12 expert tips for successful advertising in TikTok – best practices

Did you know that 82% of TikTok users have opened a small to medium business through the platform? And that half of them made a purchase after seeing a TikTok ad?

That's just a small part of the rapidly changing statistics surrounding one of the world's most popular social networks. Depending on the field your company is in, TikTok may be just the advertising channel you need to take your business game to the next level.

With the activation of the advertising option in Bulgaria, the topic of how to create a successful TikTok ad became hotter than the asphalt in August in Plovdiv.

Today, we've prepared 12 expert tips to make sure your TikTok ad gets the results you want.

Install TikTok pixel

Whether your goal is to increase traffic, engagement or conversions, TikTok pixel is your best friend. Like its cousin the Meta pixel, it allows you to track your users' entire journey and interactions with your ads and website.

This will help you make informed decisions about optimizing your next campaigns in the future.

👉 To make your information complete and your results good, set a duration of at least 7 days for your campaign.

👉 If your goal is to get users to perform actions that are further up the funnel like adding to the cart, it's a good practice to budget €30 per day per ad group.

👉 A budget of 50 euros per day per advertising group will do you good. And for actions further down the funnel like completing an order,

Create a Kustom audience

Similar to Meta, TikTok also has the option to retarget users through shortlist audiences.

👉 You can upload customer lists or use audiences that have already interacted with previous ad campaigns.

You can turn audiences on and off, and create lookalike audiences with new users. The possibilities are many, it's your turn to take advantage!

Use Catalog Carousel

A catalogue carousel is a TikTok advertising format that allows you to display multiple products, each leading to a separate landing page.

This is a great opportunity to make your most impressive products stand out and grab your audience's attention.

You can customize the products that each user sees through the retargeting option based on previous interactions.

👉 For carousels, use high-quality images, which should be at least four in number. And don't forget the music!

Create ads as organic content

Users prefer their favorite TikTok videos to look authentic, grab attention, and not be perfect.

⭐️ Absolutely the same goes for your TikTok ad - to be effective, it needs to look like the organic content in the users feed.

TikTok is the place to be yourself, not post professional-looking videos that resemble TV spots. Instead of overly directed content, emphasize more casual-looking videos that resemble UGC, i.e. look like they were created by users.

Follow the working structure

The most popular videos on TikTok follow a simple but working formula. It consists of three elements:

• Hook - this is the moment to grab the user's attention. Engage them, inspire them, give them something they want. Whether it's a tip, an answer to a question that interests him or something else - the important thing is to get him on your hook.
• Basics - here is the time to serve the information you have decided on as the main topic of your video. Whether it's a product introduction, an answer to a question, or something else - the important thing is that it carries value.
• CTA or call to action - finally tell the user what is being asked of them. To subscribe to your channel? To order your product? To download your app? Done.

And as we've already said, for your TikTok ad to be successful, it needs to resemble your usual web content.

Installation is important

The montage of each TikTok video is also a key element for successful advertising, as it determines how the message will be perceived by the audience.

⭐️ A well-chosen and dynamic montage attracts attention, holds interest and creates an emotional connection with users. In a platform where every second is precious, a clever combination of footage, music and effects can make an ad more impactful and memorable.

Use effects and techniques such as Quick Shift, Sync to Music, Jump Cut, Stop Motion, Split Screen (Splitting the screen into multiple parts where different scenes or perspectives are displayed simultaneously) and more.

These techniques help createunique and engaging content that resonates with TikTok audiences.

Don't forget about sound in ads

Video without sound? Not in TikTok. 93% of users who use the platform do so with sound on.

If you want to skillfully engage your audience's attention, make sure your videos and ads offer an interesting audio experience.

👉 Don't underestimate the benefit of music - it is also a way of communication that sometimes works even on a subconscious level.

Types of content in TikTok style

Experiment with the content you create for your ads. Some popular types that work very well in TikTok are:

• Vlog - present your product or brand in a series of videos
• Founder POV - tell the brand story from the perspective of the company's founder.
• Feedback - share other users' positive experiences to build trust.
• Show and tell - test the product and show the end result.
• Unboxing - a video that shows the opening of the product.
• Listicles - a video where you can highlight the unique benefits of your products.

Follow the trends - seasonal and not only

What are the hot topics right now? Take a look at upcoming holidays, seasonal moments or current events and trends.

✨ At the right time, these are topics for successful videos and ads because they engage users with something they're already thinking about.

Unleash your creativity and increase the viewability and effectiveness of your ads by talking about the topics your users are currently interested in.

Examples are campaigns such as 'Back to school' at the end of August and beginning of September or those for Christmas decorations and gifts at the beginning of December. Through these, you can capitalise on popular hashtags and consumer purchase intent.

More ideas for seasonal campaigns can be found here.

Play with emotions

Create joy for users by making them smile or laugh.

❤️ Emotions are one of the best techniques for more sales, and TikTok videos with their entertaining nature are a great tool to catch the user's interest.

People come to TikTok to be entertained, and they expect exactly that from the businesses that advertise on the platform. Don't let them down if you want positive results.

Post regularly

Part of successful advertising on TikTok also depends on the organic content you post. And if we've already mentioned what it should look and sound like, now we'll turn our attention to how often you should create it.

Businesses with the highest engagement levels post between two and four times a week. Be regular and you'll increase the reach of your posts, and create anticipation in your audience. Especially if you post really interesting content.

Create different types of videos to offer a variety of user experiences. This goes for your ads too.

👉 So me ideas that work well in TikTok are Q&A, How To Guide, Behind the Scenes, Challenge, Story Telling, TikTok Dance and more.

Partner with content creators

So-called "UGCs" know the platform from A to Z, have earned the trust and respect of the audience and can be super helpful in creating working content. And yes, that includes one for TikTok advertising.

Content creators have one huge advantage over influencers that makes them super successful at TikTok. They're authentic, they're not polished, they're natural, they're people just like your (future) customers.

Collaborating with them also positively impacts the results you're actually looking for - completed purchases. They can show visually how they use your products and talk about their advantages and benefits, taking advantage of an effective psychological persuasion principle called social proof.

To succeed in TikTok, find UGCs that speak the language of your target audience and create a sustainable partnership.

TikTok is rapidly gaining popularity and has no intention of stopping anytime soon. And if you're looking to take advantage of the business growth opportunities the platform offers, there's no better time to get on the bandwagon and post on TikTok.

Follow our expert advice. With them, you'll create a successful TikTok ad that will engage your audience and increase the results you're dreaming of.