TikTok in-feed ads are a powerful tool leveraged by many brands looking to reach a younger, highly engaged audience. But to turn views into real results, you need more than just a trending video. This guide walks you through what they are, how to set up, and how to run them right! Here’s a quick overview of what you will learn!
Quick Summary
TikTok In-Feed Ads are native-style video ads that appear in the For You feed, allowing likes, comments, and shares. As TikTok’s first ad format, they blend into user content and are widely used to drive traffic, app installs, or brand awareness.
- Why use In-Feed Ads: High visibility, simple setup, flexible objectives, now expanded to TikTok Search via Search Ads Toggle.
- Types of In-Feed Ads: Choose Spark (boosted posts) or Non-Spark (paid-only), using Auction or Reservation buying.
- How to set up In-Feed Ads: Create campaign, set targeting and budget, upload vertical video, add caption, CTA, and link.
- Cost of In-Feed Ads: CPM model, $3–$10 range; Feb 2025 average was $3.48.
- Best practices: Use sound, shoot vertically, test small budgets, trust the algorithm, collaborate with creators, add clear CTAs.
Let’s get a full notebook about in-feed ads on TikTok right here!
What are In-feed ads on TikTok?
In-feed ad is the TikTok default advertisement format. It enables users to integrate videos that will automatically play on the “For You Page” like any organic video. Users can have the option to like, comment, share, follow, and record videos like native content due to them having the same user interface as organic posts.
Being the first TikTok ad type on TikTok, an In-feed ad is usually used to drive traffic toward external landing pages, app downloads, or brands’ channels. With their presence within users’ personalized content feed, In-feed ads effectively catch users’ attention, making them a cornerstone of TikTok advertising strategy.
Why should you use TikTok In-feed ads?
TikTok In-feed ads offer a range of compelling benefits for businesses and advertisers. These ads seamlessly integrate into users’ content feeds, ensuring high visibility and engagement. With a wide reach across TikTok’s diverse user base, In-feed video ads on TikTok can effectively target specific demographics and interests.
- Easily set up and manage within TikTok Ads Manager.
- Obtain multiple advertising objective types (reach, video views, followers, etc.)
- Increase brand exposure to users.
Recently updated, the Search Ads Toggle permits the expansion of your in-feed advertising onto TikTok’s search results page. This functionality aids in reaching users actively searching for terms closely connected to your product or service.
“If your brand is looking to do things like grab attention, entertain, and inspire viewers to learn more, or shift the perception of your brand and allow for greater collaboration, you might want to look at in-feed ads”
Sam Kimmel, TikTok’s global creator partnerships lead
Types of In-feed ads on TikTok
TikTok In-feed Ads are flexible and can be classified in two key types: Spark Ads and Non-Spark Ads.
This refers to the type of content being promoted – whether it’s a boosted organic post or a standard paid-only ad.
| In-feed Non-Spark Ads | In-feed Spark Ads |
|---|---|
| Ads created solely for paid promotion. They don’t appear on any public profile and don’t carry organic engagement. Suitable for performance-focused campaigns with full creative control. | Ads based on existing TikTok posts from a brand or creator account. They retain likes, comments, shares, and link back to the original profile. Feel more native and trustworthy to users. |
Advertisers could purchase these types of in-feed ads using 2 main method:
| TikTok Auction In-feed ads | TikTok Reservation In-feed ads |
|---|---|
| Advertisers bid for ad placements in real-time auctions, directly set their budget, and bid for impressions. The platform’s algorithm determines which ads get shown to the target audience. This method allows for flexibility and dynamic pricing based on demand and competition. | This option allows advertisers to secure a specific ad placement and a fixed number of impressions in advance (including Reach & Frequency). This can be beneficial for campaigns with specific timing or high visibility requirements. It offers more control over placements and ensures your ad appears where and when you want it. |
>>> Read more: TikTok Auction vs Reservation Ads: Fundamentals for Advertisers
How to Set Up a TikTok In-Feed Ad Step-by-Step
To run a TikTok In-Feed Ad, you’ll complete several setup stages in TikTok Ads Manager. The In-Feed format is chosen specifically during the Ad Details step, where you upload your video.
Step 1: Create a campaign
First, choose your objective. Then, enter your campaign name. You must also declare Special Ad Categories if relevant (e.g., housing, employment).
Step 2: Set up ad group
- Define Optimization location (Website or App) for your ads.
- Select your ads’ Placements. You can let TikTok automatically place your ads or manually choose their placement.
- Set Targeting, including your audience’s demographics, interests, and device type.
- Input Budget & Schedule. Choose Daily or Lifetime budget. Select Auction (bid-based) or Reach & Frequency (reservation) buying method.
- Choose Bidding & Optimization goal.
Step 3: Select the In-Feed format in Ad Details
This is the key step for running In-Feed Ads.
- In the Ad Details section, choose “Single video” under Ad format.
- You’ll see a preview that says “In feed” at the top left of the mobile mockup. This confirms your ad will run in the For You feed as a native-style video.
When upload your video, you should complete the following:
- Recommended specs: vertical (9:16), under 60 seconds, and max 500MB
- Write a short ad text (up to 100 characters)
- Choose a strong CTA button like “Shop Now” or “Learn More”
- Add a profile image, display name, and a valid destination URL (https)
As long as you upload your own video and keep Spark Ads turned off, your ad will automatically appear as a native In-Feed Ad.
How much do TikTok In‑Feed Ads cost?
