TikTok Paid Campaign Optimization
As a business owner or marketing professional, you’re probably hearing from every direction that you should run ad campaigns on TikTok to reach potential new customers. That casual directive gets tossed around a ton these days but few understand that the path to success includes much more than setting up an account, throwing up some content and pushing the “go” button.
When you start digging into all the possible campaign variations, it can be overwhelming. Even the most preliminary questions can cause you to want to quit before you even get started. Here are a few common questions we help our clients navigate (along with some high-level answers!):
Should I use creator content?
Yes. Recommendations coming from a trusted third party pack more punch than ads disseminated by brands. This is also why we recommend running the ads under the creator’s handles rather than the brands.
Should I engage creators to post content organically before adding paid dollars?
Depends. This depends on your goals, budget and overall strategy.
Should I run Spark Ads and traditional ads?
Depends. The combination approach is most effective if you are designing a long-term program.
Should I run multiple pieces of content or just a select few to start?
Multiple. Starting with a variety of assets will help the algorithm learn and efficiently narrow in on what works the best.
Ok so now you are really overwhelmed. Don’t worry – we can guide you to the answers to all of these questions and more. Let’s start with some background:
The TikTok algorithm is young and less reliable when sponsored content is posted organically. With this in mind, we almost always recommend a supplemental paid program or a paid-only program. This typically begins with amplifying the content via TikTok’s Spark Ads under the creators’ handles (in dark mode if it’s a paid-only campaign), and grows into an always-on Spark and traditional ad program that utilizes human and machine learnings to gain efficiencies as we go. Next, let’s talk strategy.
Getting the most out of any TikTok campaign requires strategic planning around several key elements including:
establishing campaigns goals
identifying a strategy aimed at achieving those goals as efficiently as possible
obtaining authentic yet optimally effective content
keeping up with the existing and emerging TikTok features and promotions that can help give you an edge
We meet our clients where they are in the process. If you are not yet sure what your goals for the program should be, we can start there. Once we align on the goal and the most efficient strategy to achieve that goal, we open up our TikTok creator rolodex and engage the best-suited, top-performing creators for your campaign.
We figure out how to best optimize your campaign by-
learning as much as we can from you about your target audience and previous campaign efforts
combining what we learn from you with our historical performance data
analyzing popular trends, music and ad types.
consulting with our TikTok partners to ensure we are using all currently available tools to achieve your campaign goals
Although we are happy to explain all the optimization levers we pull to make your campaign successful, we’ll do all the heavy lifting for you.
Once launched, we monitor campaigns as they progress and report back on learnings and adjustments being made. Once we dial in what works the best (usually within 30-60 days) we’ll scale the program and continue a small amount of testing with new assets to ensure the program evolves within the ever-changing TikTok landscape.
Got all that? Sometimes it helps to have some real-world examples.
High-Stakes Sale Promotion
The Situation:
You need a way to promote a “bet the company” type of sale and need big results. There will be a short discount window and the strategy is to get consumers to pull the trigger on purchases during that window since your brand/product is fairly well known but the price point is higher than the average impulse buy on TikTok. You have been tasked with achieving a set amount of reach the day prior to the sale and a set amount the day of the sale. You care about efficient CPMs but reach is critical during these two days and you cannot afford to leave anything to chance. What type of program do you employ?
The Solution:
For a critical sale requiring significant results within a short window, TikTok’s Reach & Frequency offering is ideal. It ensures guaranteed reach on a designated timeline. We can set up campaigns well in advance of the launch date, lock in CPMs, and make necessary adjustments to resolve any issues before the sale.
Navigating TikTok Shop as a Start-Up
The Situation:
You are new to TikTok Shop and are overwhelmed by all of the competitors and with figuring out how to cut through the noise and get your brand noticed. You have had little luck getting creators to promote your products via the affiliate program. You are a start-up with few marketing dollars to spend and although you know there will need to be some trial and error, you need to be as efficient as possible with each dollar you spend and you are concerned you will run out of money before you find what works. What should you do?
The Solution:
For start-ups overwhelmed by competition and limited marketing budgets, TikTok offers promotions to help. Programs that provide free creatives and valuable ad credits with committed media spend can be highly beneficial. With careful planning, we can secure program perks and run auction campaigns to achieve the most efficient CPM.
Building Credibility Through a TikTok Account
The Situation:
You want to run a paid campaign on TikTok but your brand TikTok account is almost non-existent. You understand that having a respectable number of followers lends credibility to your brand with the TikTok audience so you want to build your account before running a paid campaign but you don’t know how.
The Solution:
TikTok offers a Community Interaction campaign type for this purpose. Even with very low output, you can rapidly add followers to your account - making you legit in the eyes of TikTok consumers.
Conclusion:
We’ve spent a significant amount of time learning the intricacies of TikTok paid advertising so you don’t have to. Through ongoing trainings, regular meetings with our TikTok partners, reviewing campaign results with our media buying team, and brainstorming with TikTok creators, we continue to bring top results to our brand partners - no matter what the goal.
Remember, while the landscape of TikTok advertising may seem overwhelming at first, with the right strategy and support, you can turn potential challenges into opportunities for growth and success. So, take a deep breath, dive in, and let’s start crafting a winning TikTok campaign together.
