Tik Tok has taken the world by storm. Since its launch in 2018, it has amassed over 1 billion active users. With so many users, it’s no surprise that Tik Tok has become a major player in the ads space.
Thanks to the power it now holds, more brands are wanting to hop on the Tik Tok train.
But what exactly is Tik Tok? And how can it benefit your business?
Well, Tik Tok, knowing its newfound power, has made it easy for businesses to advertise on their platform. But, because this app is so unique, your content and ads have to fit the Tik Tok mold to gain reach. Luckily, this Tik Tok Ads Manager guide has everything you need to know.
Read on to learn about Tik Tok, its advertising manager, and how it can benefit your business.
What is Tik Tok?
Before we get anywhere, we need to understand what Tik Tok is. In short, Tik Tok is a social media app used to create and share videos.
The majority of videos are music-focused, with the majority of creators (or Tik Tokkers) recording short videos of them dancing or lip-syncing to the music. This isn’t a new concept. Before Tik Tok, there were platforms like Vine and Dubsmash, which had the same premise.
But, for some reason, Tik Tok has managed to stick around. One possible reason is that it’s no longer just about lip-syncing or dancing videos. With its popularity came a large dynamic of creators.
There are now an unimaginable number of videos on varying other topics. You can now watch short DIY and craft videos, catch up on hot topics, like the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial, or listen to people reading out Reddit posts from forums like AITA or OffMyChest.
Thanks to this, Tik Tok has become synonymous with “communities.” This is beneficial to users, content creators, and businesses alike. There are several “communities” to join or even glimpse into. For example, book lovers are more than likely to land in the ever-growing BookTok.
And, thanks to BookTok and its rising popularity, the world has seen a resurgence in reading. In 2021, Bloomsbury Publishing house saw a 220% rise in profits, partly caused by BookTok.
This alone proves the power Tik Tok has over people and the effects it can have on brands and businesses.
How Did Tik Tok Become so Popular?
You’re probably wondering how this app became so popular and influential. Most young millennials and older Gen Zers will remember Vine and the hold it had over them while it was popular. But its novelty quickly died off.
Tik Tok, though, quickly gained major popularity and continues to grow. Part of this continual growth is its short videos.
When the app first launched, videos were either 15 or 30 seconds long. As it grew, and different kinds of creators started making videos, Tik Tok introduced 60-second videos. Now, you can create 3-minute videos.
People love Tik Tok because they can get all the information they need, very quickly. The short bursts of comedy also give us a major serotonin boost, which keeps us scrolling.
The app also makes it easy to discover new creators and content. This keeps us hooked as we rarely see the same content twice. But, thanks to its algorithm, we also always see things that are relatable to us. That’s how communities were created.
The algorithm is also responsible for creators becoming viral. But the greatest thing about Tik Tok is that even the smallest creators can go, and have gone, viral. The algorithm prioritizes new content, and if videos fit into what’s trending, they tend to go viral.
It’s faster and much more effective than YouTube, for example.
How Does it Work for Businesses?
As we’ve already mentioned, Tik Tok has had a major effect on global reading stats. More people around the world are reading and buying books, all thanks to BookTok. But publishing houses and bookstores aren’t the only ones benefiting from Tik Tok exposure.
The music industry is also seeing a major spike and shift. Fleetwood Mac’s song “Dreams” was featured in a video that went viral, reaching over 35 million views. As a result, it topped the Billboard charts for the first time since 1997.
Because the platform has so many active users, it’s become a powerful place to reach new customers.
While most people may be skeptical about its marketability, the statistics speak for themselves.
The app has been downloaded over 2 billion times since 2018 and is currently the seventh most used social network. People in over 200 countries have access to Tik Tok, with almost 100 million active users in the United States alone.
With that many people on the app (for more than an hour a day, some statistics say), why not try to take advantage of it?
How to Market on Tik Tok
Okay, so we’ve convinced you to take the plunge and begin marketing on Tik Tok. But how do you even start?
There are a few ways you can market your business on Tik Tok. You can create your own Tik Tok account and post your own content. This is the most organic method, and it’s completely free.
