This is the third and last in the series of blogs dedicated to TikTok marketing. Here we will discuss the basics of advertising on the platform for brands and influencers.
Benefits of Advertising on TikTok
A study by Neuro-Insight that TikTok cites on its TikTok For Business website shares that TikTok ads outperformed in approach and engagement compared to television and other video media. “Approach” considers the emotional power of content and its likeability, looking at things like the ability to affect consumer behaviour such as impulse buying. “Engagement” looks at whether the information presented will come into play in the future, such as when a buyer might purchase an advertised brand later in store. According to TikTok, its algorithm and short-form videos make the platform very engaging, pointing to the fact that its audiences are highly immersed. The TopView Ad format performed better than digital video for staying in detailed viewer memory (40 per cent against 29 per cent), while In-Feed Ads surpassed digital video with 23 per cent to its 13 per cent. TikTok advises marketers to embrace the short-form video and to include sound as an attention-grabbing tool in videos to create truly engaging content. Let’s now have a look at TikTok’s ad formats.
TikTok’s Ad Formats
In-Feed Ads
Similar to Instagram Stories, this ad type, spanning five to 15 seconds, is integrated into the For You pages of the viewers. They are interactive in nature, meaning that they allow liking, commenting, sharing, following, and even things like using music to develop one’s videos. Links to brand or personal websites can be added along with call-to-action buttons.
Brand Takeover Ads
Static in nature, these three to five second images or GIFs can sport links to landing pages or Hashtag Challenges in TikTok and are shown in the full-screen format once a viewer opens the app. Based on specific industry categories, only a single brand can take the spot for the category each day.
Hashtag Challenge Ads
This ad leads the user to a page of instructions and rules for a hashtag challenge once they click on a banner appearing on the Discover page. TikTok advises brands and influencers to offer existing challenges for greater chances of going viral. Any challenge stays on the page for six days to invite as many participants as possible.
TopView Ads
Similar in format to Brand Takeover ads, these ads are only different in their placement as they do not appear on sign-in but after three seconds of browsing the For You page. Played automatically, they can be a minute-long with music and strong narrative elements, allowing brands and influencers to showcase themselves in the best way.
TikTok encourages not treating ads as traditional ads but as TikToks. Calculated corporate buzzwords and lines will not perform, nor will selling focused storylines. Some elements to include in ads are the sounds from TikTok’s music library and current trends on TikTok. Moreover, keeping the video quality somewhere between organic user-generated content and well-polished commercial advertising is suggested.
Having looked at the fundamentals of TikTok marketing, readers can take away actionable insights for their TikTok action plans. For how Pal Communication can help you design a TikTok strategy, contact us today!
Arslan Ahmed | Staff Writer
