How to Advertise on TikTok Effectively: A Simple Guide for Marketing Managers

If you’re a marketing manager trying to stay ahead of the digital curve, you’ve likely asked yourself: „Should my brand be on TikTok?“ The answer is a resounding yes. With TikTok dominating the social media landscape, it’s fast becoming a must-have in every marketer’s toolbox.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down exactly how to advertise on TikTok effectively — without all the complicated jargon. Whether you’re brand new to the platform or just looking to improve your TikTok advertising strategy, we’ve got you covered.

Why TikTok Should Be Part of Your Marketing Strategy

If you’re still undecided about advertising on TikTok, let’s go over some numbers that might change your mind.

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TikTok has over 1 billion active users every month worldwide.

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Users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app.

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Gen Z and Millennials make up a massive chunk of the platform’s user base.

That’s huge. And it means your audience is likely already there, scrolling, engaging, and ready to discover new products.

But more than that, TikTok is known for its high engagement rate and power to make things go viral. It’s a social media unicorn — and marketers are finally catching on.

Understanding TikTok Advertising: The Basics

Before we dive into strategies, let’s get familiar with what advertising options TikTok actually offers.

TikTok ads can be broken down into five main formats:

1. In-Feed Ads

These ads blend seamlessly into the user’s feed, meaning they show up on the „For You“ page like a regular TikTok. They’re powerful because people watch them just like regular content — which increases the chances they’ll actually pay attention.

2. TopView Ads

Imagine your ad being the first thing someone sees when they open TikTok. That’s what TopView does. It’s a premium ad spot and perfect for grabbing attention instantly.

3. Branded Hashtag Challenges

Brands use these to encourage users to create content using a specific hashtag. It’s fun, interactive, and often goes viral. Plus, it builds a ton of user-generated content around your brand.

4. Branded Effects

Want your product to turn into a face filter or interactive background? With Branded Effects, you can create your own AR (augmented reality) experience. It literally puts your brand in your customer’s hands — and faces!

5. Spark Ads

These allow brands to boost organic posts (either their own or a creator’s) as paid ads. It’s a fantastic way to combine organic engagement with ad reach.

Setting Up Your TikTok Ads Manager Account

This is your first actual step towards launching paid content. TikTok Ads Manager is where all the magic happens — campaign setup, targeting, performance tracking, and more.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the process:

• Sign Up: Head over to the TikTok Ads Manager site and create a business account.
• Set Details: Add your business info such as country, currency, and timezone.
• Create Campaign: Define your goal — awareness, consideration, or conversions.
• Set Budget: Choose between daily or lifetime budget and input your spend limits.
• Target Audience: Use filters like age, gender, interests, and even device type.
• Add Creatives: Upload your video ad or select from your published TikToks.

How to Create Scroll-Stopping TikTok Ads

Now for the creative part. TikTok is not your typical ad space. It’s raw, real, and often less polished than other platforms — and that’s exactly why it works.

So how do you create content that fits the vibe while still selling your product or service? Follow these golden rules:

1. Don’t Advertise — Entertain

If your content feels like an ad, users will scroll past it. But if it feels like content they already enjoy, they’ll stop and watch. Use humor, storytelling, or trending sounds to keep things fun.

📌 Think of your ad like a Super Bowl commercial — entertaining, memorable, and subtly selling.

2. Hook Viewers in the First 3 Seconds

TikTok users scroll fast, so you have to grab attention quickly. Use a strong visual, a catchy title, or a burning question that piques curiosity.

3. Keep It Vertical and Native

Always shoot in 9:16 format (vertical) and make sure it looks like native TikTok content. That means casual, handheld, and authentically „TikTok-y.“

4. Use Trending Music and Hashtags

Music is a huge part of TikTok. Use trending sounds legally through TikTok’s ad manager, and include popular, relevant hashtags to increase discoverability.

5. Include a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

Tell your viewers what you want them to do next:

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“Shop now!”

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“Click the link in bio!”

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“Use code TIKTOK10!”

And speaking of CTAs, if you’re looking to supercharge your social media marketing strategy, we can help you run winning TikTok campaigns from start to finish.

