Rejection

Grab attention and avoid rejection. Behind the scenes of this viral platform lies a rigorous evaluation process that every ad undergoes. Each ad that adheres to these policies becomes a catalyst for meaningful and impactful user interaction.

As you venture into TikTok advertising, remember that your ad’s success isn’t just about being seen; it’s about adhering to the platform policies to get your brand out there. Compliance with the TikTok ad creative policies charts the path to ad resonance, relevance, and lasting influence.

The post Get Familiar With TikTok Ad Creative Policies And Avoid Ads Rejection appeared first on Strike Social.

After encountering such setbacks, it’s essential to pinpoint the root cause. Is it the content, the visuals, or perhaps a subtle policy breach you overlooked? Are your ads truly TikTok-compatible?

Are Your Ads TikTok-Compatible? Untangle the Web of TikTok Advertising Guidelines for Industry Entry

By 2023, US TikTok ad revenues are projected to hit $6.83 billion, with an anticipated jump to $8.62 billion in 2024. But don’t let the numbers fool you – TikTok’s doors aren’t open to all. With a firm commitment to user protection, the TikTok industry entry ad policies select which businesses can fully or partially advertise.

The question is simple: Does your business make the cut? Let’s explore the criteria and discover the industries that fit into this rising ad platform.

• TikTok Advertising Guidelines And Categories: What You Need to Know
• TikTok Industry Entry Rules on Which Industries Can Advertise
  • What Do Industry Entry Ad Policies Mean for Your Business?
• Understanding the Essence of TikTok’s Industry Entry Ad Policies

TikTok Advertising Guidelines And Categories: What You Need to Know

TikTok has developed a comprehensive categorization system for product and service advertisements, ensuring a balanced and user-centric environment. These categories are broken down as follows:

Prohibited: Not allowed in all countries and all regions

In this category, certain products and services are deemed incompatible with TikTok ad policies for global and regional sectors. TikTok’s stance on user protection takes precedence here, maintaining a clear line against certain offerings that may conflict with their platform ethos.

Restricted: Allowed in some countries or regions on limited basis (e.g. certification, age targeting, etc.)

These ads are permitted in specific countries or regions, albeit with specific limitations in place. TikTok’s industry entry ad policies strike a balance by allowing certain video ads to select viewers under controlled circumstances.

Allowed: Allowed in all regions (Ad Review process still applies)

Here, products and services are permitted across all regions. However, even in this category, the TikTok ad approval process remains in effect. This guarantees that while the ad is acceptable, it still needs to pass the TikTok advertising guidelines.

Related article: Everything You Need to Know About TikTok Brand Safety and Suitability Tools

TikTok Industry Entry Rules on Which Industries Can Advertise

The restrictions on TikTok advertising guidelines vary, depending on the region. Let’s take a closer look at the restrictions applied in the North American region, specifically in the United States:

What Do Industry Entry Ad Policies Mean for Your Business?

If your line of business doesn’t classify as prohibited or restricted in TikTok’s advertising regulations, that’s a positive sign. However, it’s important to note that approval for your ads isn’t guaranteed. The TikTok advertising guidelines extend beyond these categories, going further into Ad Creatives policies and a meticulous Ad Review Process. Let’s peel back its layers here:

• TikTok Advertising Policies – Industry Entry: The discussed TikTok ad entry guidelines by industry provide clarity on eligible products and services for TikTok Ads. 

• TikTok Advertising Policies – Ad Creatives: While your business may not be in restricted categories, don’t overlook Ad Creatives policies. These determine what video ad content is allowed or not on the platform. Intellectual Property Infringement Rules for Ads are also looked into in this stage.

• Ad Review Process: Creating compliant TikTok ads is crucial to pass the ad review process. At this stage, the specific contents of your video ads are examined: captions, visuals, targeting, and more. Within 24 hours, you will be notified if your ads are approved or rejected. Accordingly, you can make changes to your ad or request for an appeal.

Understanding the Essence of TikTok’s Industry Entry Ad Policies

As you contemplate your business’s place within the TikTok ecosystem, remember: the essence of this ad platform lies not just in growth figures. The TikTok advertising guidelines fosters an environment where creativity thrives within well-defined bounds. 

Your business holds the potential to become a part of TikTok’s tapestry, threading its story into the vibrant narrative of the platform. As the digital era propels us forward, the significance of aligning your business with TikTok’s industry entry ad policies becomes clearer. This isn’t just about ticking boxes for TikTok ad compliance. It’s about forging a connection that allows your brand to resonate harmoniously within TikTok’s ever-evolving realm. 

The post Align with TikTok’s Advertising Guidelines for Industry Entry and Get Your Brand TikTok-Ready appeared first on Strike Social.

TikTok has outpaced both Snapchat and Twitter to claim the 5th spot as the largest platform in ad revenue. Beyond the viral dance trends, TikTok dominated the era when most people stayed home and were mainly hopping between social apps. During this period, TikTok saw a staggering 5,000% surge in ad spending.

Today, TikTok remains the preferred content destination for brands and social video consumers. To fully leverage this potential, businesses need to understand how view metrics, such as View-Through Rates, can optimize their TikTok Campaigns and drive efficiency. Our TikTok VTR calculator can be a handy tool for TikTok View Through Rate calculation. Our VTR tool can be your guiding light in this endeavor, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced marketer.

Make Data-Driven Ad Strategies With The TikTok View Through Rate Calculator

Despite the expected moderation of ad revenue growth on TikTok from 170% in 2021 to 25.8% in 2024, the platform’s steady rise in overall ad spend continues to make it an attractive choice for marketers seeking to reach a broad audience. The platform’s appeal to brands remains strong.

As most advertisers know, TikTok users constantly scroll through endless engaging beauty trends or home makeover content in their For You Page (FYP). The challenge for advertisers now lies in capturing their attention efficiently. This article explores using the TikTok View Through Calculator and its potential to improve TikTok ad campaigns.

• Using The TikTok View Through Rate Calculator
• What Are The Elements of The TikTok VTR Calculation
• Analyzing Ad Insights from TikTok View Through Rate (VTR)
• Using the CPV Calculator for Different View Metrics
• Why Tracking VTR and CPV Should Be Your Priority

Using The TikTok View Through Rate Calculator

To analyze the effectiveness of your TikTok ads, we have built the TikTok View Through Rate Calculator for you. This calculator allows you to easily determine your TikTok VTR (View-through rate) by inputting the total number of views and the number of viewers who have seen your ad.

Using the TikTok VTR Calculator is straightforward. Just follow these steps:

1. You will need the total number of views (all views that are more than 1 Millisecond) and the total number of impressions (the number of times your ad appeared in users’ feed) of your TikTok ad campaign.
2. Enter the data into the respective fields of the TikTok VTR Calculator.
3. Click on the “Calculate” button. The TikTok VTR Calculator will instantly provide you with the VTR percentage for your ad campaign.

What Are The Elements of The TikTok VTR Calculation

Video ad views

Video ad views on TikTok are registered when your ad appears on a user’s ‘For You’ page and they decide to watch with it for at least longer than a millisecond. The duration of the view then determines its classification—2 Second View, 6 Second View, or 15 Second View. 

In the table above, you’ll notice that Ad 3, despite having fewer impressions, exhibited a higher 2-second view-through rate, but a lower VTR at the 6-second mark. In contrast, Ad 1 had a lower 2-second VTR but achieved a higher view-through rate with the 6-second views. This indicates that while Ad 2 captures initial interest within the first 2 seconds, Ad 1 maintains a higher level of viewer engagement at the 6-second mark.

Related article: TikTok Shopping Ads: Advertisers’ Solution to Creating Meaningful Digital Shopping Experience

Impressions

Impressions are calculated by adding up the total times your video ad was served (shown on FYP page or other TikTok ad placements). The higher the number of impressions, the more opportunities for your ad to be seen and watched by the TikTok community. Thus, a high view-through rate may signals ad effectiveness when capturing social eyeballs.

Analyzing the same example, it’s evident that Ad 1 maintains a higher view count up to the 6 Second View than other ad campaign. The creative was effective as it holds the attention of the viewer longer than other ad asset.

Analyzing Ad Insights from TikTok View Through Rate (VTR)

As discussed previously, TikTok View Through Rate (VTR) gauges the percentage of viewers who watch your ads without scrolling pastm but not all “Views” are considered equal. A strategy that will target a quick attention nudge vs. giving more reason to watch every second can be great use case of understanding spectrum of TikTok View metrics.

Related article: Exploring the Metrics: How TikTok Measures Video Views on Ads

Here are some things to consider why media buyers should closely monitor TikTok VTR:

1. Engagement Effectiveness: The VTR acts as a lens into the ad’s capacity to engage and hold viewers’ attention. A higher view rate signifies active engagement, suggesting a more potent connection with the audience. Understanding this TikTok View Through Rate can lead to better performance of your ads.
2. Content Insights: By analyzing the view-through rate, you can uncover patterns in TikTok user behavior. Do they watch the entire video or drop off at a certain point? This valuable data allows you to optimize your content, such as adjusting video length, format, or messaging, thereby enhancing your TikTok campaign analysis.
3. Cost Analysis: The view-through rate is closely tied with the cost per view (CPV). A robust VTR ensures efficiency across the view spectrum – views, 2-second views, 6-second views, and 15-second views. This is because you are only paying for views from people who are genuinely interested in your product or service, thereby understanding TikTok metrics better.

Using the CPV Calculator for Different View Metrics

In addition, we have developed a CPV Calculator to expedite your cost per view calculations. This calculator allows you to easily segment the CPV based on the duration of ad views.

Learn how to calculate CPV using our calculator with these steps:

1. Determine the total cost of your ad spend.
2. To calculate CPV based on the duration of ad views:
   a. Total Views: Get the number of all views.
   (Note: All views for more than 1 millisecond are classified as a view).
   b. Total 2-second Views: Number of times your ad played for at least 2 seconds.
   c. Total 6-second Focused Views: Number of times your ad was viewed for 6 seconds (or the full ad duration if it is less than 6s) or engaged with, whichever comes first.

Note:

• Ensure all fields are filled in the CPV Calculator. If your video is shorter than 6 seconds or 15 seconds, you may use dummy values for the Calculate function to proceed.
• We do not store any information entered into the CPV Calculator.

Why Tracking VTR and CPV Should Be Your Priority

The choice between tracking VTR or CPV hinges on your specific campaign objective:

If your goal is to captivate and retain the audience’s attention, VTR offers valuable insights into creative and asset creation. On the other hand, if cost efficiency and strategic bidding are your focus, CPV becomes crucial for ad spend strategies.

Engage Your Audience By Understanding TikTok VTR and CPV

As we’ve explored, the TikTok View Through Rate calculator is a handy and useful tool that can help media buyers remove the guesswork and gain valuable insights. By following TikTok tips for beginners and implementing growth hacks, advertisers can improve their TikTok VTR and increase view-through rate.

Improving TikTok VTR isn’t solely about escalating numbers. It’s about comprehending your audience, refining your content, and making data-driven strategic decisions. With the right tools and insights, you can harness the power of TikTok, driving growth and success for your brand.

The post How The View-Through Rate Calculator Helps Measure Ad Effectiveness appeared first on Strike Social.

Optimizing Campaign using TikTok View-Through Rate

Have you ever wondered if a TikTok View Through Rate (VTR) of 92.24% is a strong indicator of a successful campaign? Or perhaps, is there still room for further enhancement? As advertisers and media buyers, understanding the nuances of the VTR metric can be a campaign-changer.
The VTR is a metric that measures the percentage of viewers who watch the ads without scrolling past them. A high VTR, such as 92.24%, suggests that most TikTok users saw the ads and engaged with them. This level of engagement can be a strong indicator of a successful campaign.