But this method takes time and does require a pinch of luck. If you’ve got this luck and the right strategy, you can go viral overnight.
You can also work with influencers to help promote your product and brand. But this also takes some finessing. You’d still need to learn the app and approach Tik Tok influencers who are in the same communities your target customers are in.
Then, of course, you can always pay to advertise on Tik Tok.
Tik Tok understands its hold, so it’s made this process easy for business with its Ads Manager. To learn more about this method, keep reading.
What is Tik Tok Ads Manager?
Tik Tok describes its Ads Manager as providing you with the necessary tools to create and manage ads on its platform. The major benefit of the Tik Tok Ads Manager is that you don’t need any expertise to get started.
Plus, it offers you access to a large global audience, across Tik Tok and its family of apps.
Why Use Tik Tok Ads Manager?
As mentioned, there are a few ways you can boost your brand on Tik Tok. But the Tik Tok Ads Manager is by far the most effective method to advertise your brand on the platform.
It has the biggest reach, and it’s incredibly easy to use. The Tik Tok Ads Manager has been designed to accommodate creators and businesses with varying degrees of experience in marketing.
All its tools and ad formats are user-friendly, but still creative enough for you to have some fun and liberty when creating your ads. Thanks to this, the Ads Manager also allows for effective engagement – which is extremely important.
The Tik Tok Ads Manager has precise targeting too. This allows you to adjust your ads to reach a specific group of people. All you have to do is set your target audience by gender, age, and location. It even allows you to set it by specific interests and several other unique variables.
Once you’ve unleashed your ad onto Tik Tok, you can easily monitor its performance with Tik Tok’s Transparent Tracking. Tik Tok Ads Manager gives you detailed, but easy-to-understand, customized reports covering all the most important things.
You can view your ad conversions, in-app actions by users, impressions, and click attribution data. Ultimately this allows you to see exactly where your marketing budget is going.
How Much Does it Cost?
This is the first question most ask when promoting their businesses through these platforms.
The cost of running a Tik Tok ad campaign is as follows:
- $0.50 per mile / 1000 views
- $0.02 per click
There is a $500 minimum payment for a Tik Tok paid ads campaign. While this minimum payment applies to any kind of ad campaign, there are several different price options and ad formats to choose from.
You can also set a specific ad budget, such as a total budget, daily budget, and lifetime budget. This allows brands of all sizes and budgets to take advantage of Tik Tok Ads Manager.
How to Use Tik Tok Ads Manager
As mentioned, using the Tik Tok Ads Manager is quick and easy. But the very first thing you need to do is create a Tik Tok Ads Manager Account and put money into it.
It’s best to create a personal account on Tik Tok first, though. This way you can learn the ins and outs of Tik Tok and how you can utilize it to your advantage.
How to Set up a Tik Tok Ads Manager Account
Let’s get into how you can set up your Tik Tok Ads Manager Account to get some campaigns going!
Step 1: Create a Login
Like most advertising platforms, you need an ad account before running ad campaigns. Luckily, with Tik Tok Ads Manager, it’s a very simple process.
First, you’ll need to visit the TikTok for business website. Here you’ll see the big words “Don’t Make Ads. Make TikTok Videos.” Which is a perfect way to get you in the Tik Tok mood.
Navigate to either the “Create Now” or “Start Now” buttons to begin creating your Ad Account.
From there, you’ll be given an onsite form to fill out. You can choose to either sign up with an email or cellphone number, whichever is easiest and most convenient. Don’t forget to tik the Ts and Cs box!
Once you’ve filled out the form, a verification code will be sent to either your email or phone number. Fill the code into the necessary boxes to confirm your account.
Sometimes, you’ll be automatically taken to your account. In other cases, Tik Tok may direct you to a log-in screen. Type in your details, and log in.
Step 2: Open Your Account
Once you’ve logged in, you’ll need to provide Tik Tok with some information about your business.
