6 Types of TikTok Ads and How to Use Them!

Whether you have TikTok downloaded or not, you've definitely heard of it! This relatively new (2016) social network has taken the world by storm, reaching 2.6 billion downloads worldwide. In the Czech Republic, TikTok is the fastest growing social network, which is currently used by 21 % of people, which is five % more than last year. Among people under 30, it is the number one network and every other person has experience with it.

It is more than a popular social network for fun videos and dance challenges, TikTok is also used to discover new products and brands. Below are 6 types of TikTok ads and how to use them, so you can plan accordingly to promote your brand on this social network.

In-feed advertisements

This type of ad appears on TikTok when a user scrolls through the For You Page. If you're unfamiliar with TikTok and the For You page, in-feed ads are very similar to the ads you'd see when scrolling through Instagram Stories. Ads can be up to 60 seconds long (although TikTok recommends 9 to 15 seconds) and the user can also interact with the content – liking, commenting and sharing. The ad is full screen and can be skipped. Brands using this type of ad can also add a call-to-action button that links to a landing page – a useful feature if your goal is to drive traffic and sales to your website.

Brand Takeover advertisements

These full-screen ads appear on the For You Page (FYP) immediately after the user opens the app. They can be created using 3 to 6-second videos or 3-second images and can be used to direct users to a Hashtag prompt or landing page (depending on the brand's campaign objective). Users only see one Brand Takeover ad per day, which means less competition but also a higher price.

TopView advertisements

TopView ads are 60 seconds long and appear after the user opens the TikTok app. They are full screen, with sound and autoplay. Advertisers can also include a call-to-action button in their ads. This type of ad is a great way to ensure reach, as users will see them right after they open the app when they're paying the most attention.

The difference between TopView and Brand Takeover advertising is that TopView ads are not displayed immediately after opening the application - they are displayed as the first post in the application after 3 seconds. Simply put, TopView ads are slightly delayed Brand Takeover ads.

Brands Hashtag Challenges

These are sponsored challenges that are listed at the top of the Discover page. On the Discover page, users can search for users, hashtags, music, and also see the most used hashtag challenges. This form of advertising helps advertisers achieve greater user engagement (8.5% on average) and supports user-generated content.

The challenges work like this:

• The user clicks on the Hashtag prompt

• The user is redirected to the Brand Challenge page, which contains a description of the challenge rules, the brand logo and a link to the brand website

• Users create their own content based on your hashtag prompt

Brand effects

Think Snapchat and Instagram! Similar to those platforms, brands on TikTok can create their own stickers, filters and special effects that can be shared. Brands often combine this ad format with other TikTok ads. Since filters and special effects are very popular among users, this means that creating them can generate more users and increase engagement.

Cooperation with influencers

Last but not least, influencers! Although not specifically a type of ad on TikTok, your brand can certainly work with influencers to create TikTok ads and achieve your goals. Influencers specialize in creating quality and engaging content for their followers, delivering the latest trends, tips and products. If the content they share matches your business, it's definitely an ideal opportunity for collaboration. 

TikTok advertising is certainly not suitable for all businesses and services, but it is still an interesting opportunity. It's important to think about your target audience and what you want to achieve with your ads. TikTok is still considered a relatively new application that many companies do not trust and do not want to promote products on TikTok. You can take this as an advantage - less competition!