This understanding can gain insights into how well the content resonates with the target audience and identify areas of improvement.

• What is TikTok VTR and How Does It Affect Ad Campaigns?
• TikTok VTR vs. TikTok VCR: Which Metric Matters More for Ad Campaigns?
• What Can TikTok VTR Teach About Your Ad Strategy
• Key Factors That Influence TikTok View Through Rate
• How To Measure And Track TikTok VTR

What is TikTok VTR and How Does It Affect Ad Campaigns?

Several key performance indicators (KPIs) can help evaluate the effectiveness of a TikTok ad campaign. Among these, the View Through Rate is a valuable metric that offers insights into how well video ads can capture and retain viewers’ attention.

What is Tiktok View-Through Rate?

TikTok View Through Rate (VTR) measures the percentage of viewers who watch the ads without scrolling through. To be recognized as a play, for at least a fraction of a second. This metric serves as a good indicator of how ‘sticky’ the creative assets are. In other words, are the ads effective enough to engage the target audience and prompt them to interact?

A high VTR indicates that ads are engaging and have captured target viewers’ attention. A great viewing engagement can lead to higher click-through rates, conversions, and brand awareness.

How to Calculate TikTok VTR

The View Through Rate (VTR) calculation involves determining the ad view ratio to the total number of impressions. Here’s the formula for TikTok VTR:

VTR = (number of ad views/number of impressions) x 100%

• Ad views: If a video plays for at least one millisecond, TikTok counts it as an ad view.
• Impressions: These represent the number of times TikTok serves an ad to viewers. Even if a user swipes through without playing the ad, TikTok counts it as an ad impression.

TikTok VTR vs. TikTok VCR: Which Metric Matters More for Ad Campaigns?

While the VTR focuses on users who have viewed the ads, the Video Completion Rate (VCR) gauges how many users completed watching them. The VCR metrics measure the percentage of users who watch a video from start to finish. Indicating the level of viewer engagement and the duration they remain interested in the content.

Take a look at the difference between TikTok VTR and VCR:

Related article: How Countdown Stickers Boost TikTok Live and Sale Events

What Can TikTok VTR Teach About Your Ad Strategy

By analyzing VTR data, media buyers can identify patterns, trends, and areas for improvement. TikTok advertisers can use this insight to refine creative elements, messaging, video lengths, and storytelling for higher view-through rates and engagement.

Here’s why keeping a close eye on the view-through rate of TikTok ads can be pivotal:

• Capturing viewers’ interest: A high TikTok view-through rate is a clear sign of compelling video content that keeps viewers hooked from start to finish. It’s a testament to the ads’ ability to forge a strong bond with the audience, keeping them engaged and invested in the content.
• Building brand awareness: The longer viewers watch the ads, the more likely they will remember the campaign messaging. A high VTR can lead to brand awareness and consideration, ultimately increasing sales.
• Optimizing ad strategy: By identifying which ads have a higher VTR and which are falling short, advertisers can refine the creative elements, messaging techniques, video lengths, and storytelling approaches. Media buyers can identify the most effective combinations and allocate ad spending accordingly.

Related article: Get More Clicks And Conversions With TikTok Interactive Add-Ons

Key Factors That Influence TikTok View Through Rate

Understanding the factors that may directly influence VTR metrics can save media buyers time and resources. Some factors can be video quality, length, and audience targeting. Advertisers can craft compelling and impactful ad experiences by creating a strategy around these elements.

Let’s breakdown down some factors that can sway the TikTok view-through rate:

Video Quality: Visually appealing, high-quality videos are more likely to capture viewer attention and hold their interest. 

Video Length: Research has shown that shorter videos have higher VTRs. Most advertisers are trying to capture the attention of an average social media user in under 1.3 seconds.

Target Audience: Tailor content-based target audience’s interests and demographics. Aligning with audience interests can increase the possibility of achieving a higher TikTok view-through rate.

How To Measure And Track TikTok VTR

To measure TikTok ad view-through rate, media buyers can make use of these various tools and methods:

TikTok Ads Manager: TikTok Ads Manager provides a comprehensive platform for managing and tracking ad campaigns on TikTok. It provides detailed analytics to monitor TikTok view-through rate and other key metrics for ad performance. TikTok Ads Manager provides real-time data, tracks VTR trends, and offers insights into ad effectiveness.

Custom Tracking URLs: Using custom tracking URLs, media buyers can embed tracking parameters in the ad links to monitor VTR. Integrate URL tracking codes like UTM parameters to track clicks, views, and conversions from TikTok ads. Tracking URLs enables advertisers to measure VTR and assess the ad impact on driving user engagement and conversions. 

Here are some examples of UTMs:

• yourwe bsite.com/tiktok_socialmedia_15second
• yourwebsite.com/tiktok_social_30secondad_yourproduct

Third-Party Analytics Tools: Marketers can also use third-party analytics platforms to measure and track the TikTok ad view-through rate. These tools provide more advanced analytics capabilities, allowing marketers to dig deeper into the ad performance metrics. Third-party tools like Google Analytics track view-through rates on TikTok and other advertising channels.

Campaign Lab: With our proprietary technology, Campaign Lab goes beyond traditional planning tools. It leverages years of machine learning, audiences, and data to forecast and monitor campaign outcomes. Our team of expert media buyers has fine-tuned this comprehensive system to deliver unparalleled performance and ROI for our clients.

From Attention to Conversion: Utilizing TikTok VTR to Optimize Ad Campaigns

TikTok’s unrivaled dominance in the short-form video market presents a golden opportunity for advertisers to maximize their ad reach. It is evident that TikTok’s growth is groundbreaking and has eaten a significant portion of advertising dollars from competing giant social media platforms.

By leveraging strategic advertising techniques and capitalizing on TikTok’s expansive reach, advertisers can tap into a vast pool of potential customers and enhance their brand visibility. With its unmatched dominance and promising prospects, TikTok is a game-changing platform for advertisers seeking to maximize their ad exposure and achieve optimal results.

The post Engage, Captivate, Convert: Learn About TikTok View-Through Rate appeared first on Strike Social.

TikTok has taken the social media world by storm, captivating the attention of millions worldwide. With an astounding user base of approximately 80 million monthly active users in the United States alone, this creative powerhouse offers an incredible opportunity to reach and engage a massive audience.

TikTok’s recent update made a groundbreaking move by entering the search ads market, aiming to challenge the dominance of Google and Microsoft. This unexpected development has shaken the industry and opened new business opportunities to expand its reach.

Are TikTok Search Ads the Missing Piece in Your Advertising Strategy?

The beta test rollout of TikTok’s search ads feature last year yielded promising results. Testers confirmed that by enabling search ads, advertisers gained access to invaluable data—the search terms that directly contributed to conversions. With this knowledge, advertisers could optimize their campaigns by using high-performing search terms as headlines for their most successful TikTok videos, resulting in impressive additional benefits.

This blog will unveil the strategies, tips, and best practices that will help you maximize this innovative feature. Discover how the convergence of search terms and captivating video content can catapult your brand’s visibility and engagement on this emerging platform.

• What You Need To Know About TikTok Search Ads
• How Does TikTok Search Ads Work
• Potential Challenges and Considerations With TikTok’s Search Ads
• When Will TikTok Search Ads Become Available For Advertisers?

What You Need To Know About TikTok Search Ads

TikTok has transcended its status as a social media platform, emerging as a popular search engine among the younger generation. Approximately 40% of 18-24 year olds now turn to TikTok to access information, alongside other platforms like Instagram. Last year, Prabhakar Raghavan, Google’s SVP, highlighted a significant shift among younger generations in their search behavior, stating that when young people seek a place for lunch, 40% of them turn to TikTok or Instagram instead of Google Maps or Search.

This shift means many Gen Z and Millennials bypass traditional search engines when discovering the newest products and services. Instead, most consumer product searches and discovery begin on social media platforms like TikTok.

What Are The Key Features of TikTok Search Ads

TikTok Search Ads offer a dynamic approach to capturing the attention of your target audience. Unlike the content featured on the “For You” page, TikTok search ads appear within search results. 

Source: Thrive Internet Marketing Agency

This strategic placement allows brands to position themselves before potential customers actively seek information on relevant topics. Brands can effectively engage viewers during their exploration by targeting specific search terms related to their product or service.

TikTok search ads provide invaluable insights that shape marketers’ ongoing strategy within the TikTok platform and across a broader media mix. By running TikTok search ads, brands gain visibility into the non-targeted search terms that drive website traffic. 

Brands can leverage top-performing keyword searches as the foundation for future paid and organic content. For instance, if searches for “ideas for snacks” generate significant traffic, developing a series of captivating videos centered around this topic becomes an opportunity, resulting in heightened engagement.

Exploring the Benefits of TikTok Search Ads for Your Business

Businesses targeting younger audiences should take the lead in advertising on TikTok search ads once they become available. This demographic is not relatively easy to reach through traditional marketing methods. TikTok offers a unique advantage by catering to the younger demographic that no longer relies on Google to search for products or services.

Wesley Wessels, Paid Media Engineer at Thrive Internet Marketing Agency, identifies TikTok’s ability to provide social proof as its greatest strength. New brands, restaurants, events, and businesses venturing into the digital sphere or seeking new audiences through TikTok search ads can benefit from the platform’s niche appeal.

As visual content-focused platforms resonate strongly with the younger demographic, investing in TikTok search ads early on is a strategic move to get ahead of the curve and capitalize on this advertising opportunity.

TikTok search ads allow for precise targeting and provide valuable insights into the search terms that drive campaign goals. Using this information, brands can forecast future content strategies and align their video content with top-performing search terms, resulting in a more substantial brand presence and enhanced engagement on TikTok.

How Does TikTok Search Ads Work

TikTok’s search ads platform allows businesses to bid on specific keywords and phrases, similar to how it works on platforms like Google. However, TikTok’s ad platform has unique features and targeting options that set it apart from traditional search ad platforms.

1. Keyword Bidding

Bidding on specific keywords for TikTok search ads follows a similar concept as other search platforms like Google Ads and Microsoft Bing. By bidding on relevant keywords, businesses can increase their visibility and improve their marketing efforts on TikTok. 

When bidding for keywords on TikTok, businesses can secure prime real estate on the search results page, appearing above the “Others Searched For” section. These search ads are labeled “Sponsored” to differentiate them from organic results. 

It’s important to note that while keyword placements are available, keyword targeting is currently limited. To increase your chances of appearing in the search results, it is recommended to focus on using your company’s brand name and specific product as the target keywords.

However, you can optimize your TikTok videos by using high-converting search terms as video titles, adding further value to your ad campaigns.

2. More Options For Audience Targeting

In addition to keyword targeting, TikTok’s ad platform offers unique options for advertisers to target their audience based on interests, demographics, and behaviors. These additional targeting options go beyond relying solely on keywords, allowing marketers to create more specific and tailored promotions on TikTok. This level of granularity in audience targeting is a game-changer for marketers seeking a more focused approach to reach their target audience.

Related article: TikTok Analytics: Marketers’ Guide to Understanding TikTok Ads Targeting

Potential Challenges and Considerations With TikTok’s Search Ads

TikTok’s foray into search ads has garnered significant attention from advertisers and marketers looking to tap into the platform’s vast and growing user base. However, while there is excitement surrounding this new advertising opportunity, there are certain aspects that advertisers should keep in mind.

The unproven nature of TikTok search ads may make some advertisers adopt a cautious “wait-and-see” approach.