Such as:
- The country or region the business is located in
- Your time zone – this cannot be changed later
- Preferred billing currency
- The name of the business
When entering the name of your business, it needs to match or be very close to your company’s legal name.
Once that’s all filled out, click register! This opens and finalizes your Tik Tok Ad account.
Step 3: Enter Business Details and Payment Information
A pop-up appears the very first time you log into your Tik Tok Ad account. This pop-up usually asks you to fill in a few more details about your business and your billing information.
Some of the things you’ll need to fill in include your business’s street address, the state or province you’re situated in, along with the postal code.
You’ll also notice a box asking for your company’s / business’s website URL. This is of course the place you want people to go when they click on your ad. The URL needs to be in a very specific format to pass the review process; it needs to look like this: https://www.gomediashark.com/.
Tik Tok’s review process is a bit strict. They require a few additional things for your account to pass the review process:
- The website should function properly
- The website should have all the necessary contact information
- It should also clearly promote a product or service
- What is shown on the website should relate to the product or service you want to promote
You can always change some of these settings at a later stage. All you need to do is head over to the profile icon on the top right-hand corner of the screen. There you’ll see “Account Settings,” which will let you navigate to “Account Information.” From there, you can change and update all your necessary account information.
Step 4: Payment Method Selection
This is a critical step when finalizing your Tik Tok Ads Manager Account. You have to ensure you choose the right option because it can’t be changed later.
You can choose between manual and automatic payments. However, the automatic payments option is only available in certain markets.
If automatic payments are available in your region, it might be a good idea to choose it as your payment method. Especially if you’re running continuous ads or wanting to do a lot of advertising on Tik Tok.
The manual payments section works slightly differently. You’ll need to preload your account with the amount matching your specified budget. When you choose the Manual Payments option, you’ll be taken to a new page. This page allows you to add a balance so you can begin your ad campaign!
Adding money to your Tik Tok Ads Manager is quite straightforward:
- Once the page pops up, click the “+ Add Balance” button appearing in the credit card-looking box
- On the new page, add your desired amount, starting with at least $10
- Press Next
- Ensure the amount is correct and choose the payment method
- You can choose between PayPal and a credit/debit card
- Enter the card information or connect your PayPal information, and press Submit
- Click Next
If you don’t want to pay immediately, and instead want to browse around the Tik Tok Ads Manager, then you can! You can skip entering your payment details, and it will take you straight to the Tik Tok Ads Manager’s page.
Note that you won’t be able to run any ads until you’ve added a payment method or money to your Account.
Understanding Tik Tok Ads Manager
Now that you have access to the Tik Tok Ads Manager, it’s time to get yourself acquainted. While this ad manager is very similar to several other ad managers for platforms such as Instagram and YouTube, it’s still got a few unique quirks.
Using Tik Tok Ads Manager is much simpler once you know where and what everything is. In the page’s header, you’ve got your main sections, like your Dashboard and Reporting. You’ve also got Campaign and Assets. Each button takes you to a different aspect of managing your Ads.
Understanding each section within the Ads Manager will make your entire experience much easier and better.
The Ads Dashboard
The Dashboard is the perfect place to get a quick look at everything to do with your ad campaign. It shows you important information regarding the performance of your ads, the activity they’re receiving, and all your notifications.
You’ll often see a bar running across the screen. The bar is usually bright and colorful to catch your attention. When your account is new, it shows you any steps you may need to do to finalize your account. Normally though, it shows you any urgent and important news regarding your ads.
Underneath this bright bar, is the Today’s Spends section. From there, you can click on Payment for a more detailed look. Active Ad information is also situated under this bar, next to Today’s Spends. Here you can click Log to get more details. Next to that, is the Not Delivering section.
If you haven’t created any ads yet, a Create an Ad button will be available.
After that, you’ll find the Analytics section. The first thing under this section is Trends. Trends also gives you a quick overview of how your ads are doing. You can see conversion, the click-through rate, how much your ads are costing, and all its impressions.
The greatest thing about Trends is that you can adjust the date range. This allows you to compare your ad’s data over a period of time.
