Creating Effective TikTok Ads: Unlocking Success
Creating Effective TikTok Ads: Unlocking Success
Are you curious about the types of content that excel in TikTok ads? Do you need fresh, proven ideas that deliver tangible results?
Below, we explore the art of crafting TikTok ads that truly work.
Leveraging TikTok in Your Social Ads Strategy
Social networks serve diverse purposes. For example, Facebook is ideal for set-and-forget campaigns, fostering long-term sales and audience growth. Meanwhile, Instagram thrives on experimentation and audience engagement. TikTok, on the other hand, operates at a faster pace and on a grander scale.
TikTok ads provide a lightning-fast way to reach a vast audience, boasting higher click-through rates at a lower cost compared to other social networks.
They significantly boost brand exposure and search traffic as people discover and seek more information about your brand.
Remarkably, TikTok's brand awareness can even translate into improved conversions on Facebook and Google ads.
However, there are some caveats to keep in mind: TikTok's paid content remains effective for a maximum of two weeks. After this period, viewers lose interest, and the algorithm downgrades that content.
In addition, TikTok demands a distinct look and feel for content. This means that strategies that worked on Twitter or Instagram won't suffice on TikTok.
TikTok ads are undeniably effective, but they work best when integrated into a comprehensive social media strategy, with long-term support from other social networks.
Understanding TikTok Ad Types
There are two primary ways to create ads on TikTok:
1. Spark Ads
Spark ads boost an already successful organic post, whether it's from your profile or an influencer's. All you need is the spark ad ID code for the post.
2. Ads Manager
This option lets you upload content specifically designed for ads. You don't need an active TikTok profile for this, just a business account.
You can also repurpose videos from your organic posts if you don't wish to run them as spark ads.
In this article, we'll mainly focus on creating content for the Ads Manager. However, the key to TikTok ads, as you’ll see, is making them resemble organic content.
How Long Do TikTok Ads Remain Effective?
TikTok ads are unique for their short shelf life, as they last a maximum of two weeks. This brevity is offset by their exceptional reach and affordability, providing a substantial return on ad spend during this window.
To maintain optimal results, you'll need to launch new TikTok ad creative every week. But fear not; there are strategies to ease the workload.
Using content from your network of creators and collaborators can help, reducing the need to develop all the videos yourself. You can also recycle successful formats and content topics, only requiring slight variations to share as new ads.
Emphasise getting the content out rather than fretting over high production values or perfect scripts; authenticity is paramount on TikTok.
Four Types of TikTok Ad Creative
The golden rule for TikTok ads: they should not resemble traditional ads.
TikTok's strong and trusting community values entertaining, informative and authentic content. Users – especially Gen Z – tend to trust TikTok more than Google when seeking information.
Here are some key principles to follow when creating TikTok ads:
1. Keep it brief
Although TikTok ads can run for up to three minutes, we recommend that you keep them shorter than this. Gen Z’s attention span is notoriously short (studies suggest you’ve got just eight seconds to capture their attention). So keep your ads as short as possible.
2. Avoid excessive gloss
While good camera quality and lighting can enhance your content, you don't need to create airbrushed videos. Authenticity is more compelling.
3. Stay authentic
TikTok users tend to respond poorly to corporate-style ads. Instead of a hard sell, use your ad to tell a story, evoke emotions or join a trending topic.
4. Use effective branding
When mentioning your brand, keep it concise and memorable. If sharing a URL, use a link shortener customised to your brand. You can also include your logo in TikTok videos – but make sure you keep it unobtrusive.
If your ad can't resemble a traditional ad, what should it look like?
Here are four proven TikTok ad creative formats that resonate well with both advertisers and audiences:
1. The Founder’s Story Creative
Share the unique story behind your brand. Keep it to about one minute long, use jump cuts to maintain viewer engagement, and conclude with a relevant call-to-action.
2. Product Comparison Creative
This format focuses on setting your product apart from competitors, using split screens and comparisons. The video should be 30 to 60 seconds long.
3. Interview Creative
Ideal for apps, services, B2B, and tech companies, this format allows you to cover key points quickly. Keep interviews between 20 to 60 seconds long, getting straight to the point and cutting out unnecessary details.
4. Reaction Creative
Reaction videos elicit strong emotions and human interest. You can use them to show reactions to your product in various scenarios, combine reactions with other formats, ask questions of strangers, or display your own reactions to a new product reveal.
Measuring TikTok Ads Performance
After creating compelling content and allowing it to run on TikTok for up to two weeks, the next step is to measure your ad's performance.
Start by clearly defining your goals.
For organic follows and views, TikTok's data for individual videos can provide tracking.
Paid clicks, conversions, and sales require the use of TikTok Ads Manager's analytics. However, TikTok's value often extends beyond these metrics.
Exposure on TikTok can gradually translate into increased search traffic and conversions on other platforms, which can be challenging to track. To better understand the impact of your TikTok ads, consider these approaches:
1. Use UTMs
Add them to any links shared on TikTok.
2. Customer Surveys
Implement surveys at checkout to inquire about how customers first heard about your products.
3. Attribution Platforms
These third-party tools collect data from your website and ad platforms to provide a more comprehensive picture of customer attribution.
An example of such a platform is Sirge, which bridges the gap between TikTok analytics and eventual sales, offering insights into which ad creative formats are truly effective.
In summary, crafting successful TikTok ads demands a nuanced approach, combining authenticity, creativity and adaptability.
With the right content and a robust measurement strategy, TikTok can become a potent tool in your social media ads arsenal.
Struggling to create an empowering social media marketing strategy? Reach out to the team at EWM to elevate your success.