Not so long ago we all chuckled at Tiktok as an app for the kids; I’m sure we’re past that now! If you haven’t, then you’ve got to wake up fast because you might just be missing out on the next big thing in the social media space - especially if you’ve got an eye for advertising.
Remember when Facebook advertising was king and anyone, especially those who were “first explorers” could cash in with less effort than today? We might have the same opportunity playing all over again with Tiktok and this time around, acting fast could get you that tag of “first explorers” which is great for your brand.
IS RUNNING ADS ON TIKTOK BETTER THAN ON FACEBOOK?
Running ads on Tik Tok is not necessarily better than on Facebook or other social media platforms and this is because each platform has separate algorithms and works differently though similar.
Even with TikTok being the new sensation, it still shares some similarities with already existing social media platforms. Instagram for instance has been the free photo and video sharing social media platform for the last 10 years and TikTok shares this similarity of being a visual-based platform that thrives more on videos and pictures than written posts.
In other words, all social media platforms have their ayes and nays and can bring you the results you desire if you and/or your team figure the way around their algorithm.
Similarities Between Facebook And TikTok
Taking a close look at both platforms, from their demographics to the creative types and the format used, it’s evident that Facebook and TikTok offer very distinct approaches to advertising. Still, the overall functionality of Facebook and TikTok shares a number of similarities particularly when it comes to advertising.
Understanding the similarities will help you transition smoothly from one platform to another if that' s the decision you make at the end of weighing which option is best for your business.
One obvious similarity is your Business Manager found on Facebook and your Business center that' s found on TikTok. While there is a difference in their terminologies, they serve pretty much the same purpose.
The place to access all of your assets is Facebook Business Manager, which also houses your advertisements manager (your Instagram account, your page, and the likes). You have sub-ad accounts when you run your advertisements through the advertising manager. As a result, it is organized in the following hierarchy: Business Manager>Ads Manager>Ads Accounts. When you advertise on the advertisements account, you do it through your pages, i.e., your regular Facebook or Instagram page, so that anyone who sees your ads can click on them and visit your Facebook or Instagram page. Even though Tiktok operates a little differently, the structure there is comparable. On the other hand, everything is held together by the Business Center, which stands in contrast to Facebook' s Business Manager. You can have many ad accounts in the Business Center, where you can promote to the public. However, I must point out that if someone clicks on one of your advertisements, they will land on your website rather than your regular Tiktok profile, where you publish your usual organic Tiktoks. Therefore, since they are completely unrelated, advertising from a Tiktok ad account is not linked to your regular Tiktok account. It' s crucial that I emphasize at this point that having a Tiktok business account is different from having a Tiktok business center.
Another similarity between these two platforms is in their ad formats, Tiktok offers two formats in which you can advertise from and these are pictures and videos and which is very similar to Facebook’s offering which pictures and videos are a part of. They are peculiarities to each platform with regard to ad formats which we will talk about shortly.
What Makes TikTok Different From Other Social Media Like Facebook?
TikTok is the new trend and because of this, it can provide you with far more reach than Facebook in a shorter time, thanks to its excellent user base. One major difference though is that, unlike Facebook, the platform still lacks the capacity to provide you results for reaching a highly targeted audience.
While Tik Tok’s audience has grown remarkably across all age groups, it is still more inclined towards a younger demographic, unlike Facebook, which allows your ads to reach a much larger audience across different age groups. This feature gives Facebook ads more consistency and ease of prediction
One of the most pronounced differences between Facebook and TikTok is in their algorithms and this is evident in the way these platforms show content to their users. Tiktok has a very refined algorithm that sets it apart from the algorithm of other social media platforms.
This difference is evident when you scroll through your Facebook feed. You’ll notice that you’ll mostly find posts from your friends as well as the most popular ones from pages you follow and groups you’re in. Occasionally though, you might come across content that’s suggested to you based on your preferences but that’s not so common. Tiktok on the other hand is very different in this regard as its algorithm is finetuned to your interest and with time learns what your preferences are.
