TikTok Advertising

TikToks are a type of advertising businesses can use to reach users on the popular video platform – TikTok. TikTok is one of, if not the fastest-growing social media platform in the world right now and also tends to be used predominantly by people under 25. This is important to know, as it provides businesses with a unique opportunity to get their branding out to a younger audience in a way that is less obvious than traditional advertising methods.

TikTok ads are created using videos or images and can be used to promote products, services, or events. Ads may also include sponsored hashtag challenges and branded lenses/effects. It’s a new and exciting medium for marketing and is putting a heavy emphasis on user-generated content (UGC). This kind of content performs very well with younger audiences who have grown up in the age of digital advertising and are more resistant to standard online advertising practices.

Creating TikTok ads is fairly simple and follows a similar method to the ones employed by Facebook and Instagram. The steps for this can be found all over the internet and on TikTok itself, but if you chat with the team at Reform Digital, we can set up your TikTok ad campaigns for you!

It’s important to remember that it’s the quality of your TikTok ad that will make it stick. TikTok users mainly come from a generation that has become very well accustomed to the now-expired marketing tactics of old advertising. Boring ads that simply preach features and benefits and then ask people to buy are having less success on TikTok than on other social platforms.

This fact tends to lead businesses in one of two directions; either they continue with stale self-made content and eventually give up on the platform, or they employ professionals (like those at Reform Digital!) to create TikTok campaigns that reinvigorate their image and help them connect with new audiences.

Like other social media platforms, there is more than just one type of ad you can make on TikTok. In fact, there are a variety of TikTok advertising options available, and choosing the right one for your business is important for the success of any campaign you choose to run. There are in-feed ads, TopView ads, brand takeovers, branded hashtags and branded effects to choose from. 

In-feed Ads  

These are the standard type of ad that you’ll see on TikTok. They’re found by scrolling on your feed and generally appear very similar in nature to other types of TikTok videos on the app.

TopView Ads

These are at the top of the For You page (the main feed) on TikTok. These ads are able to be up to 60 seconds long and are the first item on the feed that a user sees after opening up the app. They can be scrolled past at any time, but if they’re catchy and engaging, your audience may stay, and TopView ads can be used effectively.

Brand Takeovers

These are similar to TopView ads but are unskippable and shown as the very first thing the user sees – even before the For You page has loaded. Brand Takeover ads are expensive, as they show only your brand for the day you’ve paid for, plus they cannot be skipped. These ads only tend to go for 3-5 seconds but have a high click-through rate (CTR) as the whole screen is clickable.

Branded Hashtag Challenges

These are a UGC-led marketing option on TikTok. They allow users to post their own content with the branded hashtag that will then be collated on a central hub, where all posts using that hashtag can be seen. This is a method used by businesses to attach their brand to a viral hashtag.

Branded Effects

These are generally used by brands to present themselves as relatable. They provide users with a shareable sticker, filter or effect that can be used when creating their own TikToks. They are much like Branded Hashtags in that they encourage user engagement to promote their product.

The Reform Digital team are able to help your business choose the right TikTok advertising medium for your business and budget size. So it’s a great idea to talk to our team before you get started.

TikTok advertising works on a bidding model, so the answer to this depends on your industry and who you’re marketing to. For further information on how this works, chat with the team at Reform Digital!

Always strive to be unique. Don’t talk at your audience and bombard them with sales talk that sounds like every other ad. Work to try and engage with them in a way that is fresh and inviting. Creating ads that people can be a part of helps to align them with your message.

Of course, all of this might sound straightforward, but in practice, capturing all of the above is a tricky art to master. The Reform Digital team creates TikTok campaigns that are backed by in-depth research and industry experience. We’ll create TikTok content that nails your brand and your message, then deliver it to your audience with a neat little bow on top.

TikTok ads can help you reach more people and get your message out there. You can use them with other advertising strategies on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. 

With the help of the TikTok ads manager, you have more control over your message. Using this tool correctly can dramatically increase the chances of people seeing what you have to say about your product or service. TikTok can also help to bring users from one platform to another – which creates stickier, more engaged customers overall.