It’s easy to think of TikTok as a place to promote a skincare or fashion brand. But the businesses successfully marketing on TikTok now run the gamut from fitness to finance to food trucks. No matter what you’re selling and who you’re selling it to, you could probably sell it on TikTok.
And while posting organically on the platform is a great way to build an audience over time, you can fast-track your success by investing in TikTok ads.
Here, we’ll take a closer look at TikTok advertising: the types of ads you can run, how to set them up, and some great examples of businesses of all sizes using TikTok ads to promote their work.
Contents
- 11 engaging TikTok ad examples
- Why run TikTok ads
- TikTok ad types
- How to set up TikTok ads
- What makes the best TikTok ads?
11 engaging TikTok ad examples
Let’s dive in and take a look at some effective small business TikTok ads.
From professional services firms to family entertainment experiences to consumer products, there’s a creative way for any type of business to advertise on the platform.
Ads that use audio well
The audio choice in an ad isn’t just about setting the right tone. It also helps with discoverability since TikTok uses audio as a way to match people to content.
This ad from Baby Brezza does a lot of things right, and among them is its audio.
User-generated content in TikTok ads
Rare Beauty, a makeup brand by Selena Gomez, has been able to connect with its audience on TikTok in a unique way. Instead of creating traditional advertisements, the brand has embraced user-generated content to highlight how real customers use their products.
This strategy has proven to be very effective because it enables the brand to create an authentic connection with its audience and create a sense of community around its products. It’s similar to a traditional customer testimonial: Hearing a product works well from your best friend holds more influence than if you were to hear about the product from a sales-y advertisement from the brand.
Viewers of the ad get a first-hand look at the product being used and learn some application tips in the process. This TikTok ad example, in particular, also uses the trendy TikTok text-to-speech voice-over narration and provides on-screen text captions to be inclusive of various viewing methods.
TikTok ads that address a pain point
This Tyson TikTok ad example is closest to a traditional ad due to its professionally-produced video quality, but it works well on TikTok for several important reasons.
First, it addresses a relatable pain point (cooking takes too long) by showcasing how easy it is to make its air-fried chicken with visuals and sound effects of the straightforward, three-step process. Second, it is short (six seconds), making it consumable to scrolling viewers. Finally, it keeps the message brief, only focusing on two key benefits of choosing their product, and doesn’t include a pushy call to action. Even the caption is a short, easy-to-read tagline (six words!).
TikTok ads that give a first-person point of view
This T.J. Maxx ad does a solid job of showcasing the first-person experience of shopping in its store. It feels pretty organic due to its vlog-like style, so users are more apt to follow along and less likely to scroll past it.
The first few clips elicit the emotional feeling of walking in and perusing their extensive merchandise. The step-by-step, voice-over narration provides an even flow to the video.
Since the creator uses her home to display her new purchases, it gives users a realistic view of incorporating new items into their home decor.
Notably, the ad does not include a solid call to action and instead focuses on imbuing the joyful experience of shopping for new things.
Influencer content as ads
Let’s start with what the TikTok platform is perhaps best known for: influencer content. While there’s no official headcount of the total number of influencers on the platform, estimates put it above 100,000 people.
For brands, that means there are many potential influencer partners. Influencers work hard to build a following around their specific area of focus. And when brands partner up with them, they get to tap into those existing networks.
As discussed above, branded mission ads are one way to generate influencer content. Your business can put out a specific ask for branded content, and creators are invited to make videos that fit your brief. You can then review the output and select the content you like to run as an in-feed ad.
The first and second examples of paid partnerships shown here demonstrate how small brands can tap influencers to create content.
Alternatively, you can connect directly with influencers who align with your brand and enter a contract for them to create content specifically for you. You can find suitable influencer partners on your own by scrolling the app, or reach out to a firm that manages influencers and helps connect them with well-aligned brands.
Ads for an upcoming sale or promotion
If you’re running a sale or promotion, part of getting the word out is creating a social media advertising campaign.
This ad for Book Outlet highlights the steep discounts the retailer offers (50% off brand-new books). When viewers click the “Shop now” button, they’re taken to a custom landing page that leans into the discounting messaging that hooked them in the first place. In this case, the landing page features an ad touting even steeper discounts in honor of Black Friday.
