Your complete guide to TikTok advertising

TikTok advertising can be confusing when starting out. This guide aims to make things simple and clear.
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Want to activate advertising on TikTok? Here’s everything you need to know.

Finding TikTok advertising a little confusing? Not sure where to start or how to get where you want to go? Don’t fret. We’re here to cut through the jargon and make your journey as easy as possible.

TikTok has more than one billion active global users and is the leading short-form video platform. It’s all about realness, relevance, and creativity. It’s also a space where brands of all sizes can make a big impact with some smart tools, clever tricks, and, of course, creative smarts.

Can you advertise on TikTok?

Of course you can! In fact, TikTok claims that 92% of users globally take action after watching a TikTok video and that advertisers on its platform can tune into trends using an easy video creation tool that could reach millions. 

TikTok ads have an impressive track record. Around 74% of users say ads inspired them to find out more about a product or brand online, and 66% said they helped them decide what to buy.

Why should you advertise on TikTok? 

TikTok advertising is a powerful tool that has a proven track record. According to TikTok, brands get impressive returns on their investments if they use smart targeting and clever advertising. If you’re a small business, TikTok could help you to engage with your target audience with cost-effective ads and connect with influencers. 

Check out this article about how brands can collaborate with creators on TikTok and build their TikTok advertising strategy. 

group of people having bonfire next to car

How do TikTok ads work?

TikTok ads are promoted pieces of content played to specific audiences based on your brand demographic. You create the videos and TikTok delivers them to your relevant audience. 

You can use TikTok advertising in three ways. The first is a single TikTok ad designed to promote a part of your business or a specific service or special offer. The second is a TikTok Ad Group comprised of a collection of TikTok ads. The third is a TikTok Campaign made up of a collection of TikTok Ad Groups. 

You need to sign in and register with TikTok, and then head to TikTok Ads Manager to access your ads, prepare your campaigns, set your budget, expand your ad reach, improve your performance, and tweak your approaches to achieve your campaign objectives. If you’re struggling with deciding where to start or how to plan out your TikTok strategy, read our in-depth guide to everything you need to know about TikTok for marketers

Do TikTok ads work?

Yes, they do. And you can experiment with different types of ads and approaches without spending a lot of money. TikTok has a flexible budget option to help you plan your spend on TikTok advertising, and Vamp has a tool to help you create amazing campaigns within your set spend. 

Types of TikTok ads

TikTok ads also come in several different flavours: 

  • In-feed TikTok ads, which include video ads that you can build using the TikTok Ads Manager
  • Spark Ads boost organic content from a user’s TikTok account and come with a bunch of cool features. They don’t leave your feed after you’ve stopped paying for them so they keep on adding value. Value that TikTok says is reflected in a 142% higher engagement rate
  • TikTok Image Ads are just an image with branding and can only be used if you invest in advertising bundles or the Global App Bundle. Only certain types of Image Ads are available in different countries so read the full list of criteria here
  • Playable Ads are also limited by region and allow you to create interactive videos that engage directly with your audience
  • Shopping Ads are replacing the old Collection and Dynamic Showcase ads and are still only in the beta testing phase. As and when they release the service to different countries, you’ll find the updates here
  • Like LinkedIn, TikTok also has Carousel ads, but they’re also limited in their availability, and Pangle Ads that run ads on third-party apps and allow for richer monetisation and reach
  • Pangle Ads Pangle extends your reach beyond TikTok by placing ads on partnered apps. This type is ideal for brands looking for broader visibility and enhanced monetisation options.
  • TopView Ads These full-screen, high-impact ads are the first thing users see when they open TikTok, making them highly effective for awareness. With the prominent placement, they are excellent for brands aiming for high visibility.
  • Branded Hashtag Challenges These campaigns encourage user-generated content around a branded hashtag, combining organic reach with brand promotion. It’s an ideal way to inspire engagement and build community presence.
  • Branded Effects These custom filters and stickers allow users to interact with a brand in a fun, shareable way, building brand recognition organically.
  • Dynamic Showcase Ads These ads dynamically create custom videos for each user based on data, enhancing personalisation and relevance. Great for brands wanting to deliver tailored content at scale.

