TikTok Ads: Ultimate Ad channel or ruthless creative battleground?

Think TikTok ads are just another Gen Z playground filled with hyped-up dance trends and viral memes? 🤔

Think again.

It’s become one of the fastest growing digital ad platforms on the planet, quietly turning into more than a $20 billion powerhouse that’s become a must-have platform for brands looking to break through both the noise of digital marketing, as well as the monotony of the more “standard” channels 💰

With over a reported billion active users per month across more than 150 different markets (countries), TikTok’s reach is enormous, and for good reason.

It’s where new trends are born, where attention spans and scrolling are put to the ultimate test, and where brands can test out scrappy short-form content to gauge what serious engagement really looks like.

Sure, engagement rates typically beat Instagram and Facebook, but the real game changer is how much more cost effective it can actually be for the more performance-driven advertisers out there (and what’s not to love about that) 🫶

But TikTok doesn’t play by the old rules, those days are gone. It’s fast, utterly chaotic, and rewards brands that know how to speak the true language of creators, not corporations. If you want to win with TikTok, you’ll need much more than a budget…you’ll need the right creative, the right targeting, and a much smarter way to track what happens after the click.

In this article, we’re breaking down:

Let’s get into it 🚀

Welcome to the TikTok jungle

If you’ve rolled your eyes at the mention of leveraging TikTok in your marketing activities, thinking that it’s nothing more than a Gen Z trend that will die down soon, it’s time for a wake up call. It’s quickly (and not so quietly) transformed into an absolute juggernaut of a channel that attracts brands like moths to a creator's ring light 💡

Unlike Google or Meta, TikTok doesn’t follow the traditional rules, it makes its own.

It’s fast, loud, brutally competitive, and built for the kind of scroll-happy, short-attention spanned audiences that can make or break ad creatives in mere seconds ⏲️

Engagement is typically driven by short-form, punchy content, so forget about brand polish. It’s all about creating high energy, relatable content that feels like it was made by your audience, not for them.

It’s not about clicks and impressions (well… it is, but you get the point). It’s about standing out in the crowd with content that feels authentic, natural, and most importantly, made for TikTok, not repurposed from somewhere else 👀

The TikTok ads toolkit

TikTok groups most of its ad products into one hero category: In-Feed Ads. 

But, don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t just one format. It’s an entire toolkit, with each piece offering you something different 🧰

Let’s break it down into clear, easy to digest chunks:

In-Feed Ads

These appear within the For You feed, but the type of impact varies depending on the actual ad format chosen:

• Standard In-Feed Ads: This one’s your classic scroll-stopper - a native video with a clear CTA, built for reach and conversion (if your video tips the scales of creativity). These can include interactive add-ons like stickers, polls, countdowns or swipe-to-shop elements that we’re all pretty familiar with now, making ads feel more TikTok-like, and less off an interruption to your scrolling 📹
• TopView Ads: A more premium version of In-Feed, this offers a full-screen, autoplaying video that appears the moment someone opens the app. Maximum visibility and a great opportunity to make an impact from the second the app launches 💥
• Top Feed Ads: These show up among the first few ads in the For You feed, so you’re getting high visibility without the TopView price 💸
• Spark Ads: This one’s a great way to boost content that already exists - whether that's your own, or other creators. If you’re looking to build more organic trust with paid reach, this is the one to try 🔁
• Branded mission: Imagine if you could send a call to action to your users as a casting call, get them to create content specifically for your brand, and then you promote that UGC (user-generated content) to your entire community, building social trust and proof…well, with Branded Mission you can do exactly that 📣

Beyond the feed

A lot of the action happens in the For You feed, but TikTok’s ad placements reach far beyond the swipe zone. Here’s what else you can add into the mix:

Automatic Search Placement

When someone searches for a term on TikTok, you want your ads to show at the top of the results, right?

Well, with search intent-driven placements, you can! These are perfect businesses that have keywords tied to specific product categories, trends and even competitor names 🔍

Messaging Ads

If you’re looking to reach new customers on the go, shorten the user journey to a specific action like a product purchase, sign up or form submission, or qualify leads immediately, then Messaging Ads are worth 5 minutes of your time.

With the option to talk to potential customers straight from the TikTok app, or to instant messaging apps like WhatsApp, you can be exactly where your customers already are 💬

Global App Bundle

Think TikTok’s a completely closed platform? Think again!

With Global App Bundle, you can extend your ads reach beyond the app, allowing your campaigns to scale their reach across other ByteDance’s other apps (currently CapCut & Fizzo).

For creators looking to access a larger network of potential customers outside of TikTok, this is definitely an innovative solution 📱

Pangle

Think of it as TikToks take on Google’s Display Network or Meta’s Audience Network.