Despite its large user base, TikTok is still relatively new to search ads, leading to hesitation in investing in an untested ad format. However, several major advertising agencies and brands have already shown interest in TikTok search ads, driven by the potential to reach new audiences and maximize ROI.

Advertising on TikTok raises concerns regarding safety and suitability, particularly for brands with strict content and audience standards. 

The platform has previously faced criticism for hosting inappropriate and controversial content, including videos containing hate speech or sexual content. Advertisers may hesitate to promote their brands on TikTok due to potential negative associations that could impact their brand image. 

While TikTok has implemented content moderation policies and tools to assist brands in managing their advertising campaigns, there remains to be uncertainty surrounding the safety and suitability of advertising on the platform.

Related article: Exploring TikTok’s Effectiveness in Prioritizing Brand Safety and Suitability for Advertisers

TikTok must address its ad presentation and user experience on search ads.

Advertisers will face a learning curve in creating effective and engaging search ad content that aligns with TikTok’s format, which differs significantly from platforms like Google Ads. Finding the right balance between capturing attention and fitting the distinct video format will be essential for successful TikTok search ads.

To ensure a positive user experience, TikTok must prioritize the user-friendliness and non-intrusiveness of its search ads platform. Users may be discouraged from engaging with the platform if they feel overwhelmed by excessive ads or encounter irrelevant content. TikTok must balance ad delivery and user satisfaction, ensuring the ads align with user interests and preferences. Continuous improvement and optimization in this area will be crucial for the success of TikTok search ads.

When Will TikTok Search Ads Become Available For Advertisers?

Currently, TikTok Search Ads are accessible only to a limited number of selected partners. However, the platform has plans to expand its availability soon.

According to Business Insider, TikTok aims to make its search ads more widely accessible by the third quarter (Q3) of 2023. This timeline aligns with TikTok’s recent actions, including recruiting search ad engineers to develop a large-scale ads system and their proactive engagement with marketing agencies and businesses to promote their search ad platform.

It’s important to note that the timeline for the broader availability of TikTok search ads is flexible and may be subject to adjustment. However, the likelihood of Q3 2023 being the target is high, as it would provide TikTok with sufficient time to gather valuable data and insights before the high-spending period of Q4 approaches.

With the introduction of TikTok Search Ads, advertisers and media buyers can anticipate new and exciting opportunities to reach audiences more organically and seamlessly. TikTok’s continuous innovation in the advertising space suggests that there may be further developments and enhancements in store. 

Ready To Ride The Wave Of TikTok Ads?

TikTok’s entry into the search ads market presents a game-changing opportunity for businesses to enhance their advertising strategies and connect with a vast and engaged audience. With its impressive user base and the increasing popularity of TikTok as a search engine among younger generations, the platform offers a unique avenue for brands to reach their target demographic more naturally and engagingly.

As TikTok continues to innovate and refine its advertising capabilities, there may be further opportunities. By learning about TikTok search ads early on, businesses can position themselves ahead of the curve and maximize the benefits of this ad innovation. With its immense popularity and continuous growth, TikTok remains a dynamic platform for businesses to explore and unlock their advertising potential.

The post TikTok Search Ads: The Game-Changing Ad Strategy Your Business Needs appeared first on Strike Social.

TikTok Interactive Add-ons Bring New Ad Experience

• What are TikTok Interactive Add-ons
• What are the different types of Interactive Add-ons available on TikTok?
• Setting up TikTok Interactive Display Card
  • Setting up TikTok Interactive Voting Sticker
  • Setting up TikTok Interactive Gift Code Sticker
  • Setting up TikTok Interactive Countdown Sticker
  • Setting up TikTok Pop-Out Showcase
  • Setting up TikTok Interactive Gestures
  • Setting up TikTok Interactive Superlike

One notable success story involving a Countdown Sticker resulted in a 1.5x increase in CTR (click-through rate), 8.1 million video views, and nearly 5,000 viewers tuning in to the brand’s livestream. By utilizing interactive add-ons, brands can achieve higher levels of engagement, drive conversions, and create a captivating ad experience for their target audience. TikTok, a hub of creativity, encourages user engagement through trending content. It showcases the voices and actions of diverse communities.

In this article, we will explore TikTok Interactive Add-ons in greater detail, offering insights on countdown stickers, setup guides, and best practices for leveraging these features in your advertising campaigns.

What are TikTok Interactive Add-ons?

TikTok Interactive Add-ons are dynamic components that advertisers can seamlessly integrate into their video ads to engage and captivate their target audience. By infusing their TikTok ads with these interactive and creative elements, the add-ons draw users’ attention and stimulate engagement. This interaction significantly enhances the probability of viewers taking the desired action, such as visiting a website, purchasing, or sharing content.

Based on TikTok’s Internal Data, 73% of platform users feel a deeper connection with the brands they interact with. #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt study shared that two out of three viewers are inspired to shop for products on the platform. In essence, ad features like TikTok Interactive Add-ons that encourage layers of interactivity can kickstart a purchasing decision.

Related article: Reimagine e-Commerce with TikTok Shopping Ads

What are the different types of Interactive Add-ons available on TikTok?

Understanding TikTok’s diverse advertising solutions is essential for navigating its vibrant ecosystem. Each type of Interactive Add-on on TikTok is tailored to meet specific marketing needs and provides unique benefits that can be aligned with various campaign objectives.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the differences between the various TikTok Interactive Add-ons:

Each add-on has a distinct method of boosting user engagement and driving conversions, thereby optimizing advertising effectiveness and enhancing the overall ad experience. By understanding each add-on’s unique features and benefits, advertisers can craft a more engaging and successful TikTok ad campaign.

Setting up TikTok Interactive Display Card

Setting up Interactive Add-ons, like the Display Card, elevates the TikTok advertising experience. As an interactive pop-up visible during video ads, the Display Card enables advertisers to showcase essential brand or product details strategically. Whether announcing a sale or bolstering ad awareness, this captivating feature aims to amplify campaign outcomes. 

1. Begin by completing the necessary information for your campaign and ad group.
2. Navigate to the ‘Ad Creation’ page and proceed to ‘Ad Details.’
3. Look for the ‘Interactive Add-ons’ section and click the ‘+ Create’ button.
4. A new window labeled ‘Interactive Add-on’ will appear. Select ‘Display Card’ from the available options.
5. Here, you can utilize the default template provided by TikTok or upload your custom design for a personalized touch.
6. In the ‘Text Discount Card’ section, you will find several sub-sections:
   1. Discount % off: You can set a discount rate from 1% to 99%.
   2. Discount Description: You can choose between – “BIG SALE GET UP TO” or “LIMITED TIME ONLY.”
   3. Call to Action: There are several pre-set options available here – “SHOP NOW,” “LEARN MORE,” “DOWNLOAD NOW,” “VIEW NOW,” or “ORDER NOW.”
7. Card Display Name minimum display duration is 2 seconds.
8. Click Confirm and Submit.

*Interactive add-on: Display card uses the same destination URL set with the ad creation page.

Setting up TikTok Interactive Voting Sticker

TikTok Interactive Add-ons offer engaging tools such as the Voting Sticker, a preferred choice among advertisers on TikTok. This feature paves the way for lively interaction with your audience, presenting questions or options that stimulate participation. In essence, it turns TikTok advertising into a fun, interactive advertising experience. These add-ons spark conversations and provide crucial audience insights based on their voting preferences, transforming your TikTok ad campaigns into engaging social events.

1. Begin by filling in the necessary details for your campaign and ad group.
2. Proceed to the ‘Ad Creation’ page and move to ‘Ad Details.’
3. Upload your chosen video where you want to integrate the voting sticker.
4. Provide a title for your sticker, keeping the text under 65 characters for optimal readability.
5. Next, enter the text for Option A and Option B, ensuring each remains within 16 characters. Select one of the three available text colors – red, light blue, or dark blue.
6. Adjust the sticker display angle as needed. You can choose any angle from -180 to 180 degrees.
7. Position your sticker appropriately, keeping it within the safe zone for clear visibility.
8. You can specify the sticker’s position using the available X (79 – 180) and Y (169 – 493) coordinate ranges.
9. Adjust the sticker’s size within 60% to 110% per your preference.
10. Once satisfied with your settings, click ‘Confirm’ and then ‘Submit’ to finalize your interactive ad.

Setting up TikTok Interactive Gift Code Sticker

The TikTok Gift Code Sticker Add-on allows advertisers to attach redeemable codes to their ads, enhancing them with exclusive promotions. Essentially, this feature transforms video ads into more reward-driven engagement advertising efforts. TikTok ads enhanced with gift code stickers can drive engagement and sales by providing viewers with tangible benefits. This strategic tool can foster brand loyalty among their avid TikTok community members.

1. Provide the required information for your campaign and ad group.
2. Navigate to the ‘Ad Creation’ page and proceed to ‘Ad Details.’
3. Upload the chosen video where you plan to incorporate the gift code sticker.
4. Add a title for your sticker. Keep the text under 20 characters.
5. Input the gift code description, keeping it concise with a maximum of 56 characters.
6. Write the gift code itself, at most 21 characters.
7. Select a color for your sticker from the available options: shades of orange, pink, black, and purple.
8. Adjust the display angle of the sticker between -180 to 180 degrees, according to your preference.
9. Position your sticker within the safe zone using the X (79-222) and Y (169-585) coordinate ranges for precise placement.
10. Customize the sticker size anywhere within the 60% – 110% range.
11. Set the sticker opacity to your desired level, choosing from the 70% – 100% range.
12. Once satisfied with your settings, click ‘Confirm’ and then ‘Submit’ to finalize your interactive ad.

*Note: The Interactive Add-on: Gift Code Sticker uses the same destination URL on the ad creation page.

Setting up TikTok Interactive Countdown Sticker

TikTok’s Interactive Add-on Countdown Sticker is a dynamic feature designed to augment your advertising efforts by drawing more attention to events or upcoming promotions. It is embedded directly into the video ad, stirs a sense of urgency within viewers, and amplifies audience engagement. The strategic use of this vibrant sticker promotes anticipation among users, enhancing the effectiveness of each TikTok ad campaign. The Countdown Sticker is an interactive element that opens a new communication avenue to viewers. When combined with strong, relatable content, this feature can significantly contribute to the success of your TikTok advertising campaigns, ultimately leading to a stronger return on your advertising investment.

Related article: Why Live or Big Sale Events are Using TikTok Countdown Stickers

1. Enter the necessary information for your campaign and ad group.
2. Go to the ‘Ad Creation’ page and continue to ‘Ad Details.’
3. Upload the selected video where you intend to include the countdown sticker.
4. Choose the countdown sticker type:
   1. Add a reminder for a LIVE event
   2. Add a reminder for a non-LIVE event
   3. Direct to a landing page
5. Type the sticker title, keeping the text under 54 characters.
6. Set the LIVE start time or countdown deadline.
7. Pick a sticker color from available orange, black, blue, and red shades.
8. Adjust the display angle of the sticker between -180 to 180 degrees as desired.
9. Place your sticker within the safe zone using the X (50-61) and Y (141-473) coordinate ranges for accurate positioning.
10. Adjust the sticker size within the 60% – 110% range.
11. Set the sticker opacity between 70% – 100% based on your preference.
12. Offer viewers reminder time options: 1 minute earlier, 1 hour earlier, or 1 day earlier.
13. Set the destination URL, which viewers will visit when they click after the countdown ends.
14. Review your settings, click ‘Confirm,’ and then ‘Submit’ to complete your interactive ad.

Setting up TikTok Pop-Out Showcase

The TikTok Interactive Add-ons: Pop-out Showcase is designed to create a deeply immersive experience with its unique 3D-style item spotlight. The tool’s customizable feature enables the integration of brand assets and impactful calls-to-action text, effectively enhancing viewer interaction. In addition, the pop-out component is tailored to stimulate audience curiosity, boosting user engagement and potentially driving purchase decisions.