📈 Boost Your TikTok Ads with Us!

Building an Effective TikTok Ad Strategy

Just like any other platform, success on TikTok requires a solid strategy. One that aligns with your brand goals, values, and target audience.

Here are the key pillars to focus on:

1. Know Your Audience

Take time to understand who your TikTok audience is. Are they under 25? What type of content do they engage with? What TikTok trends do they follow?

Use TikTok’s free analytics tools or hire a digital agency (hi! 👋) to do a deep dive for you.

2. Set Clear Objectives

Be clear about what you want your ad to do:

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Drive traffic to your website?

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Get app installs?

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Increase brand awareness?

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Grow your TikTok account followers?

Your goals will shape your content and targeting strategy.

3. Test, Learn, Optimize

One of the best things you can do is experiment. TikTok Ads Manager allows for easy A/B testing (also called split testing).

Things you can test:

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Different hooks (first few seconds of video)

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Captions and call-to-action text

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Music/activity type/length

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Timing of posts

4. Balance Organic and Paid

Don’t rely solely on paid ads. A great TikTok brand presence mixes normal organic videos with well-placed ads. This makes your brand feel more genuine and trustworthy.

Working with TikTok Influencers (aka Creators)

TikTok creators are the heart and soul of the app. Partnering with the right influencer can amplify your reach in ways even paid ads can’t.

Here’s why it works:

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They’ve already built trusted relationships with their audience.

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Their content feels more natural and less “salesy.”

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It’s often cheaper and delivers better ROI than traditional ads.

You can find influencers directly through TikTok Creator Marketplace, or work with social media specialists (like us) to match you with the right talent.

How Much Do TikTok Ads Cost?

TikTok offers flexible options to fit different budgets. You can start small with budgets as low as **£20/day**, making it accessible even for smaller brands.

It’s not just about how much you spend, though. It’s about how smartly you spend it.

Here’s what affects ad costs:

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Target audience (the more niche, the more competitive)

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Ad format (TopView tends to cost more than In-Feed)

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Bidding model (you can choose different bidding strategies like CPC or CPM)

Want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your TikTok ad spend? Let our team at Likes and Rankings take care of everything for you — from strategy to results.

💡 Book a Free Strategy Call

Real World Example: Small Brand Goes Viral

Let’s take a clothing brand, for example.

They partnered with a micro-influencer to create a relatable fashion “haul” using trending audio. The total spend? Around £600.

The result?

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Over 1 million views in a week

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Sales increased by 40%

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Website traffic tripled

What worked? The ad felt like a normal video you’d see on someone’s feed. No big budget. Just smart synergy between creator, content, and audience.

This isn’t a lucky one-off. These results are repeatable with a solid TikTok strategy in place.

Quick TikTok Advertising Tips

To wrap up, here are some rapid-fire best practices for successful TikTok ads:

• Keep videos under 30 seconds
• Use subtitles — many users watch without sound
• Stay up-to-date with challenges, sounds, and trends
• Post consistently to build algorithm trust
• Use TikTok Pixel for advanced tracking on your site

Final Thoughts: Is TikTok Right for Your Brand?

In short, YES — if you’re willing to learn the language of the platform.

TikTok isn’t just for funny dances or Gen Z. It’s a powerful place to tell your brand story, launch products, grow awareness, and drive serious results. But like any platform, it works best with the right strategy and partner.

If you’re ready to jump in or want help launching your first campaign, our team is here to help with every step of the journey.

🚀 Let’s Get You Started on TikTok

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Need Help Growing Your Brand on TikTok?

Our TikTok advertising service covers everything from setup to success. Whether you’re brand new or looking to scale, we create thumb-stopping content and run data-backed campaigns to deliver real ROI.

📞 Get in touch here and we’ll help make your TikTok ads work like magic.

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Stay tuned for more guides like this, coming soon. And remember — on TikTok, being real wins every time.

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Happy TikToking! 🎬📱

👍 Written by the team at Likes and Rankings | Visit our site for more expert marketing guides.