TikTok has exploded in popularity, especially among Gen Z and Millennials. Around 60% of users are aged between 16 and 24, making it the perfect platform for businesses targeting younger consumers. The platform's engaging, video-first format keeps users active and scrolling for longer periods, which means your ads have a greater chance of being seen by a highly engaged audience.

With over 1 billion monthly active users globally, TikTok offers businesses an opportunity to reach a vast audience. The app's algorithm, which focuses on user preferences and engagement, enables content to be discovered beyond an account’s followers. This means that even brands with limited followings can potentially see their ads go viral and gain significant exposure.

TikTok's advertising options are designed to be engaging and non-intrusive. Some of the main ad formats include:

• In-Feed Ads: These appear in users’ feeds as they scroll, blending seamlessly with organic content. They can include video, sound, and a call-to-action (CTA).

• Branded Hashtag Challenges: This is one of the most popular and interactive ad formats, encouraging users to participate in a challenge related to your brand, often by creating and sharing their own content. It’s a great way to increase user-generated content and brand engagement.

• Branded Effects: TikTok allows businesses to create custom filters, effects, and stickers that users can incorporate into their own videos. This encourages brand interaction in a fun, creative way.

• TopView Ads: These are full-screen ads that appear when the app is opened, giving your brand top visibility.

These formats are designed to be less disruptive and more organic, which enhances user engagement and brand affinity.

The TikTok algorithm is designed to surface content based on relevance and engagement rather than just follower count. This provides businesses with the opportunity to go viral, even with relatively small followings. Creative, authentic, and engaging content has the potential to be shared widely, amplifying your brand message and increasing exposure.

TikTok’s advertising platform offers powerful targeting options, allowing businesses to reach the right audience. You can target users based on:

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, language, etc.

• Interests: Based on user activity on TikTok, such as the types of content they engage with.

• Behaviours: Target users based on actions they’ve taken within the app (e.g., purchases, app usage).

• Custom Audiences: Upload customer data or retarget people who have interacted with your brand in the past.

This ensures that your ads are seen by the most relevant users, increasing the chances of conversions.

TikTok thrives on authenticity and creativity. Users love content that feels organic and fun, which allows businesses to experiment with creative, less-polished ads that resonate with users. By creating videos that blend naturally with user-generated content, brands can develop a more authentic and relatable image, which can foster deeper connections with their audience.

TikTok offers a relatively affordable advertising solution for businesses, especially when compared to other platforms like Facebook and Instagram. With TikTok’s bidding system, businesses can set their own budgets and optimise their ads based on objectives such as traffic, conversions, or app installs. The platform’s cost-efficiency allows businesses of all sizes, from startups to large brands, to take advantage of TikTok's advertising potential.

TikTok’s engaging ad formats, combined with its high user interaction rates, make it an excellent platform for boosting brand awareness. By using creative content and challenges, businesses can quickly grow their visibility. TikTok also favours trending content, so well-executed ads have the potential to be discovered by a broad audience, even outside of your target demographic.

TikTok has a vibrant, active community that is highly engaged with content, often participating in trends, challenges, and hashtag campaigns. By creating ads that encourage user participation, such as Branded Hashtag Challenges, businesses can tap into this community-driven culture, building deeper relationships with potential customers. Users who engage with your brand in a creative way can become ambassadors, helping to promote your message organically.

TikTok provides businesses with robust analytics to track the performance of their ads. Key metrics such as impressions, click-through rates (CTR), engagement, and conversion rates can be monitored to assess how well your campaign is performing. These insights allow for real-time optimisation, so businesses can adjust their strategies to improve results, refine targeting, and maximise ROI.

TikTok is increasingly integrating shopping features into its platform, enabling brands to sell directly through the app. The TikTok Shopping feature allows businesses to add product links to their videos, making it easier for users to purchase directly without leaving the app. This is an excellent opportunity for businesses in e-commerce to drive sales directly from their ads.

TikTok has become a hotspot for influencer marketing. Many TikTok influencers have large, dedicated followings, making them valuable partners for businesses seeking to promote their products or services authentically. Collaborating with influencers allows brands to leverage their reach and credibility, creating more relatable content that resonates with their target audience.