Ads that target demographics, interests, or search terms
There are several ways to target your TikTok ads. You can let the algorithm handle the targeting without any input from you, or you can include demographic parameters that indicate who you’d like to target.
Demographics you can target include:
- Location
- Age
- Gender
- Languages
- Household income
You can also direct your ads toward people who have specific interests or purchase intentions. For example, you can target someone who has an interest in the outdoors, or target someone who has exhibited purchase intent to buy a type of product.
While you can’t dictate specific search terms you want to appear for, TikTok does know how to surface your ad in results that might resonate with your audience.
Take this example of sponsored content appearing in the search results for “childcare in New York.” The ad that appears isn’t for a preschool or daycare, but it is for a child-friendly family activity.
While the ad doesn’t directly address the user’s search query, it’s still relevant to the audience. This person looking for childcare might be interested to learn about activities that are great for the whole family to try!
TikTok ads for hospitality and experiences
TikTok is an incredibly popular place for people to go for recommended events, experiences, and outings. Whether they’re looking for things to do on an upcoming family vacation or need a great spot for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner, the search feature allows users to find spots that suit their needs.
If you run an experiential business—whether that’s a hotel, restaurant, entertainment venue, amusement park, or somewhere in between—TikTok can be a smart place to advertise.
This example from the Great Wolf Lodge near Atlanta demonstrates perfectly how the advertising approach works.
While the search for “activities in Atlanta” surfaces tons of user-generated content showing things to do and see in the city, the Great Wolf Lodge’s ad gets preferential placement, appearing in the first spot on the page.
The ad itself features a seasonal event hosted by the venue. When you click on the CTA, you’re taken to a landing page with information about the Annual Snowland Celebration. This customized landing page allows visitors who are looking for something to do on their upcoming trip to discover a relevant activity.
TikTok ads for professional services
While you may think of TikTok as a place for fashion and food brands, it’s also a bustling marketing opportunity for all sorts of service providers. And for professional services brands like law firms and CPAs looking to connect with new prospects, TikTok’s ad platform is a great way to find them.
In this example, a search for tax help turns up a video from the owner of a nearby CPA firm. Being discoverable on a platform like TikTok puts you in the running to compete not just with other local service providers, but also against the big names in your industry.
TikTok ads that don’t try to sell at all
Since TikTok is such a haven for user-generated content, ads that come on strong with a hard sell can feel out of place on the platform. Brands that make their ad more educational or entertaining (or both) capture and hold attention more effectively than those that go right in for the pitch.
This example from a spice company shows the effectiveness of the “non-selling” technique. The ad is a cooking instructional video—similar to the organic, influencer-created content you’d find elsewhere on the platform. But this is subtly an ad. There is a CTA that invites you to learn more about the spices used in the recipe, and the button drives to a landing page featuring those items.
Ads to promote your seasonal offerings
Seasonal marketing can be an effective tactic for any brand to leverage. Consumers often respond well to messaging that’s built around an upcoming holiday or event. And ahead of the winter holidays, B2C brands do well to lean into the festivity of the season.
This ad from a café highlights the special holiday beverages and treats available in-store. If you scroll past this ad while out on a holiday shopping spree or as you pine for a mid-workday pick-me-up, it just might entice you to seek out a sweet treat at Paris Baguette.
Why run TikTok ads
Before we cover how to set up TikTok ads and some effective TikTok ad examples, let’s talk about why you would want to run TikTok ads in the first place.
Your audience is there
TikTok has a huge active user base of over 150 million people in the US alone. Just based on that, it’s a good bet you’ll find people interested in your product scrolling the app.
And it’s not just teenagers on TikTok anymore. Yes, there are many users in the 18-24 age cohort. But you might be surprised to learn that 25 to 34-year-olds make up 40% of the US TikTok user base, and 33% of US users are aged 35 and up.
It drives action
Advertising on social media platforms is a great way to build awareness for your business, but it can also help you get more customers. TikTok ads, especially, have been found to drive action and new leads. In fact, 92% take action after watching a TikTok video.
Plus, research from TikTok shows that 15% of all product discovery—across media, email, and word of mouth—happens on the platform.
It complements organic efforts
Building an organic presence on TikTok can be difficult. You’re competing against other creators, businesses, and regular users for attention. And unless you have a robust organic TikTok strategy that includes posting regularly, you may have a hard time growing on the app. Running a paid plus organic strategy on TikTok can help you grow your audience and see more success on this important channel.
