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TikTok In-feed ads: Agency’s Guide From Set-up to Optimize

TikTok in-feed ads are a powerful tool for brands looking to reach a younger, highly engaged audience on the platform. These ads allow you to create immersive and interactive content that captures the attention of users and drives engagement and conversions. Considered the cheapest ad type, in-feed ad is a cost-effective option for advertisers looking to reach a broad audience.

Let’s get a full notebook about in-feed ads on TikTok right here!

What are in-feed ads on TikTok?

In-feed ads
Source: Internet

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 offers two main purchasing options for In-feed video ads: Auction and Reservation.

in feed ad
TikTok Auction In-feed adsTikTok 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.
Differences between TikTok Auction vs. Reservation In-feed ads

TikTok In-feed ad specs 

One of the unique qualities of In-feed ads is that they appear like any native content on For You Page. Therefore, you should note its specs to ensure that none of your key visual elements are blocked by TikTok’s user interface overlay.

Tiktok in-feed ads specs:

  • Duration: 5-16 seconds (Recommended length: 15 seconds).
  • Dimension: 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1
  • Resolution: 1280px x 720px, 720px x 1280px, and  640px x 640px
  • File supported: .mov, .mp4, .3gp, .mpeg, or .avi files in your ads
  • Size: ≤ 500 MB
  • Profile image specs:
    • Ratio: 1:1
    • File type: .jpg, .jpeg, .png
    • File size: less than 50 KB
  • App name specs: 2-20 Asian characters and 4-40 Latin alphabet letters
  • Brand name specs:  1-10 Asian characters and 2-20 Latin letters
  • Ad description specs: 1-50 Asian characters and 12-100 Latin letters. Note that emojis or these special characters: “{}” or “#” are not included.
In-feed ads specs
Source: TikTok For Business

>>> Read more: How to start advertising on TikTok for beginners

Tiktok in-feed ads cost?

In contrast to Facebook and Google, TikTok does not use cost per click as a metric. The platform employs cost per mille (CPM), which equals the price per 1000 views. So, in-feed ads are quite affordable because they only cost $10 per CPM compared to other types of TikTok Ads.

>>> Read more: TikTok Ads cost: How much should you budget for your campaign?

6 best practices to use TikTok In-feed Ads

TikTok in-feed ads best practices
Source: Internet

#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.

Every three to five days, trends in challenges, effects, music, and memes shift. However, using a trend as a reference point in your creative material will make it simpler for users to relate to your brand. This also gives more chances for the TikTok algorithm to boost your videos forward.

#4 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.

#5 Test for better results

TikTok’s advertising UI provides an A/B testing tool for clean testing. You can try various advertising tactics as well as multiple target functions. To have a more thorough understanding of how specific content is performing, advertisers can also use the platform’s multi-session measurement.

#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.” 

Position the CTA prominently, ideally towards the end of the video, to guide viewers on the next steps they should take. 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.

2 Examples of TikTok In-feed ad’s success

Smyth Jewelers

@smythjewelers Which @martinflyer engagement ring is your dream ring? #jewelrybox #engagementring #tiktokjewelry #diamond #richtok #? #engaged #willyoumarryme ♬ Levitating – Dua Lipa

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.

@olay

Hard to believe something SO small made SO much lather! Try it yourself! Shop Olay Cleansing Melts at Olay.com 🫧 #OlayPartner #New #Cleanser #SkincareRoutine

♬ original sound – Olay Skin Care

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?

TikTok in-feed ads effective
Source: Internet

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!

Explore 11 TikTok Ad Types
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Author

Hanh Le Nguyen
Hanh Le Nguyen
Advertising & Marketing Specialist

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