TikTok points out this difference when they explain how their recommendation system "For You " works. According to Techcrunch' s latest report, when a user opens the short-form video app, they are met with a stream of popular videos tailored to their interests.
However, the content each user sees is very different from the ones their friends or other people see and this is because the videos provided are based on how the users personalized their app.
Tiktok explained on its own website how its algorithm works, detailing the factors involved, as well as how they are weighted for each user.
According to TikTok' s report, filter bubbles or feeds where users are presented with a homogeneous stream of videos are not created by the system.
Just like many recommendation systems, the "For You " feed is also powered by user input. In TikTok' s case though, to help the users determine their interests, the system takes into account the videos they ' ve liked or shared, the accounts they follow, the comments they post, and also the content they create.
Just like users ' language preferences, device type, and country settings, TikTok also uses the device and account settings to tailor content for each user. However, compared to other recommendation systems, TikTok said that these factors receive a lower weight in the recommendation system since they ' re focused on making sure the system ' s performance is optimized.
TikTok explained that the social media platform ' s understanding of what a user likes is also refined by other signals such as the time spent by a user watching a video which indicates their interests. The recommendation system will also affect the video ' s information such as sounds, hashtags, and captions associated with the user ' s preferred content.
Another amazing thing about Tiktok’s “For You” page that sets it apart from other social media platforms is its seemingly endless and always engaging feed. Thanks to its unique algorithm, you will continue to find new content as you scroll down your “For You” page and that’s not quite the case with your Facebook feed or even any other social media platform as their feed certainly grows stale after about half an hour of scrolling. Refreshing doesn’t exactly help as it' s posts you ' ve already seen before that would keep coming up.
The appeal of your content easily going viral and gaining a large follower base is one that attracts users to Tiktok and yeah the algorithm is mainly responsible for that because of how much ease it gives for trends to develop.
Understanding the difference between Tik Tok will help you better set up your ads. Here is a list of some other major differences that sets Tic Tok apart from other platforms such as Facebook
Demographics: Tik Tok is at this moment still just a mobile platform and this requires marketers to find a different way to reach and convert their customers, also putting into consideration that its user base is a majorly younger population.
Geo-targeting: While TikTok targets audiences at a national or state level and within a small number of countries, Facebook will target customers globally (by country, city, or region).
Data Testing: TikTok uses automated creative optimization, wherein its algorithms identify the best ad creative, create multiple ads, and allow you to restructure your campaign accordingly. Facebook, on the other hand, uses dynamic creative optimization based on graphical components, which are defined manually when setting up a display campaign and populated with dynamic information for each shopper in real-time before delivering the creative.
Ad Formats: When it comes to formats on Tiktok, it’s obvious your best bet is the 9x16 ratio because usually, those are full-screen video ads. Facebook, on the other hand, has many different placements on which you can have your ads. Each format and placement in the Facebook Ads Guide is specified in terms of design specifications and technical requirements.
Making The Transition
So you’ve decided to give Tik Tok a shot and experience its impressive organic views. Here is one thing you should always keep in mind; regardless of the platform of your choice, it is essential to target your audience and create your social media ads based on your audience's interests.
Then and only then will your ads be effective in attracting your target customers and making them click on your ads and convert. It' s essential to test and figure out what' s working for your brand on TikTok since it' s different from Facebook. TikTok has a similar account structure, but you have to find what kind of creative, landing pages, and offers work there.
What Is Important To Know When Working With Advertising On TikTok
1. Create a Business Profile That Will Attract Traffic
There is no difference between this rule for Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok. To begin advertising, you must fill out the profile, add the offer to the header of the profile, set up the Instagram and YouTube buttons, and add the link to the site.