1. Enter the necessary information for your campaign and ad group.
2. Navigate to the ‘Ad Creation’ page and proceed to ‘Ad Details.’
3. Upload the chosen video where you plan to include the countdown sticker.
4. Upload your premium badge image. File size does not exceed 1MB. Image dimensions should be 448×448 px; the accepted formats are .png, .jpg, and .jpeg.
5. Type the Interactive guide text, keeping it under 27 characters.
6. Set the premium badge pop-up time, remembering that the first 3 seconds and the last 5 seconds of the video ad cannot be used as the start of the pop-up add-ons.
7. Adjust the display angle of the Premium Badge pop-up between -180 to 180 degrees as desired.
8. Position the Premium Badge pop-up within the safe zone using the X (125 – 515) and Y (200 – 710) coordinate ranges for precise placement.
9. Review your settings, click ‘Confirm,’ and then ‘Submit’ to finalize your interactive ad.

Setting up TikTok Interactive Gestures

TikTok’s Interactive Add-ons: Gestures present a dynamic way for advertisers to interact with their audience through video ads. Viewers can engage with the ads via interactive gestures like clicks and straight or curved slides. The use of this feature can enhance ad recall and foster user participation. The Gesture add-on brings excitement and interactivity to TikTok ads by guiding viewers to slide and unveil a product or enticing them to click to partake in a challenge.

1. Provide the required information for your campaign and ad group.
2. Go to the ‘Ad Creation’ page and continue to ‘Ad Details.’
3. Upload the selected video where you intend to include the Interactive Gestures.
4. Choose from three Interactive Gestures: Click, Straight, and Curved Slide.
5. Upload your Interactive Gesture pop-up card, keeping the file size under 3MB. The ideal image dimensions are 620x788px, and the accepted formats are .png, .jpg, .jpeg, and .gif.
6. The Interactive Add-on Interactive Gestures uses the same destination URL on the ad creation page.
7. Type the Interactive Gesture display text, limiting it to 27 characters.
8. Set the Interactive Gesture pop-up time, remembering that the first 3 seconds and the last 5 seconds of the video ad cannot be used as the start of the pop-up add-ons.
9. Position the Interactive Gesture icon within the safe zone.
10. Adjust the length of the icon, with a maximum length set at 365.
11. Set the Interactive Gesture icon angle to your preference.
12. Choose from 11 default TikTok Music options or upload your preferred sound bite. MP3 file size should not exceed 1MB.
13. Review your settings, click ‘Confirm,’ and then ‘Submit’ to complete your interactive ad.

Setting up TikTok Interactive Superlike

The Superlike Add-on on TikTok is a fun and remarkable feature that boosts viewer interaction. Brands can customize a “Like” icon by uploading images or logos. Audiences can see custom-shaped icons on their feed to create higher brand recall when they double-tap on video ads. Advertisers can create a custom pop-up window that will appear after the add-on. Engaged users will be led to a landing page after engaging with the ad.

1. Provide the required information for your campaign and ad group.
2. Go to the ‘Ad Creation’ page and continue to ‘Ad Details.’
3. Upload the selected video where you intend to include the Interactive Gestures.
4. Personalize your “Like” account by uploading a brand logo or image. The ideal file dimensions are 200 x 200 px. Acceptable image formats are .png .jpg, and .jpeg. TikTok offers in-app image editing with three cropping options: lasso, circle, and square. 
5. Add a Pop-up window after displaying the Superlike Interactive add-on. File size should not exceed 3MB. Ideal image dimensions should be 620 x 788 px. Available image formats are .png, .jpg, .jpeg, and .gif. 
6. The Interactive Add-on Interactive Superlike uses the same destination URL on the ad creation page.
7. Review your settings, click ‘Confirm,’ and then ‘Submit’ to complete your interactive ad.

The post Get More Clicks And Conversions With TikTok Interactive Add-Ons appeared first on Strike Social.

Initially known for its lip-syncing videos, TikTok has blossomed into a vibrant, commerce-centric entertainment hub. Amid exploding screen time across devices, capturing attention is paramount for advertisers. Brands like Samsung are already experiencing the power of this interactive add-on, with efficiencies improving by 17% during the teaser phase and 32% throughout the unveiling phase in their TikTok campaigns using the ‘Countdown Sticker.’

TikTok Countdown Sticker captures users’ attention, enhances commitment, and boosts engagement. For advertisers seeking to maximize the benefits of TikTok’s Interactive Add-ons, this article will provide insightful guidance on leveraging these sticker features effectively.

Related article: TikTok Conversion Objective: Leveraging Short From Content to Social Commerce

What is a TikTok Countdown Sticker and its benefits?

TikTok countdown sticker is an interactive feature designed for In-Feed video ads. The highly engaging display sticker calculates the time left based on the viewer’s time zone and visually pops up to fit the brand’s preference. The impact of the ticking countdown extends beyond just grabbing attention – it actively encourages viewers to take action. Whether building excitement for an upcoming product launch or counting down to the start of a live-streamed event, it helps cultivate a sense of urgency among viewers.

What are the benefits of using interactive countdown stickers?

Have you ever pondered the effectiveness of TikTok’s Interactive Countdown Stickers? The adage “time is of the essence” rings especially true in advertising. A well-executed sense of urgency is often the secret ingredient to capturing consumers’ attention and inspiring them to act swiftly.

In essence, that’s the driving force behind TikTok Countdown Stickers. When used strategically, these interactive add-ons bring a wealth of benefits to the advertising campaign. Here’s a closer look:

1. Amplifying Brand Awareness. Countdown Stickers are a timely beacon, reminding viewers of an upcoming event. As the countdown ticks closer to zero, these interactive stickers increase in relevance, particularly among viewers who are highly interested in the brand or event.
2. Fueling Engagement. Engaged viewers are more inclined to interact with the Countdown Sticker out of curiosity about what’s to come. Whether they’re clicking on the sticker or leaving a comment asking for more details, this active engagement propels the content’s visibility across the TikTok platform.
3. Catalyzing Lead Generation. Employing time-sensitive language such as “Limited Time,” “Act Now,” or “Exclusive Deals” is a powerful tactic. These phrases stimulate viewers to click on the ad and convert them into customers. 

Interactive Add-ons such as TikTok countdown stickers help advertisers to reach wider audiences and drive engagement in the shortest time possible.

Related article: TikTok Brand Awareness Ad Objective: An Opportunity Media Buyers Should Know About

Step-by-step guide in setting up TikTok Countdown Sticker

1. Enter the necessary information for your campaign and ad group.
2. Go to the ‘Ad Creation’ page and continue to ‘Ad Details.’
3. Upload the selected video where you intend to include the countdown sticker.
4. Choose the countdown sticker type.
   • Add a reminder for a LIVE event
   • Add a reminder for a non-LIVE event
   • Direct to a landing page
5. Type the sticker title, keeping the text under 54 characters.
6. Set the LIVE start time or countdown deadline.
7. Pick a sticker color from available orange, black, blue, and red shades.
8. Adjust the display angle of the sticker between -180 to 180 degrees as desired.
9. Place your sticker within the safe zone using the X (50-61) and Y (141-473) coordinate ranges for accurate positioning.
10. Adjust the sticker size within the 60% – 110% range.
11. Set the sticker opacity between 70% – 100% based on your preference.
12. Offer viewers reminder time options: 1 minute earlier, 1 hour earlier, or one day earlier.
13. Set the destination URL, which viewers will visit when they click after the countdown ends.
14. Review your settings, click ‘Confirm,’ and then ‘Submit’ to complete your interactive ad.

Exclusive Gift: Get a free guide on setting up TikTok Countdown Stickers, specially designed for TikTok Media Buyers by experienced advertising professionals at Strike Social. Discover the art of creating mesmerizing TikTok ads that captivate your audience and keep them engaged from start to finish.

What are the best practices for using TikTok countdown stickers?

We have discussed how the timer can influence viewers to engage, but do all campaigns with countdown stickers end up the same? To make the most of this dynamic feature, here are some best practices for harnessing the potential of Countdown Stickers to promote events, generate FOMO, increase engagement, and boost brand recall.

How to Use Countdown Sticker to Promote Events and Generate FOMO?

Generating a Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) taps into our intrinsic urge to stay relevant. Leveraging this emotion can prompt the audience to act swiftly, leading to potential purchases or sign-ups.

Here’s how to build anticipation around the upcoming marketing push:

1. Schedule it right. Timing is crucial. Letting users discover the ad is important, but scheduling it too far from the event date might dilute the sense of urgency. Generally, a few days to a week before major events strike a balance.
2. Use time-sensitive language. Draw viewers in with appealing, time-sensitive phrases like “Don’t Miss Out” or “Only a Few Days Left” to encourage heavy engagement with the ad.
3. Maintain branding. Customizing the Countdown Sticker’s design to align with the brand can elevate event recall. Consider using event photos or actual products to stoke excitement.

Related article: How To Set Up A TikTok Product Catalog?

How to Use Countdown Sticker to Increase Engagement and Boost Brand Recall?

Adding the TikTok Countdown Sticker to video ads can help differentiate it from others, enhancing ad recall and anticipation. Here are some tips to maximize campaign effectiveness with this feature:

1. Add incentives. Reward early-engaged viewers with discount codes, exclusive early bird gifts, or additional discounts to encourage others to interact with the ad.
2. Use influencers’ content. Employing interactive add-on stickers on popular organic content can boost ad effectiveness. For instance, TikTok Spark Ads with countdown stickers can efficiently achieve marketing goals. 
3. Get creative. Simply adding a countdown timer isn’t enough. Consider incorporating trivia questions, sneak-peek content, or engaging chat prompts to capture viewers’ attention more effectively.

Countdown Sticker Case Study: Amplifying Urgency in a Time-Bound Campaign

One of our clients aimed to increase its digital subscription through a one-day sales event. The team aimed to create buzz around the event using a three-phase campaign. There were creative swaps following the strategy, but two distinct video ads were deployed – one with a TikTok Countdown Sticker and one without.

Leveraging the engagement-rich nature of the TikTok community, we targeted the same demographic with both ads, focusing mainly on the younger audience. As the campaign progressed, we fine-tuned our strategy, optimizing for audience segments that performed the best. Amidst the similarities of the creatives, the TikTok Countdown Sticker emerged as the critical differentiator.

The outcome of this tightly-executed campaign was a resounding success, delivering a Cost per Engagement below $0.80. Remarkably, the creatives featuring the countdown sticker outperformed their counterparts, providing a 14% lower Cost per Thousand Impressions (CPM) and a 7% lower Cost per Click (CPC).

The combination of Countdown Sticker that created a sense of urgency among viewers and optimization to the appropriate audience group proved to be a winning strategy. This case study is a testament to the power of Interactive Add-ons and smart targeting, showcasing how well-executed strategies can generate excitement and drive action, even within a tight timeline.

Countdown Stickers Creates Urgency in Consumers and Efficiency for Media Buyers

TikTok has revolutionized the world of social media, nurturing a deeply engaged and responsive community. Numerous trends have taken root from its thriving user base, and new facets of pop culture have emerged. Amidst this vibrant setting, the hyper-connected nature of viewers presents an enticing opportunity for brands. Utilizing features such as TikTok’s Interactive add-ons can elevate campaigns, fostering a deeper connection with viewers and propelling brands to new heights.

