What is TikTok and what types of ads are available on the platform?
First of all, you should know that TikTok is the social network for the younger generation. If you want to advertise on it, you must approach with respect for the sensitivity of this audience—people who are thrilled to have an app where they can create, be the stars, and share with friends and peers, not brands. For now, targeting is only available by age, gender, and location, but TikTok has promised that interest-based targeting is coming soon.
Gen Z isn’t particularly fond of advertising—they don’t trust brands, but they do trust the people who represent them. That’s definitely an opportunity, especially considering TikTok currently has more than 1.5 billion downloads. 47% of users are between 16 and 24 years old, and 9 out of 10 open the app more than twice a day, spending over 50 minutes daily.
With the global situation, TikTok has become a family-friendly social network, used by everyone from the youngest to the oldest at home. It may seem like a simple app—and of course, it is for the generation born into the digital age—but for others, it’s fairly complex. And that’s exactly the point: it’s meant to be “their” space, not overtaken by others like every previous social network (Facebook, Instagram).
Now, let’s break down the 4 ad formats TikTok offers:
0) Not an official ad format, but highly effective → TikTokers!
This is the most powerful way to make people take interest in your brand.
In Chile, for example, we have one of the biggest TikTok influencers, with a deeply loyal community. We mention this just to show that working with creators can take your brand much further than simply launching a branded TikTok profile—especially if you don’t fully understand the platform’s ad potential yet.
1) In-Feed Ads
These are very similar to Instagram Story ads.
The goal here is to drive traffic to a website or app downloads. You can pay by CPC, CPM, or CPV. It’s the most affordable ad format on TikTok.
2) Brand Takeovers
You can take over TikTok for an entire day.
What does that mean? Your ad appears when users open the app—but only at that moment. “Full day” means TikTok only allows one brand per day, per country to use this format. You need a TikTok rep to manage this. It’s one of the most expensive formats available.
3) Hashtag Challenges (HT Challenges)
The most awesome part of the app!
The community loves a new challenge—it’s like they’re waiting for it. And yes, they are. When you promote a hashtag, you’ll appear in the Discover tab for 6 days.
4) Branded Lenses
Just like current AR effects, brands can create custom filters and lenses for users to try.
Of course, if they’re not fun or engaging enough, no one will use them.
And that’s a quick summary of the hottest app right now and the formats it offers.
Are you ready to step into the world of TikTok?