If your game is performance marketing at scale, and you’re focused on app installs or conversions, then Pangle might just pique your interest.

You’ll find your ads placed inside a wide range of TikTok’s partner apps, particularly in APAC markets (China, Japan, Indonesia, Australia etc), giving you the opportunity to build visibility exactly where users are spending their time off TikTok 🌏

What’s it going to cost me?

Ok…costs, the one thing marketers always want to know about 💵

Well, let’s get real - TikTok isn’t always the cheapest platform on the block, and costs can depend on various factors from chosen ad format, to campaign objectives (but it can still be a bargain compared to the competition if you know how to optimize it).

Click costs (also referred to as cost-per-click) typically fall into the $0.50 - $1.00 range, but don’t be shocked if that jumps when you start to scale your ads or target more specific niches that typically have less traffic. CPMs (or cost-per mile, where you pay for every 1,000 impressions your ads make) tend to be in the region of $5 - $20 for “decent” ad creatives, but this is a bit of a ball park figure.

It’s worth noting that TikTok does have a minimum campaign spend requirement of $50/day at campaign level, or $20/day at ad group level.

A great selling point for TikTok Ads? You can take advantage of automatic or manual bidding.

You’ll want to weigh up the pros and cons of automatic vs manual bidding - often manual bidding makes more sense when you know your numbers and want to lock in a target CPA (or cost-per-acquisition) 🔒

But here’s the kicker.

TikTok’s algorithm means that even a small budget can punch well above its weight, if your video hits the right vibe. If you’re a scrappy start up or creative led brand, this could well be one of the most cost effective platforms in the market 💪

Let’s get into what separates the pros from the wannabes - creativity 👇

Creativity that drives success

If advertising with Google is like playing chess, TikTok is definitely dodgeball 🏀

You don’t get time to explain the rules, warm up, or build a narrative…in fact you’ve only got 3 seconds to earn attention before you get skipped.

Where other platforms focus on brand creatives, TikTok rewards native content (think user-generated content, selfie videos, trending audio clips etc) which oozes raw authenticity. It uses your hook rate (essentially how many users actually watched the first few seconds) as well as your video completion rate, to calcualte placements, so every second counts ⏱️

The best TikTok ads feel like authentic videos, and not ad with pushy or blunt sales tactics - this platform isn’t for corporate product peddling. Skip the polish and embrace real voices, basic visuals and authentic text overlays.

The bottom line? Keep it simple, keep it authentic, keep it TikTok relevant.

The magic formula?

Native-looking video + strong hook + clear CTA = conversions 🪄

Keep the narrative simple, and instead of thinking like a brand, think like a creator. Tell your story over multiple ads (think of them like your own series of episodes) and don’t forget to listen.

Comments are part of the feedback loop, so pay attention 🫡

If your ad hits the right spot, you’ll know. If it flops? Rotate your ads (and creative thinking) fast - ad fatigue hits hard on TikTok compared to other platforms, probably because trends don’t last forever.

TikTok targeting

Getting eyes on your ad is just step one - what you do after is really important.

The views, clicks, engagement and conversions tell whether your creative is crushing it, or simply wasting your budget.

Compared to GA4, you’re not going to drown in data, but you’ll definitely have enough to make some smarter decisions inside of TikTok’s Ads Manager.

You’ll get fairly clean visibility into your campaign’s performance - we’re talking impressions, CTR (Click-Through-Rate), video views, conversions and general audience data. TikTok gives you the data for fast insights and quick wins, without the need for a data science degree.

You can also target based on:

• Demographic: Age, gender, language
• Device type: OS level, carrier, connection type
• Behaviour: Videos watched previously, content you’ve engaged with 
• Interests: Whether it’s fashion or fitness, finance or freelance - you name it!

But here’s the secret sauce that makes TikTok different.

It targets behaviours driven by content interactions, not user profiles. This means TikTok knows which videos you binge watched, & continues to serve ads accordingly. Laser focused or what! 👌

Don’t just rely on dashboard and metrics for success. The brands that outperform others are the ones that keep their ear to the ground. TikTok is a proven goldmine for social listening. If you’re not scanning the comments sections of your own posts or your competitors' videos to spot emerging trends or familiarising yourself with the language used, how can you be certain you’re the solution to their problem? 👂

Once you’ve really listened, you can use those insights to fuel your next creative - helping you tweak messaging, update or refine your targeting, and jump into new trends with content that just feels right, not forced. 