The Interactive add-ons, specifically the TikTok Countdown Stickers, harness the power of anticipation and urgency. They are more than just fun add-ons; they are powerful marketing tools. These dynamic add-ons help amplify messages, spur engagements, and drive actions.
However, unlocking the full potential of these features requires a thorough understanding and a strategic approach. This is where our expertise comes into play. If you want to delve into the world of TikTok ads and make the most of these dynamic Interactive add-ons, we’re here to assist you.

The post How Countdown Stickers Boost TikTok Live and Sale Events appeared first on Strike Social.

A Detailed Guide to TikTok Inventory Filter Tiers for Improved Content Suitability

• Understanding the TikTok Inventory Filter’s Role in Enhancing Brand Safety
• Navigating the TikTok Inventory Filter Tiers for Content Suitability
• Optimal Brand Safety: Utilizing TikTok Inventory Filter
• Is TikTok a Safe Bet for Advertisers?

Given the rapid growth of the US TikTok community, the need for advertisers to present content that aligns with their brand values has never been more crucial. With a surge of new video content uploaded on the app, managing brand representation in such a dynamic environment poses a unique challenge.

To address this, TikTok has developed an in-app feature, the TikTok Inventory Filter, which effectively safeguards against inappropriate content displayed alongside advertisements. This tool not only preserves a brand’s reputation but also significantly enhances the advertising environment on the platform. Consequently, the captivating nature of the ads and user experience influence the success of TikTok ad campaigns.

In today’s digital world, brand safety and suitability are paramount. Even minor brand missteps can stir negative reactions due to heightened audience sensitivities. Therefore, all stakeholders must collaborate seamlessly to safeguard ad campaigns.

In this article, we’ll guide you on safeguarding your brand’s digital presence on TikTok using the TikTok Inventory Filter. We’ll also explore this tool’s advantages and distinctive features and how it contributes to a secure and apt environment for your TikTok advertising.

Related articles: TikTok Brand Awareness Ad Objective: An Opportunity Media Buyers Should Know About

Understanding the TikTok Inventory Filter’s Role in Enhancing Brand Safety

With the launch of the TikTok Inventory Filter, advanced machine-learning technology can classify content based on risk levels. Advertisers can protect their brand reputation by selecting suitable inventory for their In-Feed Ads on the ‘For You’ page.

Available in over 25 countries and supporting 15+ languages, this brand safety solution is a significant milestone for TikTok. According to Jon Schmucler, Global Head of Product Marketing, Measurement at TikTok, it is the foundational technology for future advertising advancements.

By using the TikTok Inventory Filter, advertisers can ensure that their ads align with the desired content environment and are not associated with a wide range of potentially inappropriate categories, including:

• Violent extremism
• Hateful behavior
• Illegal activities and regulated goods
• Dangerous acts and challenges
• Suicide, self-harm, and disordered eating
• Harassment and bullying
• Adult nudity and sexual activities
• Minor safety
• Integrity and authenticity
• Copyright and trademark infringement

The TikTok Inventory Filter also provides an extra layer of protection by combating fraudulent activities. Protecting ads from fake or bot-generated content enhances transparency and credibility, safeguarding your investment as an advertiser.

TikTok’s commitment to brand safety is also demonstrated through its content moderation practices. Implementing the Inventory Filter guards against inappropriate or conflicting content, ensuring content suitability and a positive user experience.

Navigating TikTok Inventory Filter Tiers for Content Suitability

TikTok’s In-app safety tool offers three tiers of brand safety and suitability. These tiers adhere to TikTok’s policies and industry-standard frameworks like GARM Brand Safety Floor and Brand Suitability. Using the TikTok Ads Manager, advertisers can select their preferred tier.

This table shows the evaluation of videos within the Inventory Filter based on industry-standard risk levels:

TikTok’s Inventory Filter offers advertisers three distinct inventory tiers, providing a custom advertising experience that aligns with their brand’s safety needs.

Firstly, the Full Inventory tier offers an expanded reach, presenting ads next to content that may feature mature themes. However, it maintains a safe ad environment by excluding content with graphic violence, explicit nudity, and graphic sexual content.

Next, with its regular reach, the Standard Inventory tier places ads alongside content deemed generally suitable for most brands. This could involve some mature themes. Exclusions in this tier consist of moderate profanity, moderate sexual scenarios, and all exclusions from the Full Inventory tier.

Lastly, despite offering a more restricted reach, the Limited Inventory tier ensures your ads are matched with content free of mature themes. This tier excludes mild sexual content, mild violence, and all exclusions from the Full and Standard inventory tiers. Nonetheless, choosing this tier may lead to higher ad costs due to a more selective content pool.

These inventory tiers provide advertisers with robust options for managing their ad placements effectively on TikTok, which allows for maximized brand safety and control over the advertising environment. For a comprehensive guide on using the TikTok Inventory Filter, advertisers can refer to TikTok’s Business Help Center. 

Optimal Brand Safety: Utilizing TikTok Inventory Filter

Several well-recognized brands have effectively harnessed the power of the TikTok Inventory Filter to bolster their brand safety measures and sharpen their ad targeting on TikTok. The in-app tool allows them to tailor their ad placements, aligning them with suitable content and amplifying brand safety.

A number of leading brands have already embraced the TikTok Inventory Filter, reporting extraordinary results with delivery rates soaring above 95%. Standouts include industry heavyweights like Unilever, which boasts incredible brand safety and suitability rates of 99.99% and above, serving as a testament to the efficacy of the TikTok Inventory Filter.

Yet another success story comes from Adidas. They achieved a remarkable 99.9% in Brand Safety and Brand Suitability. This success underlines the assurance that their ads are showcased alongside content that aligns seamlessly with their brand values and objectives on TikTok.

With the TikTok Inventory Filter at their disposal, brands can be assured of delivering their messages in a secure, brand-friendly environment. 

Is TikTok a Safe Bet for Advertisers?

TikTok remains committed to user safety and provides a secure environment for advertisers. With ongoing enhancements, TikTok continually tests new technical iterations and customization options within the Inventory Filter to remain at the forefront of industry trends.

TikTok is unifying its offerings across all ad products as part of its extensive brand safety strategy. As a result, the Inventory Filter will be integral to platforms like TikTok Pulse and Branded Mission. This unified approach ensures consistency and seamless integration of safety measures in ad campaigns.

Advertisers can bolster their brand safety by leveraging the TikTok Inventory Filter and cultivating meaningful ad experiences. TikTok’s dedication to brand safety, complemented by its innovative toolset, validates its trustworthiness. It’s an ideal platform for advertisers seeking campaign enhancement while adeptly navigating TikTok’s brisk environment.

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The post Guide To TikTok Inventory Filter: Safeguarding Brand’s Presence appeared first on Strike Social.

• Is TikTok Pulse different from Spark Ads?
• TikTok Pulse Set-up Guide
• TikTok Pulse FAQs

TikTok Pulse is a game-changer for advertisers who want to make their mark on the platform and connect with their target audience meaningfully and effectively. So if you want to take your advertising campaigns to the next level, TikTok Pulse might be the tool you need!

Is TikTok Pulse different from Spark Ads?

TikTok Pulse and Spark Ads are two powerful tools brands can leverage to enhance their online presence and increase their customer base. Although both aim to boost brand awareness and expand reach, their strategies and implementation differ.

TikTok Pulse is an innovative contextual advertising feature that allows brands to align their ads with the top-performing content on the platform. This feature enables advertisers to maximize brand exposure by targeting specific audiences with engaging content. With 12 categories, including beauty, fashion, and gaming, Pulse offers a broad range of options to cater to the audience’s interests.

Moreover, TikTok Pulse offers a revenue-sharing program with creators, ensuring a fair 50-50 split of the generated ad revenue. This feature allows creators to benefit from the ads they help promote and incentivizes them to produce more engaging content. Thus, it fosters a positive relationship between advertisers and creators on the platform.

In contrast, TikTok Spark Ads are organic posts in partnership with a brand, promoted as ads in users’ home feeds. These ads appear even for users who do not follow the influencer or brand, labeled as ‘sponsored.’ Unlike Pulse, Spark Ads do not have revenue sharing with creators and are centered on user-generated content and targeted advertising.

Pulse and Spark Ads are effective tools for brands to promote their products or services on TikTok. However, it is important to note that advertisers can choose to run either a Spark Ad or a Non-Spark Ad as creative in running a TikTok Pulse campaign. This flexibility allows brands to optimize their campaigns based on their goals and target audience.

Related article: TikTok Spark Ads vs. Non-Spark Ads: What Marketers Should know,

TikTok Pulse Set-up Guide

Are you keen on launching a successful TikTok Pulse campaign? The key to achieving this goal is opening a TikTok Ads Manager account. This account will be your central hub for managing all your TikTok campaigns. After setting up your account, you can log in and view your dashboard to keep track of all your campaigns and monitor their performance.

Campaign Level

1. Open TikTok Ads Manager > Click Create an Ad under the Campaign section
2. Under buying type, Select Reach and Frequency
3. Click Reach in Advertising objective
4. Select TikTok Pulse
5. Enter Campaign Name 
6. Click Continue

Ad Group Level

1. Ad Group Name

• Select an Ad Group Name

2. Audience Targeting 

• Choose parameters for targeting options such as audience, demographics, interest, and device.
• Refer to the TikTok Pulse Planning Packet (provided by your TikTok sales lead) for targeting recommendations.

3. Contextual Targeting

Confirm that Standard Feed is selected in the “Feed Type” section

Select TikTok Pulse content lineups in the “Content Topics” setting. (Do not select anything under “General content“)

“All Pulse” is the default state, meaning all Pulse content lineups are auto-selected. You should target All Pulse and allow the system to find the lineups that best match your audience and the given creative

To target specific lineups, choose 4 to 5 lineups. Select content lineups that resonate with the “audience” you are targeting. Targeting fewer than 4 lineups may impact the forecast for available inventory and/or reach.

4. Confirm that the Limited Inventory filter is auto-selected in “Content Exclusions.”

5. In “Schedule,” choose a date range when you want your ad to start running

• Ad delivery will begin at 12:00 AM in the timezone of the country/region selected in Location and end at 11:59 PM every day
• Ad scheduling can be set up to 225 days in advance
• Ad delivery can be scheduled to start within 1 to 90 days
• Ad Groups must be created at least 1 day before ad delivery

6. Choose a reservation purchase method in “Reservation.”

• You can choose either Budget, Impressions, Reach or Reach Percentage.

7. Confirm that Reach is set to auto-selected in “Optimization Goal.”

8. Choose how often you want your ads to appear by selecting a “Frequency Cap.”

9. Select your desired delivery mode in the “Ad sequencing & Schedule” tab when using multiple creatives in your ad campaign.

• Learn more about Multiple Creative Delivery Service

10. Once you have created your Ad Group, click Next to see the “Submit Order” and “Reserve Audience” screen.

11. Reserve your ad without attaching your creative by clicking Submit Order.

12. To add your creative, click Continue to Add. Then proceed to Ad level setup.

13. If you need to create additional Ad Groups for Pulse lineups, navigate back to the Create page in Step 1, go to “Use existing” in the Campaign level section, select the existing campaign, then repeat Steps 1-12 to set up a new Ad Group

Ad Level

1. Type the Ad Name

2. Select the options you want to display for your Identity, including a Display Name, Text, and Profile Image.

• You can also run a Spark Ad as your Pulse creative

3. Upload a video in your Ad Creative

• Reach & Frequency creative specs can be found here

4. Add any Interactive add-ons

5. Set your Destination page options, which can include adding a website URL and/or adding CTA buttons

6. Add any pixels or tracking URLs

• Check out supported third-party tracking partners here

7. You can add additional ads by clicking the +Add button. Repeat Steps 3-6 if you wish to add more ads

8. When you are satisfied with your ads, click Submit to send them to the review queue

For more information, visit TikTok Business Help Center

TikTok Pulse FAQs

How Does TikTok Pulse Work?

