TikTok, one of the most downloaded and talked about apps of 2020, recently made its self-serve ad platform available to all advertisers in the United States. So how exactly does TikTok advertising work? Who can use it? Should you be using it? These questions and more are probably already running through your head. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
How to Advertise on TikTok.
Similar to other social media platforms such as Facebook and Snapchat, TikTok has its own ads manager. TikTok for Business is the platform the company launched in June 2020, where brands can create and manage ads. The service offers multiple TikTok ad formats:
- TopView—an ad which appears when the user first opens the app
- Brand Takeovers—three to five-second video/image ads
- In Feed Videos—video ads with a maximum length of 60 seconds
- Hashtag Challenges—allows brands to sponsor a specific hashtag challenge. Includes a feature called Hashtag Plus which adds a shopping option
- Branded Effects—enables users to feature a brand or product in their videos via 2D, 3D or AR format
TikTok for Business also features an e-learning center where advertisers can learn more about what the app offers and how to utilize their service best.
Who’s using TikTok?
TikTok has grown to become one of the most popular social media platforms this year, but who is using it? TikTok originates from China, where the majority of its user base is located. Of the 800 million monthly active users, 500 million come from China. However, don’t write off the platform just yet.
The app’s popularity in the United States is no laughing matter. In the United States, Tiktok has 30 million monthly active users. 41% of these users are between the ages of 16 to 24. So it’s safe to say the app has a relatively large and young user base.
Should you be advertising on TikTok?
Like most things in life, there are multiple possible answers to this question. Whether or not you should advertise on TikTok entirely depends on who your brand is targeting and how big your budget for advertising is.
As stated before, most of the app’s user base is relatively young. In the U.S, Gen-Z makes up a sizable portion of the app’s daily users. So, if you’re looking to target younger individuals, TikTok may be a viable platform to effectively reach your audience.
Cost is another factor to consider when deciding whether to use TikTok or not. Since advertising on the app is a relatively new practice, it’s difficult to gauge the average return on investment fully. However, we do know that it is free to set up TikTok ad accounts and that TikTok Ads Manager offers users the ability to create their daily or lifetime budget with a minimum of $500 at the campaign level and $50 at the ad group level.
COVID-19 Support
TikTok has joined other social platforms in providing aid to Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs). “Eligible SMB customers can claim a one-time ad credit worth $300 USD to be used by December 31, 2020.” So if you’re thinking about getting started the time to learn more is now. Click here to read their complete statement.
Keeping all of this in mind, if you feel like TikTok may be the right platform for your business to advertise on but still need more information, we’re here to help. Contact us today to see how we can help your business develop a more effective and engaging social media marketing strategy.
