TikTok has the highest engagement rate per post across all major social media platforms, reinforcing its role as a community leader in the space. It is used by people around the globe, influencers in every niche, and businesses in every industry. Driving sales with TikTik ads has become a winning strategy for Brands looking to gain credibility, boost awareness, and engage their target audience—fast. Throughout this article, we’ll demonstrate how you can use TikTok ads to generate sales, awareness, and engagement for your Brand. As the premier destination for product discovery and shopping inspiration, Brands can’t afford not to be on TikTok this holiday season.
Why TikTok
Let’s start with the stats. TikTok is one of the most frequented, demographically diverse social media platforms in the world, with over one billion active users monthly. The ability to reach a wide, targeted audience affords Brands exceptional exposure and viable visibility. TikTok is a point of attraction and product discovery for consumers globally:
- 5 million US-based Brands sell on TikTok
- 61% of users have purchased directly from TikTok
- 61% of users have purchased a product first seen on TikTok
- 15% of users discover Brands on TikTok
- 67% of users shop on TikTok a week before the holiday season kicks off
- 1 in 2 users rely on the For You Page for “Holiday and Shopping Events” content
Lower CPAS, Higher ROAS
TikTok has been proven to generate a higher return on advertising spend (ROAS) for Brands while lowering the cost per acquisition of a customer (CPAS). The platform is especially adept at driving more sales across several dimensions with less spend. Per the findings of multiple Nielsen Media Mix Model Meta Analysis, TikTok’s impact can be quantified as follows:
- US-based Brands experienced a 96% higher ROAS for paid media
- US-based Brands experienced 2.9x greater sales efficiency on TikTok compared to other digital media outlets
- The average ROAS of $2.99 is 2x higher than other digital media outlets
- TikTok ads run at a lower frequency, yet produce similar incremental dollars per 1,000 impressions (DPM) compared to TV ads ($15.40 vs. $16.80)
Understanding the TikTok Algorithm
The TikTok algorithm is the mastermind matchmaker between you and your For You Page. By using an interest-based algorithm, TikTok can recommend highly relevant content, products, and services to users. The recommendations are as hyper-targeted as they are far-reaching, which means you can connect with your ideal audience authentically while capturing the attention of like-minded consumers who are likely to engage with your Brand. Because each For You Page is curated based on viewing preferences, no two are the same.
Reaching the Right Audience
TikTok has a nuanced, global, and niche user base. It is also one of the only platforms that lets Brands reach the most difficult audiences to target: non-Brand and new-to-category buyers. For optimal audience discovery, it is advised to run a few campaigns that better acquaint TikTok with your Brand personas. Once sufficient audience data is present, TikTok will automatically align your Brand with relevant customers irrespective of your follower or post count. Here’s how you can use TikTok to engage your audience along their purchasing journey:
- Customize your audience per ad campaign
- Retarget users who have interacted with your content
- Use Value-Based Optimization to target users with a high intent to purchase
Partnering with Influencers
Influencer partnerships are a well of near-endless opportunities. You can co-create content with Brand-fit influencers, sponsor collaborative posts, commission user-generated content, or even go live on TikTok. The possibilities are ever fruitful. As social media natives who share your target audience, influencers know how to authentically persuade, sell, and inspire action. Partnering with influencers allows you to reach broader audiences as well, which can be more effective than narrowing your target on TikTok.
The Best-Performing Content on TikTok
TikTok is not the platform for polished or pixelated content. Content that is either too high or too low in resolution does not resonate with TikTok users. Instead, TikTok users gravitate toward content that is authentic, casual, and not overly processed, such as the media captured by your smartphone. Brands that do well on TikTok are able to blend in naturally with other user-generated content (UGC) on the app. Most do so by acquiring UGC from Creators or consumers on TikTok.
Acquiring User-Generated Content
Traditionally, user-generated content is any content created by consumers organically that promotes a product or service. This can be as simple as a review on a website or as intricate as a “Day in the Life” video that embeds a product or service into an influencer’s daily routine. With the advent of influencer marketing, UGC has now become a content type Brands can commission from Creators. By growing your UGC collection, you can diversify your ads and determine which pieces perform the best.
Optimize Your Creative
Short-form videos on TikTok produce positive, long-term results for Brands. On a broader scale, TikTok ad creative has been proven to build Brand equity better than traditional advertising. In fact, 3500 TikTok ads were measured against TV and digital ads, outperforming both by 15-20%. Here’s how you can optimize your creative content so that it follows TikTok’s high-performing formula.
How to Format Your Content
TikTok suggests using 3-5 videos per ad group. These videos can all be in the form of UGC so long as you have a variety to use. When it comes to optimizing your videos for ads, TikTok recommends the following:
- Always incorporate sound, whether in the form of music, voice-over, sound effects, trending sounds, ASMR, etc.
- Videos should be at least 10 seconds long
- Videos should be full-screen with a 9:16 vertical aspect ratio
- Smartphone video quality is preferred
How to Tell Your Story
TikTok recommends splitting your story into three distinct acts:
- ACT 1: The Hook
Get straight to the point with an attention-grabbing, scroll-stopping hook within the first few seconds of your video.
- ACT 2: Your Unique Selling Points
Showcase your product or service and spotlight its key selling points immediately after the hook.
- ACT 3: Call to Action
Close with a strong call to action that tells users what to do, such as sign up, buy now, or use a promo to purchase.
How to Grab Attention
You have six seconds to capture the attention of scrolling consumers. There are many attention triggers you can incorporate into your content that help you do so:
- Title cards
- Display cards
- Fast or flashy transitions
- Movement
- Music
- Trending sounds
- Sound effects
- Closed captioning
Scale Top-Performing Ads
Once you’ve secured, optimized, and tested your UGC ads, you can begin to scale the top-performing pieces. TikTok’s algorithm makes it easy for Brands to have a plethora of top-performing ads. Once you launch your ad campaign, try increasing your budget incrementally by 50% every three days leading up to its close. Doing so will increase conversions and allow you to scale top performers. Furthermore, the more you refresh your creative content, the more likely you are to expand your list of top performers. While it may seem challenging to keep up with the endless demand for new content and UGC, it is nearly effortless to do with Glewee on your team (and desktop).
Get UGC on Glewee
Not sure where to source UGC? Glewee’s got you covered from beginning to end so you can build your content library from top to bottom. Our all-in-one influencer marketing platform lets you acquire UGC from pre-vetted Creators in your niche. The best part is that usage rights are built into your UGC acquisition, which means the content is yours to use, repurpose, and redistribute in perpetuity. Glewee Creators are TikTok natives who possess the skill, sway, and social media savvy to create content that resonates with your Brand and its consumers. Ready to get UGC and get going on TikTok? Sign up for Glewee in seconds and start collaborating with Creators in minutes.