From there, the Dashboard shows you Campaign and Gender data. Following that is the Placements section and Operating Systems information.
Campaign
Next to the Dashboard on the top bar, you can find Campaign. This is the section where you create all your ad campaigns, ad groups, and get to see everything relating to your ads. You’ll see more detailed information about your ad’s performance analytics.
If you’ve used Facebook Ads Manager, it’ll feel very familiar.
Like on Facebook’s manager, you can change a few views, like showing more campaigns per page. You can also refresh your campaigns and export your reports.
There’s a lot more you can do within the Campaign section, like bulk creating and editing ads and filtering your campaigns to see more detailed analytics. There is also a more detailed Trends section within Campaigns, where you can also change the dates to look at changes in trends over time.
If you want to learn how to create an ad campaign, keep reading!
Assets
Next to Campaign is Assets. When you hover your mouse cursor over Assets, a drop-down menu appears showing a whole bunch of options. These options are event, creative, audiences, and comments.
Assets doesn’t take you to a new page, instead, you’ll need to click one of the four options. It’s essentially a whole bunch of tools that can help your ads grow.
So, let’s take a look at each section and how they help.
Events
The Events section is where all tracking information gets set up. Once this is done, you’ll be able to see accurate ad analytics and data.
To set up events correctly, you’ll need to get a Tracking Pixel for your website. What is a Pixel? Simply, it’s a piece of code that you implement into your website. It allows advertisers to share any website visitor events to Tik Tok in a browser.
Again, like Facebook, Tik Tok Ads Manager makes this process simple and easy. They have a pixel helper plug-in that helps debug and check your implementation.
Creative
Under the Creative dropdown section, you’ll see a whole bunch of tabs to make your ads look their best. There are tabs for Images, Videos, Instant Forms, Spark Ad Posts, and Playable.
The Images tab is where you’ll find all the image assets you’ve ever uploaded to the Ads Manager. To upload image assets, click the big blue button.
Once you’ve selected your ads, you can edit or delete them. Simply click on the dropdown menu next to the blue upload button and choose between delete and edit.
Within the images tab, you can view the past performance of your ads by changing the date range in the top right-hand corner.
The Videos section is very similar to the Images section. It allows you to view and manage all the videos you upload to the Tik Tok Ads Manager. You’ll notice that you can create, edit, and delete – just like in the images section.
In the top right corner within the Videos tab, you can sort the video library by date, name or ID, and analytics columns. You can also change how many videos you see per page and export all your analytics.
The Playable Ads section is unique. According to Tik Tok, they are “interactive ads that show viewers a preview of your app before they download it.” These are often used on Facebook, and by brands advertising apps or games.
Spark Ad Posts are organics. But to run them, you’ll need to get Tik Tok post-authorization. This tab allows you to apply for authentication.
You can use Instant Forms when and if you run Lead Generation Ads. These forms collect the information that users and viewers enter.
Audiences
The Audiences section is fun. You can upload or create a custom or lookalike audience.
Comments
This section is pretty self-explanatory. You can view all the comments on your Tik Tok ads.
You can also set some parameters with regards to what can get commented on in your ads. For example, you can block words and set them to automatically hide when commenting on your ads.
Reporting
And finally, we get to the Reporting section. This is an important section that shows you all your analytics reports. Here, you can also generate and export these reports so you can see how well your ads are performing.
When you click on this section, you’ll be taken to a create page. Here, choose which metrics you want to measure and the timeframe you’d like to see.
Tik Tok Ads Manager also allows you to schedule these reports. You can set it to run daily, weekly, or monthly. It also allows you to export these reports and send them to someone else, automatically.
You can either create a custom report or a report from a template. To find these templates, click create, then “from template.” You’ll be shown a long list of options on the left side of the page.
These sections are account settings, business center, notifications, and help center.
Account Settings
Within this section, you can switch between multiple Tik Tok accounts, if you have admin access to them. Under Account Settings, you’ll also find your Ad Account ID. An easy-to-find spot for when you need to share it with an advertising partner, agency, or employee.
Here you can also change your display language and user and account settings.