2. The Content
This is the biggest difference between Facebook and Tiktok as the type of content that works on each platform is quite different so it’s essential you choose your ads ' content carefully. The first thing to know about content on Tiktok is that it promotes visual content exclusively and the next thing to know right after that is that its content is short and quick. It’s true Facebook also has some form of short and quick content, but It’s not its main selling point, unlike Tiktok. Another thing of note about content on Tiktok is that the app itself is designed in a way that encourages dance challenges, lip singing challenges, and other quick and easy content with the potential to go viral and this greatly shapes the kind of content that works on Tiktok so jumping on trends is a good idea when sourcing for content. While it doesn 't make sense to jump on every trend, identifying a trend that relates to your product/service will go a long way to boost your brand awareness, especially trends that are local to the area of your business. Truth is while it’s a great idea, Tiktok trends or entertaining content don 't always work, sometimes you need to run an informational video or a strict sales video. The idea is you can’t stick to one strategy alone so you have to keep trying out different angles with your content. TikTok is all about videos, about sound, and movements, unlike Facebook where content entails long-written texts, videos, and pictures, or Twitter where hashtags, emojis, and text reign.
The best results come from videos so do well to stick to videos. Humor is a great way to attract your audience on TikTok so get those creative juices flowing and add some humor into your video ads. It' s all too easy to fall into the trap of sharing only promotional content for your business. On TikTok, that could go badly for your campaign as your content has to provide overall value to your audience so target to inform and entertain with your content. Another feature that differentiates content on these platforms is the type of creatives they promote. Depending on your advertising goals, Facebook offers many different types of creatives. There are square creatives, 4x5 aspect ratios, 9x16 and 16x9 dimensions, and more. Additionally, different placements are possible on desktop and mobile feeds, stories, and reels. These don’t apply to TikTok and therefore your content type has to be different on each of these platforms.
3. Making Use Of Hashtags
Another very cool feature that differentiates TikTok from other platforms is its use of hashtags. Just as it is on other social media platforms, hashtags on TikTok go a long way to making your content easier to discover, particularly when a person searches for the hashtag. This is great for running ads as it easily gets your content to people who are not already following your brand especially if they are interested in the hashtag you picked, which of course, has to be in relation to your video. The visibility this gives is good for your brand as the chances of users wanting to interact with your content increases. With that, you are on your way to building a community where your followers are those that enjoy sharing content related to your business. There is a unique difference though between how hashtags work on TikTok and other platforms like Facebook.
They(TikTok) describe hashtags as a categorization metric that greatly influences who your content is shown to as the algorithm keeps learning the audience your ads are targeted towards. Hashtags are broken down into three categories on TikTok. Culture tags are the most common, typically having billions of views, feature tags are more inclined towards trends or a challenge and are mostly seen on the “Discovery Page” , while niched tags are specific to the ideas your profile or video content promotes. A good strategy in using hashtags is to use a mix of these hashtag categories so as to get better visibility, another great strategy we have found very efficient is using the right amounts of hashtags, a range of 5-7 hashtags have been found to be more efficient in getting your content viral as too many hashtags can even obstruct your video from being viewed. There is a counterintuitive strategy I found very efficient in getting your content viral when it comes to using hashtags and that strategy is not using hashtags at all. While it’s great to show the algorithm who to show your video, sometimes not using hashtags forces the algorithm to show your content to several audiences before it settles for a particu lar demographic.
4. Retargeting Ads
These are also known as TikTok Remarketing Ads, and their primary purpose is to display your content to viewers who have already engaged with your ads in some form in order to further engage them or turn them into devoted clients. TikTok ad retargeting is a simple procedure that enables you to locate individuals who are familiar with or have previously engaged with your company. Through the custom audience functionality of the TikTok advertisements platform, users can retarget potential customers. Users can create advertising using the custom audience function that is intended for remarketing, boosting your profile ' s number of followers, or attracting more people who share their interests. Ads function when a little piece of code, known as a pixel, is added to the website. This code allows TikTok to follow visitors across your website and link them to those who have seen your ads on TikTok. TikTok also allows you to target particular users by uploading client lists. This makes it possible for their systems to retarget particular clients with your adverts.
The TikTok Pixel is a clever JavaScript code that monitors the effectiveness of your TikTok Ads on your website. After being set up, the Pixels give TikTok systems the ability to monitor, carry out conversions, improve, and project your campaigns to a particular audience. Another very important aspect to take note of with retargeting ads on Tiktok is the need to add IFDA/GAID to them. IDFA stands for Identifier for Advertisers, which is a unique ID assigned by Apple to a user’s device. Android has its own identifier version called Android Advertising ID, or GAID. Apple randomly assigns a device identification called the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) to a user ' s device. In order to give personalized advertising, advertisers use this to track data. The IDFA is utilized to track and identify users (without revealing personal information). The data can then be utilized to learn details like which in-app events a user initiates. If the channel supports IDFA tracking and the advertiser successfully tracks users who interact with mobile advertising campaigns, the IDFA can also be used to track user interactions. If this happens, the IDFA can determine whether particular users click an advertisement for attribution and payment purposes. IDFA allows advertisers to comprehend the actions an iPhone user is taking, including installing an app or clicking on an advertisement, in a manner similar to how cookies function on the internet. In essence, Apple developed the IDFA to monitor how app users interact with advertisements on an iOS device without disclosing any personal information. IDFAs are significant because they provide a reliable way to identify iOS users. Advertisers that can track IDFAs within a campaign and assign a device to a particular IDFA will have more assurance about the defining characteristics of that user and whether they were installed as a result of an advertising campaign. IDFAs also give users a welcome degree of privacy.
5. Make Sure Your Links Contain Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) tags
It can be challenging to understand what kind of creative and what kind of advertising campaign is driving targeted traffic to your site without introducing UTM.
6. Make Your Unique Contribution!
An unconventional approach to advertising is proving to be more and more successful so feel free to go all out and try original ideas.
7. Put It To The Test
In a dynamic, changing world, you have to try something new in your content every day, because you never know what your audience will like tomorrow. People who constantly push themselves beyond their comfort zones will be the leaders in their niche.
How Do You Go About Creating An Ad Campaign On Tik Tok?
For a start, you need to create a Tik Tok advertising account which can either be an already existing account or you could just register a new account.
Running your adverts on Tik Tok is slightly different from running them on Facebook. One difference you will certainly notice is in recharging your TikTok balance with a card. As opposed to Facebook, Tik Tok requires you to top up your balance manually at first. If you reach a certain billing threshold, you will be able to use the automatic payment method. Next up would be for you to navigate to the Campaign section and click Create. At this point, all the knowledge you have as regards your advertising goals from working with Facebook applies here as they are very similar to those on Tik Tok. It’s important to know that the minimum daily budget threshold is much higher than on Facebook.
Tip: Use an existing Tik Tok post as a creative so all views and comments from ads will be displayed below the post in your profile. With Tik Tok' s really cheap Cost Per Impression, clicks, and conversion, you should have a fun experience creating ads on the platform but it is also clear that the results, like everywhere else, will depend on good creativity.
Conclusion
It’s crystal clear both platforms have their peculiarities when it comes to advertising and these differences can be utilized fully to maximize your ad campaigns.
Tiktok is still very much new territory to run your ads and so far its potential is too huge to ignore so I will suggest strongly that you jump on the train and catch a mastery of the platform’s algorithm and how to fully utilize its unique features to boost your brand and of course convert new loyal customers.
This doesn 't stop you from running your regular ads on Facebook while you get familiar with Tiktok and its audience.
I hope you enjoy your transition to the new sensation of social media marketing. Still lost and need professional help to champion a successful Tiktok ad campaign? Reach out to me now and we can get you set up in no time.
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