TikTok Pulse is an advanced contextual targeting product designed to help advertisers maximize exposure and engagement for their brand. With TikTok Pulse, you can purchase ad slots that are immediately matched with relevant creator niches based on various categories of Pulse content. This targeting approach ensures that your ads are displayed alongside verified content, promoting brand safety.

Pulse ads are benchmarked based on views and engagement to ensure your brand is associated with trending content and reaches a wider audience. This approach guarantees that your brand’s message is aligned with culturally-relevant content, allowing you to achieve your advertising goals effectively.

What are the TikTok Pulse Lineups?

TikTok Pulse Lineups are top categories, such as Beauty, Sports, Gaming, Art & Animation, and others, that enable advertisers to reach their desired audience effectively. Your ads will be displayed in the “For You” feed after a popular and relevant TikTok video from your chosen Pulse Lineup.

TikTok Pulse uses a proprietary scoring system to identify the top 4% of culturally-relevant videos across each category daily. This approach ensures your ads are placed alongside the most engaging and relevant content. Various signals such as engagement, video views, recent growth, creator engagement signals, and brand safety and suitability signals are considered to calculate a video’s score.

What Are the Objectives Available for TikTok Pulse?

TikTok Pulse offers advertisers two buying options: Reach & Frequency (Reach objective only) and two ad formats: In-feed Spark Ads or Non-Spark Ads. These placement options and ad formats enable advertisers to connect with their desired audience effectively and achieve their marketing goals on TikTok.

Is TikTok Pulse Available for Everyone?

TikTok Pulse offers advertisers two buying options: Reach & Frequency (Reach objective only) and two ad formats: In-feed Spark Ads or Non-Spark Ads. These placement options and ad formats enable advertisers to connect with their desired audience effectively and achieve their marketing goals on TikTok.

Is TikTok Pulse Available for Everyone?

TikTok Pulse is currently only available to a select number of allow-listed advertisers in the US. Content creators must also meet specific criteria, including having at least 100,000 followers, posting at least five videos within the last 30 days, and being 18 or older to qualify.

Related article: TikTok Brand Awareness Ad Objective: An Opportunity Media Buyers Should Know About

Why Should You Use TikTok Pulse?

TikTok Pulse has emerged as a powerful tool for advertisers looking to expand their reach and engagement on the platform. By aligning their ads with top-performing content, brands can leverage popular content that resonates with their target audience, resulting in higher engagement and brand loyalty. It’s a win-win situation for both parties, as TikTok Pulse’s revenue-sharing program enables brands to engage with creators and participate in ongoing conversations actively.

One of the most exciting features of TikTok Pulse is the greater control it gives brands over their advertising campaigns and budget. Advertisers can choose between a Spark Ad or a non-Spark Ad as creative in a TikTok Pulse campaign, maximizing their advertising ROI and connecting with their target audience meaningfully and effectively with user-generated content.

Moreover, TikTok Pulse provides a unique opportunity for brands to drive engagement among diverse communities. By featuring alongside the top 4% of creators and videos on TikTok, brands can gain maximum exposure. Advertisers can also use TikTok’s 12 brand safety categories to place ads next to relevant content, connecting with their desired communities.

With TikTok’s inventory filter, ads run adjacent to verified content with high levels of brand suitability, providing brands with confidence in the safety of their ads. Brands can also use third-party brand suitability and viewability verification tools to analyze the effectiveness of their campaigns post-launch.

Overall, TikTok Pulse is an innovative and game-changing platform for advertisers looking to optimize their reach and engagement on TikTok. With its powerful features and tools, brands can achieve their marketing goals and create a lasting impression on their target audience. It’s a great opportunity for businesses to tap into the power of social media and connect with their audience more meaningfully.

The post TikTok Pulse FAQ and Setup Guide: Maximizing Engagement Around Organic Content appeared first on Strike Social.

This post was updated in October 2024 to provide you with the latest information.

The past five years have shown us one clear trend in digital advertising: consumer behavior has shifted dramatically, with a significant rise in both social commerce and video consumption. Among all the social media advertising networks, TikTok has seen an unprecedented surge in video ad views, indicating a massive increase in user engagement.

Contrary to popular belief, the data so far shows that it’s not just the younger generation that is fixated on the #FYP; people of all ages and backgrounds are tuning in. With thousands of viral videos, from #BookTok to #CleanTok, TikTok has established itself as a formidable social video platform industry contender.

From 2-Second Views to Full Plays: Exploring TikTok’s Video View Ad Metrics

Despite concerns about TikTok’s future in the US, the app remains a highly popular and engaging platform. With its user-friendly interface and a wide range of creative features, individuals and brands have discovered innovative ways to captivate audiences and boost their presence on TikTok continually. This includes leveraging the TikTok video editor to create and edit captivating videos.

According to a recent report from Statista, TikTok is emerging as a strong competitor to the popular streaming service Netflix. US adults spend 56 minutes daily on TikTok, only 6 minutes less than on Netflix. This data indicates that TikTok has captivated the attention of the masses and become an integral part of their daily lives.

Knowing the pulse of a growing trend is imperative in the advertising industry, as well as the engagement rate to further deduce overall intention and resonate with audiences. The growth of TikTok presents a unique opportunity for brands and businesses to capitalize on trends and improve their ROAS. And as more TikTok users spend watch time on their FYP (For You Page), video views for TikTok ads will continue to skyrocket.

Comparing the Different Types of Video View Metrics on TikTok Ads

To make the most of this opportunity, it’s important to understand the nuances of TikTok video views metrics, precisely the difference between View, 2-second, and 6-second views. By mastering these metrics and knowing when to use each, advertisers can optimize their campaigns for maximum impact.

What is a TikTok Ad View? 

The term paid “view” can mean different things on different platforms. On TikTok, any video ad playback is counted as a view, even if it’s just for a fraction of a second. However, as the platform is home to a community of hyper-swiper users, some video ads may be skipped over quickly, resulting in an ad impression instead of an ad view.

So, what’s the importance of TikTok ad view metrics? One significant benefit is that they can help you understand the effectiveness of your audience targeting by looking at your TikTok View Rate (VR). This metric shows whether viewers are skipping or ignoring your TikTok ads. To calculate the view rate manually, divide the total number of video ad views (Views) by the total number of ads served (Impressions).

Let’s delve into an example of a TikTok view campaign. Our recent campaign had a View Rate of 92.24% and a Frequency of 1.29. With these metrics, we can infer that the campaign message effectively reaches most target demographics. Furthermore, we can deduce that most viewers are not quick-swipers, meaning they are more likely to consume the video ad content, ultimately improving the chances of driving conversions.

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Further Reading

Why Advertisers Should Take Advantage of TikTok’s Brand Awareness Objective

As various peak retail seasons unfold throughout the year, it’s essential to develop discovery and brand awareness campaigns to stand out in a competitive market. Despite being a relative newcomer to the paid social industry, TikTok has quickly emerged as one of the most powerful tools for building brand recognition.

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What is a 2-second view in a TikTok Video ad?

As advertisers compete for consumers’ attention on social media platforms, creating video ads worth the viewers’ time has become increasingly essential. At Strike Social, our team believes the 2-second Video View is a more valuable metric when calculating the TikTok Ads’ Cost Per View (CPV). According to a report by insiderintelligence.com, social media users have an average attention span of just 1.3 seconds when it comes to creative advertising opportunities. This is far shorter than TV consumers’ acceptable 30-second commercial attention span.

Using the 2-second Video View metric, advertisers can better understand how many viewers are engaged with their content beyond the initial impression. This can help them optimize their ad campaigns and reach the appropriate audience. Metrics like 2-second video plays can greatly influence the success of a video ad campaign, especially for those running on TikTok consideration objective, where both engagement and sustained views are essential for keeping audiences connected to the ad.

What is a 6-second view in a TikTok ad?

Being the center of internet culture and entertainment platforms, TikTok has proven its ability to produce viral trends and generate buzz around brands and businesses. TikTok ads deliver the same result as paid marketing efforts. The video-sharing platform treats viewership as equally important as other forms of engagement. The campaign successfully secures their undivided attention when viewers are determined to watch an ad for six seconds or more. This increases the ad’s memorability and drives top-of-mind brand recall.

The 6-second views metric is beneficial for brand campaigns to increase awareness and recall. Another metric that can complement the 6-second View in a TikTok ad campaign is the average watch time. It also effectively measures engagement, showing how many viewers are invested in the ad content beyond just scrolling past it.

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Further Reading

Turning TikTok Views Into Sales and Conversions

Short-form content has transformed the consumer journey, shifting from traditional product research to brand discovery, engagement, and loyalty-building. With TikTok’s highly engaging conversion-focused ad solutions, these evolving purchase behaviors are here to stay, even as more consumers return to physical stores.

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How Does TikTok Focused View Objective Compute Cost Per View?

In the third quarter of 2022, TikTok introduced a new video ad objective called Focused View. This new feature allows advertisers to connect with their target audience with a high intention to engage or watch the ad. Previously, video ads on TikTok were measured by Cost per Thousand Views (CPMV). But with the introduction of Tiktok’s Focused View, the platform switched to a Cost per 6-Second video view. This means advertisers only pay when a user watches the ad for at least 6 seconds or engages with the advertisement within the first 6 seconds rather than just seeing it.

Boosting Your TikTok Ad Campaigns with Video Ad View Metrics

TikTok is increasingly emerging as a significant player in the entertainment industry, demonstrated by its remarkable surge in organic and paid video views, causing it to compete with major platforms such as YouTube and Netflix.

The platform’s continuous rollout of new features, such as discovery and search, ticket retailing, and paywalled 20-minute videos, has kept users, creators, and brands engaged and involved. As more users spend time on their FYP, TikTok video views ads are expected to surge. Understanding each Video ad View metric and optimizing campaigns based on pacing can help businesses and brands capitalize on this trend and improve their return on ad spend (ROAS).

Strike Social has worked with TikTok since 2019, building and refining paid campaigns within TikTok’s Business Center. We have extensive experience using TikTok’s native audiences and contextual search targeting to guarantee impressive metrics for our clients’ local campaigns within the DMA and most City levels.

With our expertise and understanding of TikTok’s video views metrics, we can help your business achieve maximum impact and success on the platform. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help your brand succeed on TikTok.

The post Exploring the Metrics: How TikTok Measures Video Views on Ads (2024 Update) appeared first on Strike Social.

This upcoming holiday, couch shoppers will continue to swipe, click, and fill their online shopping carts, fueling the growth of social commerce. But despite this year’s slowdown, US Retail Social Commerce Sales are expected to grow by 25% from 2021 to reach $45.74 billion. This trend is opening up opportunities for advertisers to connect more meaningfully with their customers through social content, and TikTok is leading the way.

Gen X fashion-enthusiast TikTok users are 1.5x more likely to purchase instantly after watching content on the platform, a report made by TikTok Marketing Science Global Retail Path to Purchase. Marketers can leverage this insight through TikTok ads generating more excitement, interest, and engagement. Curiosity drives action: TikTok communities are always on their toes to find the latest trend, either the latest music craze, quick DIYs, or funny and relatable videos. Users are hyper-engaging in each one of them.

Relate article:TikTok Brand Awareness Ad Objective: An Opportunity Media Buyers Should Know About

How Can Tiktok Drive Sales Through Short-form Content?

