By Jasmine Seagraves: OMG - Tik Tok is so hot right now! You know, I know it, everyone knows it. Tik Tok is currently dominating the social media universe, despite the United States government exploring a possible ban of the viral social media app.

‘Don’t Make Ads, Make Tik Toks’

Now that they have a captive audience, Tik Tok is ramping up the advertising experience and encouraging businesses to give their platform a try. ‘Don’t Make Ads, Make Tik Toks’ is the guiding motto of their newly unveiled Tik Tok for Business self-service advertising platform. The motto communicates their aim to shake up the digital marketing world and promote brand storytelling that is fun, engaging and relatable above all. 

“Take Action: Tik Tok is currently offering up to $2,300 in advertising credits to small to medium sized businesses who are new to the platform. This is part of an initiative that is offering up to $100 million in advertising credits to small businesses, which Tik Tok believes are “uniquely at risk” during the unstable economic atmosphere created by COVID-19.” All eligible businesses will: 

Receive a one-time free ad credit worth $300 USD to be used by December 31, 2020

Have additional spending matched 1 to 1 with free ad credits up to $2,000 USD per business. ”

We’ve explored the options through our own account. And we’ve compiled the steps you’ll need to take to launch an ad using the new experience. Since this is new to, well, everyone, we included lots of visuals to help guide you through the process. 

Step 1: Go to Ads.TikTok.com and select “Get Started.”

Step 2: Select your advertising objective.

Like other media channels, this is the goal of your advertising campaign. If you want people to go to your website, select Traffic.  

tiktok ads.png

Step 3: Select your placement.

This is where you want your ad to be shown. The dashboard allows you to select from placements on TikTok, News Feed App Series (includes TopBuzz/BuzzVideo/News Republic/Babe), Vigo (available in India only), Helo (available in India only), and Pangle (available in Japan, Korea and Taiwan). 

tiktok ad placements.png

Step 4: Define your Ad Details.

In this section you will add the destination URL, add your business logo as your profile image, select the appropriate category for your business, select up to 20 ad tags that are relevant to your business. The ad tags will help Tik Tok identify users that are more likely to be interested in your ads. 

tiktok ad details.png

Step 5: Decide if you want to use the Automated Creative option.

This feature allows Tik Tok’s algorithm to automatically generate combinations of your creative assets (images, videos and ad texts), and deliver high-performing combinations. If you are limited on assets, or want more control over the pairings of images and photos/videos, do not activate this option. 

tiktok ad creative type.png

Step 6: Define your target audience.

In this section you have the option to upload existing audience data for retargeting or you can select from Tik Tok demographic and interest targeting options.

If you choose to rely on existing data, you can upload a file of customer data or create an audience of data based on user engagement or website activity. Once your custom audience is created, you have the option to create a lookalike audience to target users that look like your existing customers or high value data. 

tiktok ads define audience.png

The Demographic and Interest options available are somewhat limited compared to other media channels. Advertisers can choose from the following interests: 

  • Apparel & Accessories

  • Appliances

  • Apps

  • Automobile

  • Baby, Kids & Maternity

  • Beauty & Personal Care

  • Education

  • Financial Services

  • Food & Beverage

  • Games

  • News & Entertainment

  • Pets

  • Sports & Outdoors

  • Tech & Electronics

  • Travel

tiktok ad targeting.png

 Step 7: Select Budget & Schedule and Bidding & Optimization. 

tiktok ad budgeting and bidding.png

The Tik Tok Standard Bid allows the system to keep your average bid in the Tik Tok ad auction around your target goal. In a traffic campaign, you are billed on cost-per-click (CPC). To use Standard Bid for a Traffic campaign, input your goal CPC. Some results may cost more or less, but on average, your costs will be stable. This is best for keeping costs steady, even if you raise your budget. 

An alternative option is Accelerated Delivery which allows advertisers to spend their budget and get results as quickly as possible.

tiktok ad cost per result.png

Step 8: Create Your Ad.

There are two options at this stage in the Tik Tok ad dashboard: Single Video or Single Image. 

If you don’t have a video asset, you can create one using multiple images after you select Single Video. 

Note: While vertical video is certainly a best practice on Tik Tok - it’s more natural for the medium - horizontal video files are accepted as well. 

tiktok ad creative.png
create a tiktok ad.png

Tik Tok Ad Specs: 

Single Video

Aspect Ratio: Horizontal (16:9)/Square(1:1)/Vertical(9:16)

Resolution: Horizontal(1280*720)/Square(640*640)/Vertical(*720*1280)

Bit Rate: Less than or equal to 516kbps

Duration: 5-60s

Safe Zone: To ensure that your message is clearly displayed, Tik Tok recommends keeping all text and graphics within the safe zone. 

From left: 44px

From right: 140px

From top: 130px

From bottom: 483-484pc

COPY: You have roughly 47 characters available for text to support your video message before your caption will get cut off in the mockup. 

Single Image

*Note: TikTok and Pangle placements do not support image ads. 

Recommended Length/Width by Placement:

TopBuzz&BuzzVideo

1280*720px/1200*628px

Vigo

1280*720px/1200*628px/375*604px

Helo

1280*720px/1200*628px/640*640px

tiktok ad creative setup.png

Once complete, submit your ad for review. 

Step 9: Enter Billing & Business Information.

This is the step where you tell Tik Tok that you’re a real business and you’re prepared to pay them. In addition to a credit card to place on file, you’ll also need the below information for tax identification. 

  • Business Name

  • Promotion Link (a website url to show what will be promoted on the ad account)

  • Industry

  • Street Address

  • State/Province

  • Postal Code

  • Primary Contact Information

  • Business Verification ID

  • Legal Name of Business

  • Company Phone Number 

  • Name of Legal Representative

  • Supporting Documents such as a business license, registration certificate, or tax registration certificate in png or jpg format. 

tiktok ad business information.png

Step 10: Profit

Kick back, have a piña colada and celebrate because you just launched your first Tik Tok ad campaign! 

Helpful Resources: