The complete guide to TikTok advertising (with examples)

TL;DR

• TikTok ads work best when you want attention, engagement, and discovery fast.
• The platform gives you several formats, each built for a different goal.
• Strong performance usually comes from matching the right objective, audience, and creative.
• Native, creator-style ads tend to land better than overly polished brand content.
• TikTok shines at top- and mid-funnel marketing, especially with younger audiences.
• Good tracking, smart targeting, and fast lead follow-up are what turn reach into results.

TikTok is a video-sharing social networking service that enables users to make videos in different genres, such as dance and comedy. 

Whether you want to sell more of your products or services or drive targeted traffic to your website, TikTok advertising campaigns can give you good returns on your ad spend. 

TikTok launched its lead generation tool to help businesses generate more leads. Wondering how to run ads on TikTok? 

We have put together this complete guide to show you how to create ads on TikTok, make the most out of it, and boost your ROIs. 

In addition, we’ll talk about some of our popular TikTok integrations that you can try for free.

What is TikTok advertising?

TikTok advertising is the platform’s paid system that helps businesses get in front of the right people. Brands can choose from a few ad types, including: 

• In-Feed Ads
• Brand Takeover Ads
• TopView Ads
• Branded Hashtag Challenge
• Spark Ads
• Branded Effects

Picking the right ad format matters, so does your timing. Posting at the best time on TikTok can help both your ads and your regular videos get more views and engagement.

When you build a campaign on TikTok, you can set budgets at both the campaign level and the ad group level. A single campaign can include multiple ad groups.

TikTok offers two budget options: daily budgets and lifetime budgets.

Why TikTok advertising?

Gen Z has always been a core part of TikTok’s audience, though the platform has grown older over time as more adults join. Even so, this generation is set to become a major economic force.

By 2034, Gen Z is expected to add nearly $9 trillion in spending worldwide, more than any other generation.

• TikTok has one of the highest engagement rates of any social platform, recently measured at about 3.7%, well above Instagram’s rate of under 1%.
• Video content also tends to stick with people. 
• Viewers remember more of a message when they watch it in a video than when they read it as text, which helps explain why TikTok video ads are so effective at grabbing attention. 
• The platform also offers several ad formats to boost engagement. In-Feed ads, for example, let users like, comment, share, follow, and duet the video. 
• TikTok is available in roughly 150 countries and supports around 75 languages, so if your business sells internationally, TikTok ads can help you reach new markets.

Learn more about why you should use TikTok ads here.

Types of TikTok ads

TikTok gives brands a few different ways to advertise, and each format does a different job. 

Some ads are great for getting quick attention, while others are better for driving clicks, sales, or user-generated content. 

The right one depends on what you want people to do after they see your ad. The main TikTok ad placements include:

Placement	Where it appears	Best for	Key trait
In-Feed ads	“For You” feed	Engagement	Skippable video ads
TopView ads	On app open	Awareness	High visibility placement
Brand Takeover ads	App launch screen	Reach	Full-screen, one brand per day
Branded Hashtag Challenges	Hashtag challenge page/feed	UGC	Encourages user-created content
Branded Effects	TikTok camera or effects	Interaction	Custom AR filters or stickers
Video Shopping ads	In-Feed + in-app storefront	Shopping	Browse products without leaving TikTok
Spark ads	Boosted organic TikTok posts	Social proof	Keeps likes, comments, shares
Branded Mission	For You feed	UGC at scale	Creators make videos, best ones get boosted as paid ads
Logo Takeover	App launch screen	Co-branded reach	Brand logo shown alongside TikTok’s own on open
Prime Time	Sequential feed placements	Storytelling	Up to 3 ads to the same user in a 15-min window
Top Reach	App open and first in-feed slot	Max daily reach	Bundles TopView and TopFeed into one buy
TikTok Pulse	In-feed, next to top 4% UGC or premium publisher content	Brand safety and contextual reach	Sales-managed access only, not self-serve

1. TikTok In-Feed ads

TikTok In-Feed ads are video ads that show up in the For You feed as people scroll. They blend in with regular TikTok posts, so they feel more natural than traditional ads. 

Users can like, comment, share, and interact with them just like they would with any other video. That makes them a solid option for brands that want reach without being too in-your-face.

Here is a good example of a TikTok In-Feed ad video.

2. TikTok Brand Takeover ads

Brand Takeover ads appear the moment someone opens TikTok. They take over the screen for a few seconds, which makes them hard to miss.

They can also appear on the For You Page as an image, video, or GIF with a clickable link. These ads are best for brands that want instant attention and lots of visibility in a short amount of time.

A great example of a Brand Takeover ad is from Ora, achieving outstanding results. 

3. TikTok TopView ads

TopView ads appear the moment someone opens TikTok, before any other video plays. It starts with a 3-second full-screen takeover, then naturally shifts into the in-feed experience.

They can run up to 60 seconds in full-screen mode with autoplay and sound. This format works well when you want strong visibility but still want the ad to feel more native to the platform.

Below is an example of a TikTok TopView ad:

4. TikTok Branded Hashtag Challenge

Branded Hashtag Challenge invites users to join a challenge and post their own videos using a specific hashtag. These ads usually appear at the top of the Discovery page.

When users click the hashtag, they’re taken to a landing page that features the challenge and other videos using that tag. This format is great for boosting engagement, building awareness, and getting people involved with your brand.

Below is an example of TikTok’s branded hashtag ad from K18 Hair.

They started the #K18HairFlip challenge. Participants in the TikTok challenge stood to win a $1,000 Sephora gift card and a K18 salon service.

5. TikTok Branded Effects ads

Branded Effects let businesses create custom filters, stickers, or visual effects for TikTok users to try. These effects can stay live for up to 10 days.

This format is a smart pick for brands that want users to interact with the campaign in a fun, creative way. It can help your brand feel more playful and easier to remember.

A good example of TikTok branded effect ads is from Colgate.

Colgate created a hashtag challenge, #ColgateKiss, to promote the brand in Thailand. They paired it with a clickable branded effect featuring a “kissy face,” giving users an easy, on-brand way to join in.

Colgate created a hashtag challenge #Colgatekiss, to produce an aesthetic for the brand in Thailand. They used a clickable branded effect with a ‘kissy face’ to complement the challenge.

6. Catalog ads

This is the current format for in-app shopping (previously called Video Shopping Ads, and before that, Collection Ads). It uses images, videos, and product data from your Catalog to generate personalized product ads.

You just need to make sure your product catalog is properly synced so items can populate dynamically in the new video ad layout.

Here’s an example by RayBan brand, which has made good use of TikTok Catalog ads. With the full screen, their products are at center stage, making it harder for fans to pass them up.

Here’s an example by beauty brand E.L.F., which has made good use of TikTok Collection Ads. With the full screen, their products are at center stage, making it harder for cosmetic lovers to pass them up. 

7. TikTok Spark Ads

Spark Ads format is a native ad that lets brands boost existing organic TikTok posts instead of making ads from scratch. That’s what makes them feel more real and more native to the platform.

Users can still like, comment, share, and even visit the brand’s profile from the ad. Spark Ads are a great choice when you want the reach of paid media with the trust and authenticity of organic content.

Spark Ads are built from organic posts, not created by blending TopView with In-Feed.

8. Branded Mission

Branded Mission is a newer TikTok ad format built on creator content. TikTok crowdsources videos from creators around a brand’s call to action, then turns the best-performing ones into paid ads that run in the For You feed. Creators get paid for participating and for the views their boosted videos earn.

It’s a good fit for brands that want authentic, creator-made content at scale without producing everything in-house. Eligible creators generally need at least 1,000 followers, an active posting history, and good standing with TikTok’s Community Guidelines.

The only thing to bear in mind is that Branded Mission is currently live in select markets including the US, UK, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, Japan, Korea, and Australia, among others. So it’s worth checking availability in your target country first.

9. Logo Takeover

Logo Takeover puts a brand’s logo directly alongside TikTok’s own on the app’s launch screen, the moment a user opens the app. 

It’s an evolution of the Brand Takeover and TopView concepts, which lean more toward co-branding. It basically signals partnership and credibility from the very first second of the session. It’s best suited for product launches, major campaigns, or moments where maximum brand awareness is the sole goal.

10. Prime Time

Prime Time delivers a sequence of up to three ads from the same advertiser to the same user within a 15-minute window, timed around high-engagement moments like live events or major cultural moments. 

Rather than a single impression, it’s built for sequential storytelling, with each ad building on the last to create a short narrative arc. This format works best when the creative system is consistent across all three ads, so they read as one coordinated campaign rather than repetitive ad spam.

11. Top Reach

Top Reach bundles two of TikTok’s existing premium placements, TopView and TopFeed, into a single purchase. 

TopView is the first ad a user sees when opening the app, and TopFeed is the first ad in the For You feed.

So, combining them maximizes a brand’s reach across two of the highest-visibility moments in a single day. As with the other new formats, it’s a reservation-based, premium-priced buy rather than a self-serve auction placement.

12. TikTok Pulse

TikTok Pulse is a contextual advertising suite that places your ad next to trending, brand-safe content instead of relying on standard targeting. It has two main offerings.

• Pulse Core runs your ad in-feed immediately after a video from the top 4% of user-generated content on the platform, based on TikTok’s internal Pulse Score, with options to target by content category (like Beauty or Sports) or by seasonal moments like the Holiday season.
• Pulse Premiere places your ad directly after content from top publisher partners in sports, entertainment, and lifestyle, including names like Disney, NBCUniversal, the NFL, and BuzzFeed, giving brands a safer, premium-content-adjacent placement.

TikTok reports that Pulse ads watched for more than 75% of their length drive over 8% higher unaided ad recall compared to partially skippable ads, and campaigns including Pulse see an average 6.8% increase in awareness. 

Again, Pulse is available only to select customers, and if you don’t see it in your Ads Manager, you’d need to contact a TikTok sales representative to request access. This is to say it’s not an open-to-everyone placement like In-Feed or Spark Ads.

Looking for inspiration? Here are some high-performing TikTok ad examples. 

The difference between TikTok’s ad placements

TikTok ad placements are options that enable businesses to reach their target audience effectively. These placements vary in where the ads appear on the app and how users interact with them. The main TikTok ad placements include:

• Spark Ads: Boosted organic posts from real TikTok accounts, preserving all engagement (likes, comments, shares) as part of your brand’s social proof and format.
• In-Feed ads: Skippable videos (up to 60 sec) shown in the “For You” feed. Users can like, share, or comment.
• TopView ads: Shown when users open TikTok, before any other video.
• Brand Takeover ads: Interactive full-screen ads shown on app launch, available to one brand per day, with clickable elements (e.g., app download, website).
• Branded Hashtag Challenges: UGC-driven campaigns inviting users to create content around a branded hashtag, often with music and effects.
• Branded Effects: Custom AR filters or stickers featuring brand elements, live for up to 10 days, designed for user interaction and viral exposure.
• Catalog Ads: In-Feed ads linked to an instant in-app storefront, enabling users to browse and shop without leaving TikTok. This replaced the older Collection Ads and Video Shopping Ads naming, now unified under Catalog Ads in TikTok’s Ads Manager.
• Branded Mission: Crowdsources videos from TikTok creators around a brand’s call to action, then turns the best-performing ones into paid ads that run in the For You feed.
• Logo Takeover: Places a brand’s logo alongside TikTok’s own on the app’s launch screen, an evolution of Brand Takeover and TopView with a co-branding twist.
• Prime Time: Delivers up to three sequential ads from one advertiser to the same user within a 15-minute window, built for high-engagement moments like live events.
• Top Reach: Bundles TopView and TopFeed into a single purchase, maximizing a brand’s reach across two of the highest-visibility daily moments.
• TikTok Pulse: Places ads next to trending, brand-safe content, either alongside the top 4% of user-generated content or directly after premium publisher partners like Disney and the NFL. Access is sales-managed, not self-serve.

How to run ads on TikTok

So, how to run ads on TikTok? It is easier than you think, almost as easy as setting up a VPN.

The TikTok advertising platform, like Meta Ad Manager, automates the ad creation process, including creation, delivery, and optimization. 

TikTok now recommends using both Pixel and Events API for web data connections. Setting up the Pixel or Events API is now required for web conversions. That said, take this with a grain of salt since this is not a universal first step for every advertiser or every campaign type.

How to set up a TikTok Ads Account

To advertise on TikTok, you have to create a TikTok Ads Account first. 

• Go to the TikTok Ads sign-up page.

• Add your email address, where you’ll receive a verification code.
• Click Sign up.
• On this new page, fill in the required information, like brand name, industry, country, etc.

• Then click Register.

If you already own a regular TikTok account, use that account instead to sign up for the TikTok Ads Account.

Learn how to install TikTok Pixel and implement better conversion tracking.

Setting up a TikTok campaign

Now, let’s go through the step-by-step process of creating a TikTok ad.

1. Setting up a campaign

At the campaign level, you choose your objective, name your campaign, and set a budget. TikTok organizes objectives into three funnel stages: Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion. 

As of 2026, the specific objectives available include Reach, Traffic, Video Views, Lead Generation, Community Interaction, App Promotion, Brand Consideration, and Sales. 

The newer Sales objective now consolidates what used to be two separate objectives, Website Conversions and Product Sales, and App Promotion has replaced the older “app installation” naming. 

Brand Consideration is a newer mid-funnel addition, designed to bridge pure awareness and hard conversions.

To set up a campaign:

• Log in to TikTok Ads Manager and click Campaign at the top of the page.
• Choose your objective. This should match the action you actually want people to take. For example, choose Traffic if your goal is driving visitors to your website.

There’s a limit of 5,000 campaigns per ad account and 999 ad groups per campaign.

2. Creating an ad group

At the ad group level, you set placements, audiences, budgets, optimization goals, schedule, and bids.

a. Select ad placements. You can let TikTok automatically choose the best-performing placements, or select them manually. Automatic placement is generally recommended, since it gives TikTok’s delivery algorithm more room to optimize.

b. Choose your creatives. Automated Creative Optimization will test combinations of your uploaded assets (images, videos, ad copy) and prioritize the best-performing combination.

c. Set your targeting. TikTok supports both Custom Audiences (built from customer data files or previous ad interactions, like impressions, app activity, or website actions) and Lookalike Audiences. You can also target by demographics like age, gender, interest, operating system, location, language, behavior, device price tier, and mobile carrier.

d. Set your budget and schedule. Choose a daily or lifetime budget, then set your schedule such as a fixed date range or continuous delivery. Day-parting lets you run ads during specific hours only.

e. Set bidding and optimization. This is the section that’s changed the most. TikTok now offers two primary bidding strategies: 

• Cost Cap is goal-based. It holds your cost per action close to a target you set.
• Maximum Delivery is spend-based. It aims to get you the highest volume of conversions within your budget, without targeting a specific CPA.

You’ll also choose a Delivery Type. Standard spends your budget evenly across the campaign period, while Accelerated spends it as quickly as possible and it is useful for time-sensitive pushes like a launch weekend.

3. Creating your ad

Ad creation itself is straightforward. All you need to do is upload your media and TikTok’s tools help you assemble a polished ad quickly.

a. Name your ad so you can identify it later.

b. Choose your ad format:

• Image Ads (single image), supported in Ads Manager.
• Carousel Ads let people swipe through up to 35 images in a single ad, which is a good alternative when you don’t have video creative.
• Shopping ads, which pull product images from your TikTok Shop catalog. Note that GMV Max has become the mandatory campaign type for TikTok Shop advertising as of September 2025, replacing the older manual Video Shopping Ads and Product Shopping Ads formats. 

c. Add your creative details. Upload media from your computer, reuse assets from previous ads, or generate a new video using TikTok’s video template or Smart Video tools. Select or upload a cover thumbnail, then add your display name, ad text, call to action, profile image, and destination URL. Preview the ad before publishing.

d. Add tracking links. TikTok supports third-party tracking URLs and Pixel integration to measure ad performance.

Click Submit to send your ad for review. Once it’s approved, it goes live automatically.

Selecting TikTok’s objectives for your campaign

TikTok Ads Manager still organizes campaign goals across the marketing funnel. However, the exact objective list has changed since older versions of Ads Manager.

As per TikTok’s own current documentation, objectives fall into three categories: 

• Awareness
• Consideration
• Conversion

Awareness

• Reach: Show your ad to the maximum number of people in your target audience at an efficient cost. Ideal for advertisers looking to build brand recognition and expand reach.

Consideration

• Traffic: Send more people to your website or app.
• Video Views: Get more views and engagement from viewers most likely to pay attention.
• Community Interaction: Grow followers, profile visits, page visits, or promote a livestream.
• Branded Mission: Drive engagement through TikTok’s collaborative creator solution.

Keep an eye on the newer “Brand Consideration” objective, which is rolling out on select accounts as a mid-funnel option, so its availability and category placement may vary by account.

LeadsBridge automatically sends lead data generated from your TikTok Ads campaigns to your CRM or marketing automation platform. 

Conversion

• App Promotion: Drive cost-effective app installs and in-app actions.
• Lead Generation: Collect leads, either on TikTok directly or on your own site.
• Sales: Sell products through your TikTok Shop, website, or app. This objective now consolidates what used to be two separate objectives, Website Conversions and Product Sales.

Once you collect enough lead or conversion data, you’ll need to process it efficiently. 

So having set up an automated data bridge would help you follow up on time and potentially improve your conversion rate.

How to choose the right TikTok campaign objective?

Pick the objective based on the action you actually want:

• Want more people to see the campaign? Choose Reach. For premium, high-impact exposure, this pairs with newer formats like TopView, Logo Takeover, or Top Reach if your budget supports reservation-based buys.
• Want clicks to a site or app? Choose Traffic.
• Want stronger viewing behavior? Choose Video Views. If you want views that come with brand-safety guarantees, TikTok Pulse places your ad next to top-performing, brand-safe content instead of relying purely on targeting (sales-managed access required).
• Want leads? Choose Lead Generation.
• Want more followers or profile-page activity? Choose Community Interaction. This is also where Branded Mission lives, crowdsourcing creator content and boosting the best-performing videos as ads.
• Want installs or app re-engagement? Choose App Promotion.
• Want purchase outcomes? Choose Sales. 
• Want to build a stronger mid-funnel audience? Choose Brand Consideration if your account has access to it. For sequential storytelling with the same user, Prime Time is also worth testing if it’s available on your account.

TikTok campaign objectives vs. TikTok advertising objectives

TikTok’s advertising objectives and campaign objectives are both important components of a successful TikTok ad campaign. While the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they have different meanings and functions.

You can differentiate the two with a simple definition:

• Advertising objectives are your specific business goals (e.g., increase brand recognition, drive traffic, get installs, grow views, collect leads).
• Campaign objectives are the setting you choose in Ads Manager to make that goal happen (Reach, Traffic, Video Views, Lead Gen, Community Interaction, App Promotion, Sales, and Brand Consideration where available).

It’s essential that you keep them aligned. This means one clear KPI, matching the campaign objective with that KPI, and adjusting your optimization event throughout.

TikTok ad targeting

TikTok ad Targeting dimensions (attributes you filter by):

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, and language.
• Household income: Available in the United States only, targeting users by income bracket.
• Spending power: Targets users based on purchase behavior, with broader availability than household income.
• Interests and behaviors: Hobbies, topics, industry interests, and past ad or content interactions.
• Device and connection type: Device model, operating system, and connection type (Wi-Fi or mobile data).

Audience-building tools (layered on top of the dimensions above, using your own data rather than platform attributes):

• Custom Audiences: Built from your own data (e.g., email lists, website/app visitors) to retarget users. TikTok’s server-side Events API strengthens this by capturing more reliable event data.
• Lookalike Audiences: Reach new users who share traits with an existing Custom Audience.

Why audience targeting matters on TikTok

Targeting focuses delivery on people most likely to be interested, boosting engagement and conversions. This is why reaching the right audience minimizes waste and improves ROI.

Relevant targeting also drives higher CTRs, conversions, and overall campaign performance.

Based on that, you can send tailored messaging to increase the impact of your campaign and improve the user experience.

TikTok ad policy in 2026

TikTok’s ad policy is designed to keep ads safe, accurate, and consistent with the platform experience. It basically covers ad eligibility, creative compliance, targeting, and landing page quality.

What TikTok reviews

TikTok checks whether:

• Any product or service can be advertised
• Creative follows policy
• Targeting is appropriate
• Landing page matches the ad and works properly

What is prohibited and restricted content on TikTok?

TikTok prohibits or heavily restricts content such as:

• Paid political ads and any advertising from political figures or entities (both are fully prohibited outright, not just restricted)
• Tobacco and nicotine
• Weapons and explosives
• Illegal drugs
• Misinformation
• Deceptive or fake UI elements

New in 2026: Mandatory AI-generated content disclosure

This is a genuinely new requirement worth adding. As of 2026, TikTok requires a mandatory disclosure label on any ad containing AI-generated, synthetic, or significantly AI-modified images, video, or audio. 

This is for content that’s fully AI-generated, as well as real footage mostly altered by AI, like making someone appear to say or do something they didn’t. 

Minor AI-assisted edits (lighting, color, brightness adjustments) don’t require disclosure. 

You can apply this through the ad disclaimer toggle in TikTok Ads Manager. Undisclosed AI content that TikTok identifies will have the ad rejected or restricted.

Creative Requirements should match the offer

Ads must clearly reflect what is being promoted. The ad, CTA, display name, and landing page should all align.

TikTok ads should not include deceptive tactics

TikTok does not allow:

• Bait-and-switch messaging
• Fake buttons or close icons
• Unsupported claims
• Broken or misleading landing pages

TikTok Ad Specs

For most non-Spark video ads:

• Aspect ratio: 9:16 preferred; 1:1 and 16:9 supported
• Resolution: minimum 540×960
• File types: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, .avi
• Max file size: 500 MB
• Profile image: 98×98 px, under 50 KB

Captions and naming in TikTok ads

• Non-Spark captions use TikTok’s default styling
• Clickable links, @mentions, and hashtags are not supported in Non-Spark captions
• Character limits vary by format and language
• Put key information early to avoid truncation

Spark Ads requirements

Spark Ads use an existing TikTok post. They keep the original:

• Caption
• Display name
• Emojis
• Hashtags
• Mentions

Because Spark Ads rely on the original post, formatting is more flexible. These ads support any video length that has been successfully published on TikTok, with no restriction.

Identity requirements for marketers

TikTok is phasing out Custom Identity, the option that lets advertisers run ads without linking to an official account. 

New campaigns must now launch from a verified TikTok profile. Linking an account also comes with a performance upside. TikTok reports that a majority of advertisers who made the switch saw a measurable drop in cost per acquisition.

Creative Tips at TikTok Ads Creative Center

TikTok’s Creative Center (recently merged with the broader TikTok One Creative Suite) is a free resource with guidance and inspiration. 

You can browse Top Ads and Trends without a Business Account, though logging in gives deeper insights and unlocks tools like Symphony.

You can use it for finding: 

• Best practices for building better-performing TikTok ads.
• Up-to-date insights on trends across industries.

Use Trend Discovery to track what’s trending (hashtags, songs, creators, videos), then apply those insights to your creative tests and strategy. 

TikTok Lead Generation

Similar to Facebook lead ads, TikTok Lead Generation uses a pre-filled form with the user’s name, email, phone number, and other requested details

Brands can use TikTok Lead Generation to reach and engage with their prospects and customers and collect their data directly via in-stream ads on TikTok. 

TikTok Lead Generation forms are built for mobile and keep users on the platform. The form includes a customizable background image (great for branding), your profile image, and a question section you can tailor to collect the info you need.

As an official TikTok partner, LeadsBridge offers integrations with TikTok Lead Generation that facilitate seamless and automated data management. 

Automated data bridges help connect your TikTok lead ads with your favorite tools, such as Salesforce®, Google Sheets, Klaviyo, etc.

Another useful feature is TikTok Custom Audiences, a targeting option that lets you build audiences from people who already know or have engaged with your business. 

You can create a Custom Audience using a customer file upload, website or app activity, TikTok engagement, lead generation data, or shop activity. A Custom Audience needs at least 1,000 matched users before it can be used in an ad group.

Some of the common uses include:

• Retargeting: Re-engage leads or past engagers to move them toward conversion. Find out more about retargeting automation. 
• Exclusion: Optimize spend by excluding recent customers from a campaign.
• Lookalike creation: Use a Custom Audience as the seed for a Lookalike Audience to find similar new prospects.

Custom Audiences work alongside TikTok’s other targeting dimensions, like interest, behavior, and demographic targeting, rather than being a form of them.

You can also integrate TikTok Custom Audiences with your favorite marketing tool to keep your audience data in sync.

How to track TikTok campaigns

TikTok Ads Manager offers a comprehensive dashboard where you can monitor ad performance, spend, and delivery status across campaigns, ad groups, and individual ads. 

You can track key metrics like CPM, CPC, CPA, CTR, and conversions, and filter results by audience data such as gender, device type, and time of day. 

TikTok also offers customizable report templates that make it easy to build detailed performance reports. You can download them on demand or schedule automatic delivery. It can be daily, weekly, or monthly. 

TikTok server-side tracking helps strengthen your workflows by capturing more accurate event data for audiences. 

To access the data, navigate to the Campaign page, select the campaign, ad group, or use ad tags, and then click “View Data” to view performance metrics and audience insights.

TikTok ads vs. other platforms

TikTok is a strong advertising channel for brands that want attention, engagement, and creative momentum. 

But it is not always the best fit for every campaign. 

Some platforms are better for high-intent conversions, some for polished brand storytelling, and others for retargeting or product discovery. 

The best choice depends on your audience, creative style, funnel stage, and campaign goal.

The table below gives a quick snapshot of how TikTok compares with other major ad platforms.

Feature	TikTok ads	Facebook ads (Meta)
Content Style	Short-form, video-first, music-driven	Mixed content (video, image, carousel)
Best For	Engagement, virality, younger audiences	Targeting depth, lead gen, retargeting
User Base	2B+ MAUs, mostly Gen Z & Millennials	3B+ MAUs, broader age range
Ad Formats	In-Feed, TopView, Spark ads, Branded effects	Video, Image, Carousel, Instant Experience
Creative Approach	Trend-driven, native-feel, UGC-style	Structured, CTA-driven, varied formats
Targeting	Interest, behavior, lookalikes	Demographics, behaviors, custom audiences
Analytics	TikTok Ads Manager, real-time trends	Meta Ads Manager, detailed reporting
Average CPM	About $5–13 (2026 est., varies by industry and format)	About $15–17 (2026 est.)
Average CTR	About 0.6–1.5% (higher for TopView; lower with rising competition)	About 0.9–2% depending on format

TikTok ads vs. Facebook ads

TikTok and Facebook remain top choices for digital advertisers, but they serve different strengths.

Facebook still leads in detailed targeting, diverse ad formats, and full-funnel marketing across both Facebook and Instagram.

The right platform depends on your campaign goals, creative style, and target demographic.

Feature	TikTok ads	Instagram ads
Content Style	Short-form, full-screen video	Photos, Stories, Reels, carousels
Best For	Virality, Gen Z engagement	Brand polish, broad reach, retargeting
User Base	2B+ MAUs, mostly Gen Z	2.5B+ MAUs, strong Millennial and Gen Z mix
Ad Formats	In-Feed, Spark Ads, TopView, Branded Effects	Feed ads, Reels, Stories, Carousels
Engagement Rate	Higher (especially for UGC + creators)	Moderate, varies by format
Targeting	Interest, behavior, lookalikes	Advanced: interest, behavior, retargeting
Analytics	TikTok Ads Manager	Meta Ads Manager (Instagram via Facebook)
Average CPM	About $5–13 (2026 est.)	About $6–10 (2026 est.)
Average CTR	About 0.6–1.5% (2026 est.)	About 0.5–1.5% (2026 est.)

Learn all about TikTok ads vs. Facebook ads here. 

TikTok ads vs. Instagram ads

TikTok and Instagram are both powerful visual platforms, but they serve slightly different purposes. Instagram ads stand out due to their advanced targeting and a more established ad ecosystem.

Your platform choice should match your audience and brand. Here’s what to look for: 

Feature	TikTok ads	Instagram ads
Content Style	Short-form, full-screen video	Photos, Stories, Reels, carousels
Best For	Virality, Gen Z engagement	Brand polish, broad reach, retargeting
User Base	2B+ MAUs, mostly Gen Z	2.5B+ MAUs, strong Millennial and Gen Z mix
Ad Formats	In-Feed, Spark Ads, TopView, Branded Effects	Feed ads, Reels, Stories, Carousels
Engagement Rate	Higher (especially for UGC + creators)	Moderate, varies by format
Targeting	Interest, behavior, lookalikes	Advanced: interest, behavior, retargeting
Analytics	TikTok Ads Manager	Meta Ads Manager (Instagram via Facebook)
Average CPM	~$3–10 (2025)	~$7–12 (2025)
Average CTR	~0.7–1.5%	~0.9–2%

Take a look at some of our popular Instagram integrations:

TikTok ads vs. Google ads

TikTok ads are ideal for engaging younger audiences (Gen Z and Millennials) through visually creative videos. Google advertising is built for intent-based marketing. 

The strongest strategies in 2025 often combine both platforms: TikTok for discovery, Google for intent.

Here’s how they compare:

Feature	TikTok ads	Google ads
Primary Strength	Engagement, awareness, and cultural relevance	Intent-driven targeting, conversions
Best For	Gen Z & Millennials, viral reach	High-intent users ready to act
Content Style	Short-form, creator-led, trend-driven	Text search, display banners, product listings, video
Ad Formats	In-Feed, TopView, Spark, Hashtag Challenges	Search, Display, Shopping, YouTube (Video)
Audience Targeting	Interest, behavior, lookalikes	Keyword, demographic, remarketing, custom intent
Engagement Style	Scroll-based discovery, entertainment-first	Action-based search, direct navigation
Average CPC (2026)	About $0.50–$1.50 (2026 est.)	About $2.96 average for Search, ranging from $1.16 (e-commerce) to $6.75 (legal) (2026 est.); Display CPC runs much lower, around $0.44–$0.61
Conversion Strength	Low to mid-funnel	Mid to bottom-funnel

Check out these integrations that help you leverage your Google lead generation:

TikTok ads vs. YouTube ads

TikTok is built for trend-driven content with a strong emphasis on creativity and viral potential. 

YouTube supports both short- and long-form content, with deeper viewer intent and longer attention spans. It’s better suited for storytelling.

The choice very much depends on how you want your message consumed.

Feature	TikTok ads	YouTube ads
Content Style	Short-form, vertical, sound-on	Short- and long-form, horizontal or vertical
User Intent	Discovery, entertainment	Active watching, intentional search
Top Ad Formats	In-Feed, Spark ads, TopView, Branded Challenges	Skippable/Non-skippable Video, Bumper, Shorts
Best For	Awareness, engagement, trend participation	Education, deep storytelling, high-retention ads
User Base	2B+ MAUs, Gen Z & Millennials	2.7B+ MAUs, across all age groups
Engagement Style	Fast, scroll-based, community-driven	Longer view sessions, more deliberate attention
Targeting Options	Interests, behaviors, lookalikes	Keywords, demographics, in-market, custom intent
Avg CPM (2026 est.)	$5–13	$5–10 (higher for CTV: $14–18.50)
Avg CTR (2026 est.)	0.6–1.5%	0.5–1.5% (in-feed/Shorts run higher at 1.0–3.0%; standard skippable in-stream averages around 0.65%)

Take a look at some of our popular integrations:

Snapchat ads vs. TikTok ads

Both Snapchat and TikTok are strong platforms for reaching Gen Z and younger millennials. Snapchat mostly focuses on private sharing and immersive ad formats like AR Lenses, Filters, and Stories.

You should take your pick based on important markers of both platforms:

Feature	TikTok ads	Snapchat ads
Content Focus	Short-form, trend-based video	Private, immersive, and AR-driven content
User Base	2B+ MAUs, mostly Gen Z & young millennials	750M+ MAUs, strong among ages 18–34
Top Ad Formats	In-Feed, TopView, Spark ads, Hashtag Challenges	Snap Ads, Story Ads, Lenses, Filters, Video Shopping Ads
Creative Strength	Viral, sound-on, creator-driven content	AR, sequential storytelling, interactive formats
Targeting Options	Interests, behaviors, lookalikes, retargeting	Demographics, behaviors, custom audiences
Engagement Style	Public, trend-based discovery	Direct, 1:1 or group-based interaction
Best Use Case	Brand awareness, cultural engagement, UGC	Product try-ons, location-based or AR campaigns
Avg CPM (2026 est.)	Avg $5–13	Around $5.84 (Awareness) up to $27.10 (Conversions), median varies heavily by objective
Avg CTR (2026 est.)	Around 0.6–1.5%	Around 1.0–1.5%

Check out these integrations to automate your campaigns’ data management:

TikTok vs. Pinterest ads

Pinterest is intent-focused, mostly used for planning and inspiration. 

Choosing between them depends on your campaign goals: TikTok is best for cultural impact and virality, while Pinterest excels at influencing purchase decisions and long-term planning.

Feature	TikTok ads	Pinterest ads
Content Focus	Entertainment, trends, short-form video	Inspiration, planning, and evergreen content
User Intent	Passive browsing, entertainment	Active searching, high purchase intent
Top Ad Formats	In-Feed, Spark Ads, TopView, Hashtag Challenges	Promoted Pins, Idea Ads, Shopping, Carousel
User Demographic	Mostly Gen Z & Millennials	Broad age range, strong female audience
Engagement Style	Trend-driven, creator-led, fast-paced	Visual discovery, slower-paced, save-first
Best For	Awareness, engagement, UGC	Product discovery, planning, and purchase intent
Targeting Options	Interest, behavior, lookalikes	Keywords, interests, custom, act-alike audiences
Avg CPM (2026 est.)	Around $5–13	About $2–5 for upper-funnel/awareness; conversion/catalog objectives run higher
Avg CTR (2026 est.)	Around 0.6–1.5%	About 0.5–2.2%, varies significantly by format (video/Idea Pins outperform static)

Here are some helpful resources to help you learn more about Pinterest ads:

• The ultimate guide to Pinterest Lead Ads
• A step-by-step guide to Pinterest Audience Targeting

FAQs

Takeaways

TikTok is a leading ad platform for brands targeting global, mobile-first, and younger audiences. Its high engagement and mobile-optimized lead generation tools allow marketers to collect user data directly through in-stream ads. 

For best results, your incoming leads should be synced for further nurturing via automated integrations.

Discover our TikTok Lead Generation integrations and join the TikTok Custom Audiences waiting list to take full advantage of your TikTok advertising campaigns.