TikTok is built around community content, encouraging regular swipers to become creators and influencers. According to the TikTok Marketing Science Global Creators Like Me Study in 2021, a survey shows that two out of three millennial app users create content after watching video content on the platform. As users and creators push the boundaries of video content, TikTok ads on FYPs are becoming more native and acceptable to app users. 

An emerging e-commerce brand has adopted the concept of producing informative short-form videos on TikTok to empower its followers and potential customers. With more and more active users spending more time on the platform, the company has decided to expand its reach.

Using interest and behavior-based, the brand reaches desired niche audiences through targeting strategy, strong creator partnerships, and TikTok Spark Ads. Their campaign resulted in 28 million impressions, 407,000 clicks, and 12,000 conversions with a CTR of 1.43%.

Related article: TikTok Consideration Objectives: Fuels Consumers’ Intent to Purchase

Tiktok Advertising Tools For Engagement And Conversions

Diversification efforts for best advertising performance have become the focus of all marketers. Faced with challenges such as the ad cookie collapse and Apple’s security updates, media buyers were looking for an efficient platform to move their advertising dollars. Marketers have found conversion efficiency using TikTok Ads.

To better understand TikTok’s ability to generate results from paid media, TikTok Partnered with Nielsen to conduct a study using US CPG Media Mix Model. The result is 14% higher ROAS and 2X offline sales efficiency than other digital media. Presenting some of TikTok Ad features that media buyers can use to elevate ad engagement and conversions. 

a. TikTok Shopping Ads – Turn TikTok profiles into digital storefronts, displaying multiple products in a Product Showcase Tab

b. Spark Ads –  Amplify the creator’s User-Generated Content using a native ad format that drives better conversions and ongoing marketing impact.

c. Hashtag challenges – and engaging content drive better results for the brand. #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt with 2.3B views made it easier.

d. LIVE Shopping Ads – TikTok users can discover, watch, browse, and buy products directly through their favorite brand’s LIVE stream.

e. Hyper Target using Purchase Intent –  fine-tune targeting efforts using behavior and DMA targeting. Buyers may leverage Look-A-Like audiences to find viewers similar to the brand’s followers and double down on engaged audiences.

Related article: TikTok Shopping Ads: Advertisers’ Solution to Creating Meaningful Digital Shopping Experience

Available TikTok Ad Conversion Objective

Over the past few years, the usage of short-form video content has evolved from a quick 6-second video looped into condensed, entertaining, and inspiring videos that can influence a purchasing decision. Brands have been capitalizing on hyper-engaging content by native creators to meet their audience wherever they are in their purchase journey. Here are the bottom funnel advertising objectives that can help scale campaigns. 

Related article: TikTok Analytics: Marketers’ Guide to Understanding TikTok Ads Targeting

Keep the momentum going: Post-Purchase Engagement

If a brand has cultivated product advocates, it can leverage existing customers to generate new ones. The post-purchase phase is an open-window opportunity for advertisers to maximize their engagement with active customers. Their Marketing Science, Global Retail Path to Purchase Study, indicates that TikTok users are 24% more likely than other platforms to create content after purchase. 

The popular app believes community building should not end after the Bottom-of-Funnel strategy. TikTok is on its path to revolutionizing the traditional marketing funnel with its Infinite Loop marketing. Part of the enhanced strategy is the Review and Participation phase. During this stage, the community amplifies the content and elevates the advertising experience.

Understanding the pulse of app pop culture, media buyers can now leverage consumer interest to build relationships. In addition, utilizing available advertising tools such as Live Video Shopping ads or Spark Ads can drive action to brands’ video content and ultimately drive more sales. With the number of audiences and time spent on the app increasing daily, marketers should consider exploring TikTok and investing more in their short-form content strategy.

The post TikTok Conversion Objective: Leveraging Short From Content to Social Commerce appeared first on Strike Social.

There are still client reservations around TikTok. Here are some of the more common hesitations: 

TikTok’s Audience Skews Younger Than My Demographic 

TikTok is an emerging platform for brands looking for audiences outside the Meta and Google ecosystems. A familiar advertiser’s reservation on TikTok ad conversation “TikTok is great, but my audience skews to an older age group.” 

Data from TikTok shows that the platform has multigenerational audiences that are highly motivated to discover new brands and products. A large percentage of its user base is Gen Z and Millennials. Still, the time spent by older age groups is gradually increasing, with more time swiping short-form videos or creating content that’s taking TikTok by storm.

Looking at the chart, 72% of TT users are in the 18+ age range, while just under half are within the ages of 25-55 that have primary purchasing power. TikTok expands rapidly in the audience with greater earnings while maintaining brand loyalty build-ups for younger groups.

Moreover, it is also worth noting that on Facebook and TikTok’s data, their female users outnumber male users; 61% of TikTok’s users are women, while 59% are on Facebook. IRI’s report reflects how female GenZ TikTok users are more likely to be influenced to purchase a product after they discover it on TikTok videos.

Related article: Elevate Organic Growth with TikTok Spark Ad

Which has more ad loads TikTok or Instagram?

Make TikTok, not ads. TikTok aims to create more hyper-engaging ads through more authentic and relatable content. These fun and entertaining videos draw app users to their screens and introduce them to products used or shown by fellow TikTok community members. Media buyers can leverage high-performing content as it will blend into viewers’ FYP feed, creating more native-feeling videos than watching an ad.

TikTok’s ad load is lighter than competitors, and they plan to keep it that way. Based on a report, 74% of consumers value brands that are keeping their ad loads low. On average, TikTok loads an ad for every ten organic posts, while Instagram has two ads in the same span. As an advertiser, prioritize creating a more impactful ad that produces a lasting impression.

Related article: More ads are coming to Instagram, including your profile feed

Are TikTok Ads More Expensive Than Other Paid Social Platforms?

Strike’s media buyers know first-hand the importance of understanding advertising costs and budgets when creating a media plan. Looking at Strike’s aggregated data for campaigns focused on optimizing impressions, TikTok’s monthly CPMs were 18% and 23% more efficient than other platforms for similar campaigns last May and June 2022. The team has seen previous campaigns that have delivered good ROAS. The campaign output will fluctuate as different factors affect the ad auction for all paid social platforms. 

Related article: New Social Shopping Ads for an Ever Earlier Holiday Shopping Season

How Can TikTok Brand Awareness Objective Increase Campaign Success

One of the key ingredients in creating a successful TikTok Brand Awareness campaign is building a valuable engagement with app users. With TikTok Spark Ads, brands can boost organic or affiliated creator content as a native ad format to drive more authentic audience interactions. Based on Stike’s data, various optimized TikTok Spark Ads campaigns successfully reached and drove action to the ad.

What Are The Available Ad Formats For Awareness Objectives?

Combining a highly-engaging organic content with suitable ad formats can drive awareness, all thanks to TikTok Spark Ads. On the other hand, here’s a list of different ad formats available for Brand Awareness and Interaction objective campaigns: 

Besides the above-mentioned, TikTok Interactive Add-ons are available for Auction but are dependent on the choice of buying type. In addition to providing consumers with a full-screen ad experience with sound-on, media buyers can generate more engagement by adding the following TikTok Interactive Add-ons:

• Display Card – Card type Interactive Add-ons. Highlight exclusive offer to the in-feed ads by adding cards.
• Voting Sticker – Sticker type Interactive Add-ons. Build a connection with your audience by asking about their preferences through the voting sticker.
• Countdown Sticker – Sticker type Interactive Add-ons. Give the feeling of urgency by adding a Countdown timer sticker to your in-feed ads.
• Gift Code Sticker – Sticker type Interactive Add-ons. Consumers are attracted to promos and discounts. Create an exclusive promotional code for your ad video with TikTok Gift Code Sticker.

Related article: Marketers’ guide to TikTok ad specs

TikTok Advertising Solution Offers Reach and Scalability

Media buyers continue to find the right tool in a competitive landscape where advertisers vie for consumers’ attention and keep viewers from swiping to the next video. TikTok Awareness ad objective provides a solution that will add value to every dollar spent on the platform. Brands can meaningfully connect with a broader demographic, from young and active to older and more established audiences.

As TikTok’s viewer base grows, younger audiences from other platforms are switching to TikTok, forcing advertisers to move ad money. As new users come in, TikTok’s Brand Awareness objective is becoming more efficient in increasing reach and engagement to more eyeballs. 

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The post TikTok Brand Awareness Ad Objective: An Opportunity Media Buyers Should Know About appeared first on Strike Social.

Track key product information such as descriptions, images, product videos, links, sizes, and availability using available catalog tools. Setting up for your e-commerce success can be quick and easy.

Related article: Marketers’ guide to TikTok ad specs

How To Set Up A TikTok Product Catalog?

Advertisers can utilize items on the TikTok Catalog Manager for organic and paid content. Whether building your digital storefront for organic or paid content, creating your product listings is essential. 

Before running TikTok Shopping Ads, let’s integrate your store inventory and create your first product catalog. 

Create Your Product Catalog

​1.   Log in to TikTok Ads Manager
2.   Go to Assets
3.  Click Catalog
4.  Add Catalog

5.   Fill out Catalog Information

• ​Catalog Name
• Business Center Account
• Industry
• Ecommerce
• Default Currency
• Default Location

6.   Hit Create

How to Add Products to Your Catalog?

There are three ways to add your products, you can choose between: 

A.   Manually Add Products: Insert products to the catalog by filling out a form

B.   Data Feed Schedule: Upload products to the store from TikTok’s e-commerce partners, such as Shopify, BigCommerce, Ecwid, and WooCommerce. 

Take Note: TikTok Data Feed supported formats are:

• CSV
• XML (RSS)
• XML (ATOM)
• ZIP
•  GZ

C.   Upload file: Attach products through a provided template: Template form

I. Template Information you need to prepare:

II. Before you upload your file, click Check Now to make sure it is formatted correctly

III. Upload the file to complete setup

7.   Click Next

Managing your Product Catalog

1.   Check the total # of products
2.   Check the Product Status

3.   Check Product Information

Scale Product Catalog Across Ad Placements

With TikTok establishing itself as a native marketplace, brands and advertisers alike are now following suit to go where the consumers are to engage with a broader set of audiences.

Setting up your product catalog on TikTok is a step ahead in creating personalized ads to deliver product recommendations to your target audience- organic or paid content. 

The post A Guide on How to Set Up TikTok Product Catalog appeared first on Strike Social.

This post was updated in October 2024 to provide you with the latest information.

What Are TikTok Spark Ads?

TikTok’s Spark Ads is an ad unit designed to scale engagement and attract qualified users through native content. Like Facebook and Instagram’s boosting features, Spark Ads allows you to take your or other content creators’ top-performing video and ensure more app users see it. 

How Do Spark Ads on TikTok Work?

Spark Ads made collaboration with TikTok content creators and influencers more meaningful. Since Spark Ads retains all the usual video features of organic content, such as account name, caption, and audio, it also has likes, comments, and shares to be part of the ad campaign metrics, including your CTA. This gives an edge over Non-Spark Ads which behaves like regular sponsored content. Indeed, Spark Ads is an excellent way for brand discovery.

Learn how to share TikTok authorization codes to create Spark Ads:

How to Activate Spark Ads for Creators and Brands

Set-up guide for creators:

1. Open the TikTok app and navigate to your profile in the bottom right corner.

2. Select the video you want to promote as a Spark Ad.

3. Tap the three dots (•••) on the right side of the screen.

4. In the menu that appears, scroll to find Ad settings under the third line of options.

5. Turn on the Ad Authorization toggle, choose your ad duration, and click Authorize.

6. The screen will refresh, displaying options to generate or extend the authorization code as needed.

7. Click Generate Code to create a code to share with the brand for promoting the video as a Spark Ad. This process may take a moment. Remember to click Save to confirm any changes.