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TikTok ad placements

TikTok offers specialised add-ons for deeper engagement:

  • Super Like Floating icons appear when users engage with a video ad, potentially leading them to a landing page for further interaction. Best for building awareness and consideration.
  • Pop-Out Showcase An interactive pop-up highlights products within a video ad, enhancing attention and offering clickable elements. Ideal for awareness and consideration.
  • Voting Sticker A feature that adds a poll to the ad, allowing users to vote and view results in real time, boosting interaction. Effective for gathering insights and driving consideration.
  • Brand Lift Study This tool measures the impact of your campaign through targeted polls, tracking metrics like brand awareness and purchase intent. Best for post-campaign analysis.

TikTok advertising settings 

The TikTok Ads Manager is an immensely useful resource as it helps you to optimise your TikTok advertising settings and explains how you can tweak your campaigns to suit your objectives. 

Your first step is to create a Campaign, set your objectives and then start creating an Ad Group. The objectives you can choose from include: 

  • Getting more people to install your app
  • Driving more people to your site

Each campaign is made up of several Ad Groups. By grouping your ads together, you can accurately measure your performance. 

How to advertise on TikTok

Once you’ve selected your Campaign settings and mapped out your budget, you can then determine the following core features of your Ad Group: 

  • TikTok advertising placements
  • Audiences
  • Target audiences
  • Schedule
  • Optimisation goals
  • Bids for each Ad Group at each level 

It’s really important to select the right information here as this will make all the difference to the success of your campaign. TikTok advertising has a complete walkthrough right here to help you. 

How to boost a TikTok 

If you want to grow your TikTok audience, then you can use the Promote tool from TikTok. It helps you to track information in your videos across views, likes, comments, shares, people who clicked on your links, and the age and gender of the people interacting with your video. 

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TikTok ad specs 

If you want your TikTok ad to hit the right notes and make the right moves, then you’ll need to make sure that it’s aligned with the platform’s very clear specifications:

 

TikTok Video Ads

Global App Bundle

Pangle Video Ads

Placement

TikTok In-Feed Ads

Resso: Take over

Interstitial Ads:

– ​Normal Interstitial

– Rewarded Video Ads

Banner Ads:

– Normal Banner

– Small Video

Banner

– Icon-only Banner

Native Ads:

– Normal Native

App Open Ads:

– Normal App Open

Ad Composition

Video creative + ad display image + brand or app name (logo) + ad description + CTA button

Video creative,brand or app name(logo), skip ad button and [Landing page URL] +CTA button(if [half-screen])

Video creative (or thumbnail image) + brand or app name (logo) + ad description + CTA button

Aspect Ratio

9:16, 1:1, or 16:9

9:16

9:16, 1:1, or 16:9

Video Resolution

Resolution must be a minimum of 540*960px, 640*640px, or 960*540px.

720*1280

No restrictions. We suggest a minimum resolution of 720*1280px, 640*640px, or 1280*720px.

File Type

.mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, or .avi

.mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .avi

.mp4, .mov, .mpeg, or .avi

Video Duration

Videos can be between 5-60s. We suggest short videos of 9-15s.

30 seconds.

Videos can be between 5-60s.

Bitrate

≥516 kbps

≥516 kbps

≥516 kbps

File Size

within 500MB

within 500MB

within 500MB

Profile Image

​Aspect Ratio: 1:1

File Type: .jpg, .jpeg, .png

File size: <50 KB

​Aspect Ratio: 1:1

File Type: .jpg, .jpeg, .png

File size: <50 KB

​Aspect Ratio: 1:1

File Type: .jpg, .jpeg, .png

File size: <50 KB

App or Brand Name

For app names, we support 4-40 Latin alphabet letters and 2-20 Asian characters.For brand names, we support 2-20 Latin alphabet letters and 1-10 Asian characters.