It’s targeted
One of the biggest benefits of TikTok ads is that it allows you to target users who are most likely to become your customers. This allows you to harness the power of TikTok to drive action and new leads.
You can target users based on:
- Location
- Demographics
- Interests
- Device
- Retargeting
- Behavior
TikTok ad types
TikTok offers a variety of creative ad formats, including:
- In-Feed Ads (+ Spark Ads)
- Brand Takeover
- TopView
- Branded Hashtag Challenge
- Branded Effects
Some of these ad types are more advanced or aimed at specific audiences, so for our purposes, let’s focus on the most recognizable ad type: in-feed video ads.
These ads are in the standard, vertical video format TikTok is known for. They appear in users’ feeds as they scroll. They can also appear in featured spots within search results if you take the option when you set up your ads.
Within the in-feed ad category, there are variations to choose from. TopView ads, for example, run immediately when a user opens the TikTok app. This ensures your brand is the first thing they see before they scroll.
An example of a paid ad for a hotel brand.
Branded mission ads, meanwhile, allow you to source user-generated content from creators on the app. Those creators submit videos that meet your campaign parameters, and you select your favorites to run as in-feed ads.
You also have the option to boost organic content you’ve already posted using the Promote ad feature. Simply hit the promote button on existing content, then select the goal you want to achieve (more video views, more followers, or more profile views), and TikTok will boost the content.
TikTok’s Promote ad option allows you to boost existing content to achieve a specific goal.
How to set up TikTok ads
To set up in-feed ads for your small business:
- Set up a TikTok ad account
- Wait for TikTok to review and approve your application
- Log in to the TikTok Ads Manager
- Click on the “Campaign” button and then the “Create” button
- Select the advertising objective for your campaign (e.g., lead generation, app installs, etc.)
- Enter your campaign name and budget and choose interest- or behavioral-based audience targeting
If you run into issues creating your account or ads, the TikTok Business Help Center is a great place to look for assistance in the creation process.
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What makes the best TikTok ads?
While there’s no single approach that’s going to work for every brand, most great TikTok ads share a few common traits.
1. They’ve got a good hook
Scrollers on TikTok move fast. If something doesn’t hold their attention in the first few seconds, they’re onto the next video. That’s why the best TikTok ads have a strong hook that pulls them in immediately. The same principle applies to organic TikTok content, too.
A deal for half-off visits on Monday through Friday? That headline’s sure to grab someone’s attention!
2. They feel authentic
Unlike a glossy television ad, TikTok videos should be more improvisational and less produced. They can feel like they’re just shot from someone’s phone, and feature everyday people—no celebrity cameos needed.
3. They have the right CTA and landing page
TikTok in-feed ads allow you to add a call to action (CTA) button, something you can’t do on organic content. TikTok provides advertisers with two options: the app can recommend a CTA based on industry, ad goal, and other parameters, or it can dynamically apply a CTA to your content based on each viewer’s individual behavior.
No matter which path you choose, ensure the CTA drives to a customized landing page. The content there should tie into whatever viewers saw in the ad. So, if the ad was about the sale on your home goods items, drive directly to the sale page. Or, if the ad was about an event you’re hosting at your restaurant, the CTA should go to the reservation page. Whatever the case, make it simple for your audience to take that next step with your brand.
💡 TikTok ads are an excellent way to stay consistent in marketing. Learn many more in Always-On Marketing: The Not-So-Secret Strategy for Unstoppable Growth
Time to start creating TikTok ads for your brand
Now that you see what’s working on the platform, it’s your time to shine! Once you create your TikTok ad account and set parameters for your first campaign, it’s off to the races. Just remember to keep an eye on your ad KPIs, like audience actions (views, clicks, and conversions) and return on ad spend (ROAS).
As you begin running more ads on the platform, you can compare outcomes and lean into the advertising tactics that are working best for your brand—whether that’s a specific targeting strategy or style of video. Over time, you’ll refine your approach and have the knowledge you need to create effective, scroll-stopping ads for your business (have a look at these TikTok stats to help). If you’d like to learn how to sell directly from your account, check out this guide to TikTok Shops.
Did you know LocaliQ is a TikTok Marketing Partner? Learn more here, and then let’s talk!
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