To change the user settings, navigate to the U icon. When you click that, you’ll face a dropdown with a whole bunch of information and options. For example, you can view your user ID and log out from there.
Account settings are a little more detailed. When you open that, you’ll see a menu with a range of options.
For example, you’ll be able to see your account setup. Here you can see a variety of important information, like:
- Account information
- Basic information
- Business information
- Private contact
- Permission management
- Payment information
You’ll also be able to view and upload industry documents. These are often key documents required for running ads in some industries, like medical and finance.
The Account Settings section also lets you view your payments and all transactions made on your Tik Tok account.
Brand Safety information can also be found here. By heading into this section, you can manage your Block Lists. These keep your content far away from other accounts and content that you don’t want to be associated with your brand.
There are some key user settings that you can also change and manage within this section. You can edit things like your personal information and your notification settings.
Business Center
If you haven’t already, you’ll be prompted to create a business account when you click this section.
When doing so, enter the Business Center name, upload a profile picture (if you want to), and enter your time zone. From there click create.
Then you can access your Business Account, where you can manage your users and account assets.
Notification
When you hover over the notification icon – a bell – a navigation window will pop up. From there you’ll be able to view notifications from a variety of categories:
- All
- Issues
- Announcements
- Suggestions
- Tickets
- Business Center
- Asset Sync
You’ll also notice a gear icon on the page. This settings section allows you to mark all your notifications as read. You can also choose to view all.
Help Center
You can find the Help Center by navigating to the question mark icon. Here you can access a lot of detailed and helpful information, all compiled by Tik Tok.
Whatever topic you’re struggling with, there’s definitely a section for it.
How To Set Up Ads
Now that you’re familiar with the Tik Tok Ads Manager, it’s time to learn how to create and set up ads.
Setting up a Campaign
Head over to Campaign in the Tik Tok Ads Manager. You’ll see a big blue button on the page labeled Create. Click that to get started with the entire ad creation process.
From there, you’ll need to choose between Simplified Mode or Custom Mode. While you’re starting, it’s best to opt for “Simplified Mode” and once you’ve got the hang of things, you can dabble with Custom Mode.
From there, you’ll need to select an Advertising Objective. This section is easy to understand. Simply, Advertising Objectives set your target audience and social media budget. Tik Tok Ads Manager has several objectives:
Awareness
This objective is focused on Reach – or how many people you’d like to see your ad. This is currently in beta.
Consideration
This objective is all about:
- Traffic – pushes traffic to your URL
- Video Views – maximizes ad video plays (currently in beta)
- App Installs – Encourages traffic to download your app
- Lead Generation – Collect leads using a pre-populated Instant Form
Conversions
Conversions is an objective for those seeking to:
- Conversions – Drive specific actions on your site, i.e., to subscribe
- Catalog Sales
The Catalog Sales subsection is quite cool. These are dynamic ads based on your current product catalog. Unfortunately, this advanced advertising objective is currently in Beta and only available in select regions around the world.
Naming Your Campaign
Now that you’ve created your ad campaign and chosen your objective, it’s time to name your campaign! This is also the part where you set your budget.
It’s always best to choose a simple and recognizable name for your ad campaign. Tik Tok allows you to choose a name with up to 512 characters.
Once you’ve done that, you can set your budget. Of course, there are a few options. If you have an endless budget or want to set specific budgets for different ad groups, you can choose the No Limit option.
On the other hand, if you’d prefer to have a set budget, you can choose between a Lifetime Budget or a Daily Budget.
Budget optimization isn’t the same across the different Ad Objectives, though, so be careful. For the App Installs and Conversions objectives, you’ll have to use the Lowest Cost bidding strategy. Tik Tok is currently testing a feature to give you the best-suggested bid.
Name Your Ad Groups
Despite what you may think, you’re not done yet. Next, you’ll need to name your ad group and select a placement.
As is the case with naming your campaign, you can choose a name with up to 512 characters. There are one to 999 ad groups.