In-Feed Ads follow a TikTok CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) model. While there’s no fixed rate, most campaigns fall within a competitive and flexible range:
- Typical CPM range: $3–$10 per 1,000 impressions
- Lower-end: ~$2–$4 (broad targeting, low-competition markets)
- Higher-end: $8–$12 (niche audiences, peak seasons)
- February 2025 average: $3.48 CPM
- Real-time tracker (early 2025): ~$3.21 average CPM
These numbers, however, are not guaranteed. Your actual ad cost can shift significantly depending on several key factors like:
- Creative performance: Ads with strong engagement rates often benefit from lower delivery costs
- Targeting complexity: The narrower or more competitive the audience, the higher the CPM
- Seasonal demand: Ad prices tend to spike during high-traffic periods like Q4 or major sales events
- Objective selection: Goals like conversions usually cost more than awareness or video views
>>> Read more: All About TikTok Collection Ads and How to Optimize Them
6 best practices to use TikTok In-feed Ads
Now, after setting up, do you want to get better results from your TikTok In-feed ads? Below are 6 best practices to help you create In-feed Ads that capture attention, drive engagement, and convert viewers into customers.
1. Design with Sound on
On TikTok, sound is an essential element in every video. In fact, 88% of TikTok users said that sound was crucial to their experience on the app. This gives advertisers a wide range of options, like using a standard music track, producing a voiced accompaniment with captions, or experimenting with other audio effects.
Advertisers can access thousands of royalty-free tracks available on TikTok’s Commercial Music Library. Mega Digital suggests using a fast-paced track around 120bpm for the best effect!
2. Shoot Vertically
Although TikTok allows advertisers to upload horizontal or square assets, producing content with a 9:16 full-screen aspect ratio is advised. Videos that follow this ratio have had an overall boost in impressions of 60.5%.
This is because the full-screen advertisement is more attractive and appears more naturally on the platform than in a horizontal or square format.
3. Start with controlled budgets and scale what performs
When launching your first In-Feed Ads, it’s best to avoid overcommitting budget too early. TikTok requires a minimum of $20/day per ad group, but instead of maxing out spend, start with just enough to test performance across 1–2 audiences or creatives. This approach helps minimize early waste while giving you room to scale what works.
For example, you might run two ad groups targeting different age segments with $30/day each. Once you identify which audience converts best, say, 18-24-year-olds clicking through at a lower CPM, you can gradually increase the budget for that group instead of spreading your spend thin.
4. Let TikTok’s algorithm work for you
TikTok’s ad delivery system is built to optimize automatically, but only if you give it room to learn. Using bidding strategies like Lowest Cost allows the algorithm to find the cheapest impressions while still hitting your goal.
Alternatively, setting a Cost Cap (e.g., $0.50 per click) gives you more control, but be careful not to set it too low too soon. It can limit delivery. Many advertisers see better performance by starting with Lowest Cost, then switching to Cost Cap once they understand their true acquisition benchmarks.
5. Work with Influencers
Creating new video content might take anywhere from six to eight months for many businesses. As a result, using TikTok influencers is a good idea since they have more excellent experience creating TikTok content that appeals to people. An approachable solution to connect with influencers is the TikTok Creator Marketplace.
6. Use Strong CTA (Call-to-action)
Creating a strong call to action (CTA) is crucial for the success of TikTok In-Feed Ads. To be effective, the CTA should be clear and direct, using concise and compelling language such as “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Sign Up Today.”
Additionally, encouraging engagement through CTAs like “Follow us for more,” “Double-tap if you agree,” or “Share with a friend” can significantly boost interaction and help build a stronger connection with the audience.
Examples of TikTok In-feed ads’ success
Now that you know the best practices for creating effective TikTok In-feed Ads, let’s look at real-world examples of how brands applied these tips to achieve strong results:
Smyth Jewelers
The advertising campaign of Smyth Jewelers – an online jewelry brand – has successfully boosted user awareness and reached younger new customers with TikTok’s In-feed ads.
Smyth Jewelers has implemented TikTok In-feed ads to attract users to their profile page with a budget of only $40/day. Smyth Jewelers’ promotional videos have grossed nearly 800,000 views and more than 19,000 new followers. This result has helped the sales of wedding and engagement rings increase 2.3 times.
OLAY
Skin and personal care brand Olay leveraged TikTok In-Feed Ads in Germany to effectively promote their Power Of Duo products: Collagen Peptide day cream and Retinol night cream. To enhance authenticity and relatability, Olay repurposed a testimonial post from an influencer.
The campaign yielded impressive results. Olay achieved:
- 15% increase in ad recall, demonstrating the effectiveness of the influencer testimonial in making a lasting impression on viewers.
- 12% uplift in purchase intent, indicating that the content successfully motivated potential customers to consider buying the products.
- Generated over 1 million views, showcasing the broad reach and engagement that TikTok In-Feed Ads can deliver when combined with influencer content.
This TikTok in-feed ads example demonstrates the effectiveness of combining influencer marketing with strategic ad placement on TikTok to build brand trust and drive product awareness.
Is TikTok In-feed Ads effective?
66% of users had a positive view of TikTok advertising, while 52% said that TikTok ads were entertaining and exciting. Since consumers are ready to participate in campaigns and don’t think of in-feed ads as intrusive, reaching a receptive audience is a significant advantage for advertisers.
Hopefully, the above article will give you helpful information about TikTok In-feed ads. If you want to start advertising on TikTok, you can learn more about TikTok Ads from Mega Digital’s experts and start an advertising campaign with a full guide on 11 ad formats right here!
>>> Read more: TikTok Auction Ads: A Complete Setup Guide and 6 Winning Tips