Note:

– We do not support Emojis in the app name or brand name.

– Punctuation marks and spaces count as characters.

– Depending on the mobile phone model and operating system, longer text may be at risk of being cut off from the display area on the screen.

For app names, we support 4-40 Latin alphabet letters and 2-20 Asian characters.For brand names, we support 2-20 Latin alphabet letters and 1-10 Asian characters.

Note:

– We do not support Emojis in the app name or brand name.

– Punctuation marks and spaces count as characters.

– Depending on the mobile phone model and operating system, longer text may be at risk of being cut off from the display area on the screen.

For app names, we support 4-40 Latin alphabet letters and 2-20 Asian characters.For brand names, we support 2-20 Latin alphabet letters and 1-10 Asian characters.

Note:

– We do not support Emojis in the app name or brand name.

– Punctuation marks and spaces count as characters.

– Depending on the mobile phone model and operating system, longer text may be at risk of being cut off from the display area on the screen.

Ad Description

For descriptions, we support 1-100 Latin alphabet letters and 1-50 Asian characters.

Note:

– We do not support Emojis or these special characters: “{ }” or “#” in the description.

– Punctuation marks and spaces count as characters.

– Depending on the mobile phone model and operating system, longer text may be at risk of being cut off from the display area on the screen.

For descriptions, we support 1-100 Latin alphabet letters and 1-50 Asian characters.

Note:

– We do not support Emojis or these special characters: “{ }” or “#” in the description.

– Punctuation marks and spaces count as characters.

– Depending on the mobile phone model and operating system, longer text may be at risk of being cut off from the display area on the screen.

For descriptions, we support 1-100 Latin alphabet letters and 1-50 Asian characters.

Note:

– We do not support Emojis or these special characters: “{ }” or “#” in the description.

– Punctuation marks and spaces count as characters.

– Depending on the mobile phone model and operating system, longer text may be at risk of being cut off from the display area on the screen.

TikTok ad length 

Want an effective TikTok ad? In most cases, you’ll want to aim for a video that’s nine to 15 seconds long. 

How to make a TikTok ad (best practices)

Your best bet is to use all of the TikTok tools to enhance, refine, and promote your TikTok ads, but if you want even more tips and tricks, then here are some best practice ideas: 

  • Ensure you use the right length and that your imagery is bright and engaging to make the most impact
  • Prioritise vertical videos
  • Add background music [link to our background music post]
  • Add in captions (this nifty guide will help you create the best captions for your TikTok advertising) [link to our caption guide]
  • Make sure you have a clear call to action and easily accessible links so people can find and engage with you as soon as you’ve got them hooked
  • Consider live streaming ads to make real connections with people

TikTok advertising FAQs

What are the best practices for TikTok ad creatives?

Ensuring high-quality content that resonates with TikTok’s spontaneous, authentic culture is essential. Use vertical video, integrate trending music and sound effects, and keep your ads concise yet engaging. Captions and clear CTAs also help drive results.

How can I optimise my TikTok ad campaign budget?

Start by setting realistic, scalable budgets and leveraging TikTok Ads Manager for detailed targeting. Test different ad formats and monitor performance metrics to reallocate budget towards top-performing campaigns. Consider using TikTok’s Automated Creative Optimisation tool for enhanced ad testing.

What analytics does TikTok offer for ad performance?

TikTok provides comprehensive insights through its Ads Manager, including impressions, reach, engagement rates, CTR, and conversion metrics. For more nuanced performance tracking, brands can utilise the TikTok Pixel or third-party tracking tools to gather deeper insights.

Successful TikTok ads

Connect with Vamp to consolidate all your creator interactions on a single console and create incredible TikTok advertising campaigns that sing (and stay in budget).

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