With TikTok, it’s not always about what the data tells you, it’s about what your audience is shouting about 📣

And remember, TikTok isn’t just a performance engine - it’s an awareness engine too. If your ads are created in an engaging creator-style format, your customers' first touch point becomes memorable, and in digital advertising, standing out from the crowd is really what matters.

The power of the right narrative

If you’re sitting there thinking in terms of one-off campaigns and solo ads, TikTok is going to eat your budget alive.

The best performing brands don’t just run ads, they create storylines 📖

Instead of pitching a product in one video, they break it down into relatable, series style format that uses episode one to give the narrative, episode two to add some drama, then episode three to deliver the punchline (with a killer CTA).

Remember, TikTok is all about entertainment. People aren’t necessarily scrolling to shop, but they are for a hint of emotion, humour, or curiosity 💭

The winning strategy? Use TikTok’s short form format to drip feed content:

• Tease a problem to viewers in video one
• Show behind the scenes in video two, giving a deeper dive of information.
• Give a showstopping transformation or result in video three that demonstrates success.

It’s all about storytelling, not hard selling.

Is TikTok right for your business?

Let’s get real for a minute - TikTok ads definitely aren’t for everyone ⛔

The brands that thrive really know how to lean into culture, keep it casual and can make a strong visual impact in 3 seconds (or less).

Here’s who TikTok ads work really well for:

✅ eCommerce brands with scroll-stopping products: If it looks good in action, TikTok’s going to love it. We’re talking about beauty products, the latest fashion drops, tech gadgets, trending fitness gear etc.

✅ Digital products with a clear, compelling hook: If you’re selling an app, subscription, or even SaaS products that solve a real-world, relatable pain point, then TikTok can help you tell the story.

✅ All things local: Restaurants, hair salons, events or experiences with regional targeting and on point visuals…you’ve got solid potential.

✅ Challenger brands: Looking to break some creative rules and take on other brands? If you’ve got a bold tone or niche angle, TikTok might just reward your energy.

But, here’s where things can fall flat:

🚫 Long sales cycles: TikTok’s not where deep-funnel decision makers hang out. If you’re into B2B sales that don’t happen within a few clicks, or need nurturing over time, it’s probably not the place for you.

🚫 Overly technical offerings: If your product needs its own white pages to explain things, it’s probably not going to fly - TikTok moves way too fast.

🚫 Informal discomfort: TikTok thrives on unpolished content that shows personality. If everything your marketing department does needs to be signed off by the board the vibe probably wont land.

Bottom line? TikTok is perfect for marketers that are willing to play the game - short-form, highly creative, trend-aware and all with a touch of humour (or heart).

Not your vibe? Maybe spend your ad dollars elsewhere 👋

Getting the full picture

Impressions, views, clicks, and shares are great, but they only give you a look at what’s happening on-platform.

But what about after the click? 🤔

What happens when someone taps your ad and then lands on your site? Do they bounce? Do they read reviews? Maybe they scroll through similar product pages? 

If you’re only looking at TikTok’s native metrics (and their own narrative), you’re flying blind beyond the app.

To really measure success, you need to track the full user journey - from the first scroll stopping moment to the final conversion, and everything in between.

That’s where marketing analytics tools like Hitprobe come in. You can:

✅ Track post-click behaviour across your landing pages (or site wide)

✅ Get click risk & engagement quality scores for every visitor that lands on your site

✅ See the detail of conversion paths, entry & exit points, and even click behaviour

✅ Understand which ad group or creative drives high-quality traffic to your site

✅ Detect visitors that return, even after the first session ended

✅ Spot drop-off points, before they become a headache

✅ Tweak your TikTok Ads Manager settings based on all of your click data. Certain regions or interests driving poor quality traffic to your site? Shift it to better-performing audiences.

Sure, clicks come cheap, but clarity into actual performance? That’s priceless.

If you want to know what’s really working, what’s wasting budget in your marketing activities and funnel, and how to optimize your TikTok campaigns for actual ROI, you need the full picture that Hitprobe gives for every click.

Need the clicks and the clarity?

If TikToks taught us anything so far, it’s that performance marketing doesn’t stop at the view count.

Success isn’t measured in short-lived viral ads either, it’s about knowing which clicks actually lead to a conversion, what journeys your customers take after the scroll, which other channels or platforms they’re engaging with, and where your budget is really going 💰

Hitprobe gives you the full-circle clarity you might not have known you needed, and picks up exactly where TikTok stops, helping you to track every post-click movement, showing you real engagement data and helping to uncover the value of your ad spend 💪

No guesswork. No data siloes. Just insights that really help you move the needle.

Want to track what really works when TikTok’s data comes to a hard stop? Try Hitprobe and turn scrolls and video views into strategy.