TikTok is Becoming the Advertising TikTalk of the Town

Organic traffic is not the only thing that businesses can hope for on TikTok. Even though a genuine and authentic approach is encouraged on the platform (both by the algorithm and the community), TikTok is also a powerful advertisement platform. Brands are advised to run ads that naturally blend in with the organic content on the platform. That's because users themselves prefer genuine content to overly-produced ads. That's why it's best to make the ads look as native as possible. Brands on TikTok add a flair of creativity to increase the engagement rate of their ads and connect with their audience on a much deeper level than on other platforms. Personable and authentic content naturally sets the business apart from the competition, entertains the consumers, and makes them more open to interacting with the brand.

There are 7 types of ads that you can leverage to boost your conversions and brand awareness:
1). In-Feed Ads: These are called self-service ads because you can easily create them on your own through the TikTok Ad Manager. As the name suggests, these ads are shown in the user's feed. In-Feed ads allow your audience to comment, like, or use the sound from your video to create TikToks with a matching theme.
2). Brand Takeover: Brand Takeover ads pop up on the screen for a few seconds when users open the TikTok app. After that, they change into an In-feed video ad. They also appear on the “For You Page” as images, videos, or gifs with clickable links.
3). TopView Ads: TopView ads aim to increase brand exposure by interrupting and occupying the first In-feed post after 3 seconds. TopViews are 5 to 60-second videos that are shown in full screen with sound.
4). Branded Hashtag Challenges: Branded Hashtag Challenges encourage users to record themselves performing dances or doing something trendy in line with the product and posting it with a defined hashtag. These ads appear at the top of the discovery page. When users click on the hashtags, it leads them to the landing pages on TikTok and a collection of other videos from the same hashtag challenge. TikTok hashtag challenges start trends among TikTokers and boost engagement and brand awareness.
5). Branded Effects: TikTok Branded Effects allow brands to create ads with their custom-designed filters, stickers, or special effects. The Branded Effect Ad can last up to 10 days and it's a valuable asset when it comes to increasing user engagement as well as strengthening your brand identity.
6). Collection Ads (still not available to all types of accounts): Collection Ads lead viewers to an Instant Gallery Page that you can create on TikTok to showcase your products. It's like a virtual collection of products that the users can browse without leaving the app.
7). Spark Ads: Spark ads are organic TikToks that are converted into ads, by importing them into the TikTok ads platform. A Spark ad can be an organic TikTok that is created by the brand, by an influencer or a customer. The organic TikTok can be imported into the TikTok ads platform with the permission of the organic TikTok creator.

It's all about where your audiences live and your overall campaign goals. For some, this might be capitalizing on the growth of e-sports and partnering with popular Twitch users, or possibly Instagram for aesthetically-pleasing photos and reels. Or, you might seek out TikTok for its viral nature and growth. The start of 2023 reported 29% of marketers using the platform, and by the middle of the year showed that more than half of all agencies intended to sponsor influencers on TikTok.