There are several placements for your ad groups, but unfortunately, some are only available in certain regions. You can choose:
- Tik Tok placement – these are in-feed ads on people’s ForYou pages
- News feed placement – Ads in other Tik Tok apps; BuzzVideo, TopBuzz, and Babe
- Pangle placement – this is the Tik Tok Audience network
- Auto placement – Tik Tok automatically optimizes ad delivery
Automated Creative Optimization (Optional)
You can decide if you want Tik Tok to automatically make your ads pretty. For example, letting the app automatically generate combinations of your images, videos, and ad texts. From there, the system only shows the best-performing ads.
If you’re a new creator, this may be very helpful. You can turn this off once you’ve got the hang of things.
Setting a Target Audience
This allows you to set who gets to see your ads. The parameters are straightforward:
- Age
- Gender
- Language
- Interests
- Location
- Behavior
- Device Details
Ad Group Schedule and Budget
Now it’s time to set a budget and schedule for your ad groups. As is the case for setting a budget for the overall campaign, you can choose a Daily Budget or Lifetime Budget for your ad group. From there, set your start and end times.
You can also opt to run your ads at specific times of the day. Find this setting under Dayparting.
Bidding Strategy Set Up
Choose between the three biding strategies:
- Bid Cap – Maximum amount per click/view/1,000 impressions
- Cost Cap – Average cost per result for optimized cost per 1,000 impressions (CPM)
- Lowest Cost – Generates a maximum number of results at the lowest cost per result using the set ad group budget
From there, choose your delivery type – standard or accelerated.
Accelerated uses your budget as quickly as possible. Standard spreads your budget evenly over your campaign’s scheduled run dates.
Create Your Ads
Now you can officially begin creating your ads.
First, you need to choose an ad format. Pick between Image, Video, or Spark Ads. If you’re only advertising on Tik Tok, you can only choose the Spark ads and video formats.
Once you’ve decided, pick your images or videos, or simply create a video right there using the creator tools with the Ads Manager. Using the Tik Tok video editor can also save you almost 50% of your cost per action.
Now you can choose your thumbnails (default or self-made ones). From there, enter text and link. Tik Tok then shows you a preview of your ad. Once you’re happy with everything, click Submit.
From there, it will go through Tik Tok’s review process. Once it passes that, it will go live!
Tik Tok Ads Manager Tips
The Tik Tok Ads Manager is an easy tool that most people can use. It’s designed in a way to ensure you can create compelling and actionable ad campaigns that can boost your business. But there are always a few tips and tricks you can follow for the best possible results.
Make Tik Toks, Not Ads
Tik Tok is changing the game. There’s no denying that. The best way to take advantage of Tik Tok and its reach is to create Tik Tok-style ads.
Making Tik Toks containing your product or mentioning your service will do much better than making a normal, 30-second TV-style commercial.
Keep it Short and Sweet
Because you’re diving straight into the world of Tik Tok, it’s best to stick with what works. Yes, Tik Tok now allows creators to make longer videos, but shorter videos tend to get a lot more reach.
If you take anything away from this section, is that short, focused ads are ALWAYS better than long, drawn-out sketches. Keep it short and sweet, with a specific focus on your product or service.
Join Tik Tok Before Making Ads
Understanding the ins and outs of Tik Tok will help you create better ads for your intended audience. So why not join the app yourself, and use it?
By being on Tik Tok, you can essentially do your own marketing research. You’ll know which Trends are getting the most hype so you can use them to your advantage.
If you spend at least half an hour a day on the app, you’ll become a Tik Tok expert in no time!
Tik Tok Ads Manager: What Next?
Tik Tok has taken the world by storm, and with its user base continuing to grow, it’s really no wonder you’re wanting to use it for your business.
We hope this guide has helped you understand how the Tik Tok Ads Manager works and how you can create brand awareness and reach using Tik Tok.
Even though you might have the hang of things thanks to this guide, you don’t have to go it alone. If you need an extra hand, why not consider partnering with an experienced marketing agency.
Media Shark can help you with anything Tik Tok-related to help you grow your business on the platform. Contact us today!
