TikTok Ads How To: A Complete Guide for Beginners

By Cepy 8/22/2023 Post a Comment

TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over 1 billion monthly active users. It is a video-sharing app that allows users to create and watch short videos on various topics, such as music, comedy, dance, beauty, education, and more. TikTok is also a powerful marketing tool that can help you reach a large and engaged audience, especially if you are targeting Gen Z and millennials.

But how do you create effective TikTok ads that can boost your brand awareness, generate leads, and drive sales? In this article, we will show you everything you need to know about TikTok ads, from setting up your account to optimizing your campaigns. Whether you are new to TikTok or already have some experience, this guide will help you master the art of TikTok advertising.

Why You Should Advertise on TikTok

TikTok has a massive and diverse user base

One of the main reasons to advertise on TikTok is its huge and diverse user base. According to TikTok's official website, the app has over 1 billion monthly active users in more than 150 countries and regions. The app is also available in 75 languages, making it accessible to people from different backgrounds and cultures.

TikTok's users are also very active and engaged. They spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app, watching and creating videos. They also interact with other users through likes, comments, shares, duets, and live streams. This means that if you advertise on TikTok, you have a chance to reach a large and loyal audience that is interested in your content.

TikTok offers various ad formats and features

Another reason to advertise on TikTok is its variety of ad formats and features. TikTok offers several types of ads that can suit different goals and budgets. Some of the most popular ad formats are:

TopView ads: These are full-screen video ads that appear when users open the app. They can last up to 60 seconds and have sound. They are ideal for creating brand awareness and driving traffic to your website or app.
In-feed ads: These are video ads that appear in between user-generated videos on the For You page or the Following page. They can last up to 60 seconds and have sound. They are ideal for generating leads, conversions, and app installs.
Brand takeover ads: These are full-screen video or image ads that appear when users open the app or switch between categories. They can last up to 5 seconds and have sound. They are ideal for creating brand awareness and driving traffic to your website or app.
Branded hashtag challenge ads: These are sponsored hashtags that appear on the Discover page or the For You page. They invite users to create and share videos using the hashtag and a specific theme or challenge. They are ideal for creating user-generated content, increasing engagement, and building brand affinity.
Branded effects ads: These are sponsored stickers, filters, or lenses that users can apply to their videos. They allow users to interact with your brand in a fun and creative way. They are ideal for creating user-generated content, increasing engagement, and building brand affinity.

Besides these ad formats, TikTok also offers other features that can enhance your advertising strategy, such as:

TikTok Pixel: This is a code snippet that you can install on your website or app to track the actions of users who come from your TikTok ads. It can help you measure the performance of your campaigns and optimize them accordingly.
TikTok Creator Marketplace: This is a platform that connects advertisers with influencers who can create and promote branded content on TikTok. It can help you find the right creators for your campaigns and collaborate with them easily.
TikTok Ads Manager: This is a tool that allows you to create, manage, and monitor your TikTok ads campaigns. It can help you set up your account, choose your ad format, target your audience, set your budget and schedule, and analyze your results.

How to Set Up Your TikTok Ads Account

Create a TikTok for Business account

The first step to advertise on TikTok is to create a TikTok for Business account. This is a separate account from your personal or creator account that allows you to access the TikTok Ads Manager and other advertising features. To create a TikTok for Business account, follow these steps:

Go to https://www.tiktok.com/business and click on "Create an Ad".
Choose your region and fill in your information, such as your name, email, phone number, industry, and company name.
Verify your email and phone number and create a password for your account.
Agree to the terms and conditions and click on "Sign Up".

Congratulations, you have created your TikTok for Business account. You can now access the TikTok Ads Manager and start creating your campaigns.

Create an advertiser account

The next step is to create an advertiser account within your TikTok for Business account. This is where you can set up your billing information, manage your campaigns, and access your reports. To create an advertiser account, follow these steps:

Log in to your TikTok for Business account and go to the TikTok Ads Manager.
Click on the "Settings" icon on the top right corner and select "Account and Billing".
Click on "Create Advertiser Account" and choose your account type. You can choose between "Individual" or "Company", depending on your business size and needs.
Fill in your information, such as your name, address, tax ID, payment method, and currency.
Review your information and click on "Submit".

Congratulations, you have created your advertiser account. You can now start creating your campaigns and running your ads on TikTok.

How to Create Your TikTok Ads Campaign

Choose your campaign objective

The first step to create your TikTok ads campaign is to choose your campaign objective. This is the goal that you want to achieve with your ads, such as increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or driving conversions. Choosing the right objective will help you optimize your campaign settings, targeting, and bidding strategies. To choose your campaign objective, follow these steps:

Log in to your TikTok Ads Manager and click on the "Campaign" tab.
Click on the "Create" button and select "Create a Campaign".
Choose one of the three campaign objectives: Awareness, Consideration, or Conversion. Each objective has different sub-objectives that you can choose from, such as Reach, Traffic, App Install, Video View, Lead Generation, or Catalog Sales.
Name your campaign and set a budget limit if you want. You can choose between a daily budget or a lifetime budget for your campaign.
Click on "Continue".

Congratulations, you have chosen your campaign objective. You can now move on to the next step: creating your ad group.

Create your ad group

The next step is to create your ad group. This is where you can define the details of your ads, such as the ad format, the placement, the audience, the schedule, and the bid. To create your ad group, follow these steps:

After choosing your campaign objective, you will be directed to the ad group creation page. Name your ad group and select an ad format. You can choose between TopView ads, In-feed ads, Brand takeover ads, Branded hashtag challenge ads, or Branded effects ads.
Select the placement of your ads. You can choose between Automatic placement or Manual placement. Automatic placement will show your ads across all TikTok's apps and partner platforms, such as Douyin, Vigo Video, Helo, etc. Manual placement will allow you to select specific apps and platforms where you want to show your ads.
Select the audience of your ads. You can choose between Custom audience or Lookalike audience. Custom audience will allow you to upload a list of users that you want to target based on their email addresses, phone numbers, device IDs, etc. Lookalike audience will allow you to create a new audience that resembles an existing audience that you have uploaded or created before.
Select the demographics of your audience. You can choose based on age range, gender, location, language, device type, etc.

Select the interests and behaviors of your audience. You can choose based on categories such as Entertainment, Sports,

Fashion & Beauty,

Gaming,

Music,

Education,

Travel,

Food & Drink,

Health & Fitness,

Business & Finance,

Technology,

Art & Design,

etc

Google Ads Guide