8. After saving, click Manage next to the Video Code line and then click Copy Code.

Note: This is how the code will appear:

Set-up guide for advertisers:

1. Log in to your TikTok Ads Manager account.

2. Click on Creative Library under the Tools section.

3. Select Spark Ads Posts from the left-hand menu.

4. Click Apply for Authorization and paste the code you received from the content creator into the designated area. Then, click Search.

5. The correct video will appear on the screen for confirmation. Click Confirm to proceed.

6. Click Create Ad to continue. This will direct you to the Campaign Creation screen, where you can enter your campaign details as usual.

7. When you reach the ad section, ensure the Identity toggle is activated (Use TikTok account to deliver Spark Ads). Select the Post Authorized by Account option to use the creator’s account as the original poster. Finally, click Publish All to complete the process.

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Further Reading

The TikTok Ad Review Process Explained

A successful TikTok ad campaign starts well before you press “Launch.” Understanding the ad review process is crucial in ensuring your campaign runs smoothly and effectively.

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How to Deactivate Spark Ads?

Guide for creators:

1. Follow steps 1-4 from the setup guide.

2. In the Ad settings, under the Video code section, click on “Manage” and select “Delete code.”

Note: If the video is currently being used as a Spark Ad, the delete option will be grayed out, and ad authorization cannot be deactivated.

Guide for advertisers:

1. Log into TikTok Ads Manager, navigate to Tools, and then select Creative Library.

2. Click on Spark Ads Posts.

3. Verify if the Authorization status is still “Authorized.” Check the authorization code’s validity. If needed, communicate with the creator to extend authorization to make sure your TikTok Spark Ads remain active.

Note: Once the set ad duration expires, the “delete code” button will appear on your dashboard.

How Effective Are TikTok Spark Ads?

Based on TikTok’s data, Spark Ads have a 30% higher completion rate and 142% higher engagement rate than standard In-Feed Ads. With 4.2% lower CPM, it also drives up to 43% higher conversation rate.

Let our Strike Social team help you leverage data, technology, and paid social advertising to create a winning online presence. Connect with us today!

The post How to Get Started With TikTok Spark Ads: A Step-By-Step Guide to Activating Authorization Codes appeared first on Strike Social.

This post was updated in October 2024 to provide you with the latest information.

A Guide To DMA Geo-targeting On TikTok: Reaching Location-based Audience

Like other social media giants, TikTok has adopted Nielsen’s DMA, giving advertisers the advantage of targeting specific regions or cities within the U.S. for more localized campaigns.

This guide will walk you through the basics of using TikTok’s DMA geo-targeting and provide a list of over 100 DMAs for your next marketing strategy.

What is DMA Geo-targeting?

Geotargeting is a marketing strategy that allows you to focus your paid content on a selected consumer’s DMA. With this, TikTok can target app users by matching behavior data on current and recent location visits.

You can target specific demographics when running a video ad campaign on TikTok. This is done by choosing an available area from the drop-down menus in the “location” section. TikTok will show your video ad to users in a particular city based on the IP addresses of their mobile devices.

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Further Reading

Strike Social’s Guide to TikTok Ad Creatives, Formats, and Specifications

We’ve outlined everything you need to ensure your TikTok ad creatives are spot-on and perfectly aligned with your audience’s devices. Explore the different ad formats, specifications, and dimensions essential for crafting a flawless TikTok campaign that captivates your viewers.

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Why Use TikTok DMA Geo-targeting?

TikTok’s ad targeting has traditionally focused on audience behavior, such as the content users engage with and the creators or brands they interact with or purchase from. With DMA geo-targeting, brands can take targeting a step further, honing in on specific geographic areas to ensure they’re reaching the most relevant audience.

Beyond this, geo-targeting will enable brands to tap into TikTok’s highly engaged organic content, creating more action for the ad.

TikTok DMA location targeting is most effective when: 

• Your business has one physical store and location-specific offers
• Each store location has different landing pages

Where To Locate TikTok Location Targeting Options

1. Create a campaign on TikTok Ads Manager.
2. Under Targeting, go to Demographics > Location
3. Type in a location, and then all the options for that location will come up.
4. You will see County, State, Market (DMA). Note: Some locations have trademarked “DMA” after them, and you can click to target them. 

How To Create An Effective Plan When Targeting By Location

A good advertisement targets the right people so that it appeals to their interests and behaviors. However, advertisers can also go wrong by setting their parameters too broad or too narrow.

Setting the parameters too broad runs the promotion to many unnecessary viewers. In other words, serving the ad to people with no interest can quickly drive up ad costs.

Second, if you set your parameters too narrowly, you may miss an opportunity to learn what works, and at the same time, campaigns may not run consistently due to the small size of the audience pool.

List of Available US TikTok DMA Geo-targeting

We’ve compiled a list of DMAs you can use for geo-targeting on TikTok. You can use these DMAs to reach a broader audience in a specific region.

Available TikTok DMA Geo-targeting by US City

Available TikTok DMA Geo-targeting by US County

Available US TikTok DMA Geo-targeting by Market 

Search among the list of available DMA targeting found inside TikTok Business Manager.

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Further Reading

Why TikTok Search Ads Should Be On Your Radar

TikTok has officially launched search ads, allowing advertisers to capitalize on user search terms to drive conversions. Explore how leveraging search keywords alongside engaging video content can boost your brand’s visibility and amplify user engagement on the platform.

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Tips for Creating Effective Geo-targeted Content

To successfully geo-target on TikTok, you’ll want to create content that appeals to the market in your specific target location.

1. Tailor your content to make it more relatable to the people in a particular city or area because
2. There are often many different market trends in each US state. 
3. When crafting a marketing strategy, it is essential to consider your audience’s demographics rather than looking at them state-by-state.
4. Using relevant hashtags can reach new consumers on TikTok
5. Laying down DMA regions on top of your existing targeting allows you to prioritize local audiences, focusing on the top market rather than a more general audience.

When to choose State, City, and DMA

• Target State if you want to cover a larger area
• Pick City if you wish to target a particular city in a State
• Choose Market if you want to target everyone in that area. For example, exclude Oklahoma City and Sherman if you wish to target Wichita Falls and Tulsa in Oklahoma on your TikTok ads campaign. You can geo-target each city by choosing the appropriate DMA.

TikTok offers great tool brands can use to deliver more personalized advertising messages, thanks to DMA geotargeting option. Marketers can find more opportunities for audiences across different demographics and geographies by including a more granular location targeting in their media plans. Matching target consumers’ location and the right messaging, campaigns are becoming relevant and exciting, resulting in a more desirable outcome.

You can scale your TikTok campaigns without compromising the efficiency and capabilities of your advertising team. Share your paid social media advertising needs with us, and we’ll guide you through our SWAS (Software with a Service) approach to help you achieve your goals.

The post A Guide To DMA Geo-targeting On TikTok: Reaching Location-based Audience appeared first on Strike Social.

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This post was updated in August 2024 to provide you with the latest information.

TikTok Spark Ads vs. Non-Spark Ads: What Marketers Should know

In a snap of a finger, advertisers have turned their curiosity into a necessity when talking about TikTok ads. Research shows that more brands are opting to move their ad money as TikTok advertising revenue continues to grow 18% year-on-year, amounting to $23.1 billion, despite ongoing discussions about a potential TikTok ban.

Similarly, Strike Social saw a massive boost in TikTok ad spending. However, with TikTok’s rapid growth, marketers need to determine and understand the usability of the available ad formats, particularly the similarities and differences between TikTok Spark Ads vs. Non-Spark Ads.

TikTok Spark Ads vs. Non-Spark Ads: Which is Best?

As much as you want to know the answer, it should begin with understanding the definition of these TikTok ad formats, learning the availability of objectives per ad unit, and knowing ad specs limitations.

What is a TikTok Spark Ad?

Marketers use this ad format to scale UGC (User-Generated Content) and own organic content. TikTok Spark Ads help drive more eyes and engagement during brand discovery. For a quick reference, this is similar to boosting posts on Facebook and Instagram, but it also has the ability to use influencer feed posts.

On the other hand, TikTok Non-Spark ads are delivered in a standard format to the ‘For You’ page. Video ad placement is seamless, creating a more native content approach with a call-to-action for TikTok app users. 

Campaign Setup Differences of Spark Ads vs. Non-Spark Ads

Each TikTok ad campaign is unique. Every detail in media buying directly affects ad outcomes. For example, when advertising your TikTok shop, using TikTok Shop ads can effectively drive sales. Additionally, promoting with TikTok Spark ads can enhance brand authenticity and product promotion, further supporting your overall campaign strategy.

Before switching to your TikTok Ad Manager account, you can run through the table below for a quick comparison when setting up TikTok Spark ads and non-Spark ads.

Ad Campaign Metrics Comparison

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Further Reading

Keep Your Ads Visible with The TikTok Ad Specs Guide

Explore the different TikTok ad formats, along with their creative requirements and dimensions, to effectively plan your next advertising campaign.

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Well-curated media plans are the primary tool for successful TikTok advertisements. By creating a more well-defined measure of success for TikTok ads, brands can efficiently take the next step in the sales funnel. 

Spark Ads campaign metrics can measure a variety of TikTok ad interactions. TikTok views, profile visit KPIs, follower growth from paid ads, and music link engagement are some indicators that help marketers understand how their target audiences respond to their ads.

Post Type and User Ad Engagement Comparison

In the battle of paid social, platforms that can deliver more native and interactive ad units win consumers. TikTok app users can easily define an ad from native content, but TikTok Spark Ads can further leverage highly engaging organic posts increasing reach and brand discovery without changing the advertising experience.

For digital advertising, users are more receptive to brand messaging when using more instinctive content. Based on TikTok for Business findings, 84% have considered purchasing a product or service after seeing branded TikTok video content. 

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Further Reading

Elevate Your Brand’s Organic Growth with TikTok Spark Ads

Spark Ads allows you to amplify existing video posts or organic content from other creators. You can effectively increase followers, drive genuine engagement, and boost sales by leveraging authentic advertising.

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Similar to the importance of understanding campaign metrics, focusing on ad details leads to high user ad engagement beyond simply increasing TikTok views. TikTok Ad Manager adds a few ad structures for different objectives: optimize to more landing pages, app installation, page visits, and boost followings. One recognizable detail is the Add icon, placed under the brand’s profile photo—allowing users to follow the account without leaving the ad.

While scrolling through your TikTok app, you might spot the follow button here:

Tips for using TikTok Spark Ads

Unlike Spark Ads, video creatives for Non-Spark ad units are uploaded through the TikTok Business Center. TikTok app users will see the video first as soon as the ad is displayed. Because of that, it will take some time for the TikTok Business Manager to learn about potentially interested consumers.

The existing post presents a different scenario. These TikTok video clips would have gathered audience data through organic engagement or appeared on the For You page, giving them a head start.

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Further Reading

Marketers’ Guide to Understanding TikTok Ads Targeting

Spark Ads allows you to amplify existing video posts or organic content from other creators. You can effectively increase followers, drive genuine engagement, and boost sales by leveraging authentic advertising.

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Take a look at this guide to know when TikTok advertisers should choose their organic posts versus creators’ content when setting up TikTok Spark Ads:

TikTok Sparks Ads is a new and unique advertising solution for marketers to drive brand awareness and engagement. Its native and relevant video content directly speaks to the community.

Start boosting and discover the advertising efficiency and adaptability of TikTok Spark Ads. 

Interested to know more about Spark Ads and other TikTok advertising units? Contact us here.

The post TikTok Spark Ads vs. Non-Spark Ads: What Marketers Should know appeared first on Strike Social.