TikTok has taken the digital world by storm. With an ever-growing user base and a unique algorithm that promotes engaging and entertaining short-form videos, it’s no surprise that brands of all sizes are looking to tap into this platform’s potential. If you’ve been thinking about advertising on TikTok but aren’t sure where to begin, you’re in the right place. This guide covers the top 5 TikTok ad formats and breaks down everything you need to know about when to use them.

In this article, we’ll explore how each format works, why it’s relevant, and how you can incorporate it into your own marketing campaigns. By the end, you’ll have a firm grasp on TikTok’s ad ecosystem and feel prepared to craft compelling campaigns that resonate with the platform’s large, enthusiastic audience.

Note: This article is written with Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) guidelines in mind. Our goal is to provide you with accurate, clear, and up-to-date information so you can make the best decisions for your business.

Let’s dive into this comprehensive breakdown of TikTok’s primary ad formats and learn the best ways to utilize each of them.

Understanding TikTok Ad Formats

Before we explore the top formats, let’s set the stage by understanding why TikTok advertising can be so effective.

  1. High Engagement
    TikTok is known for short, snappy videos that encourage users to watch, like, comment on, and share content. Because each video loops and displays one at a time, viewers tend to stay focused, making it easier for brands to capture attention.
  2. Advanced Algorithm
    The TikTok “For You Page” (FYP) is famous for its algorithm’s ability to deliver content to the right people. If your ad content is creative, it stands a good chance of reaching an interested audience.
  3. Diverse Demographics
    While TikTok started with a strong Gen Z presence, it has rapidly expanded to include older users from varying regions, making it a viable platform for businesses across nearly every industry.
  4. Creative Freedom
    TikTok culture embraces unique, trendy, and authentic content. Advertisers can try new strategies without fear of coming across as too unconventional. In fact, creativity is often rewarded here.

With that big-picture context in mind, let’s focus on the ad formats themselves.

In-Feed Ads

In-Feed Ads are some of the most common and accessible forms of advertising on TikTok. These appear within a user’s “For You Page” feed, seamlessly blending with organic content.

What Are In-Feed Ads?

In-Feed Ads play automatically in a user’s feed as they scroll through videos. Typically lasting 5 to 15 seconds, they often come with a call-to-action (CTA) button that can drive users to your desired landing page, a specific app download, or any other conversion point.

Why Use In-Feed Ads?

  • Native Feel: They blend in with the organic feed, so viewers are less likely to skip them outright.
  • Cost-Effective: In-Feed Ads are usually more affordable than some of TikTok’s premium ad placements.
  • Measurable: You can track performance metrics such as click-through rates, views, likes, comments, shares, and conversions.

When to Choose In-Feed Ads

In-Feed Ads are great for small- to medium-sized businesses wanting to test the waters of TikTok advertising without a massive budget. They also suit campaigns that need to appear native and authentic. If your objective is user engagement, app installs, or quick website visits, this format is an excellent choice.

Tips for Success

  • Hook Viewers Quickly: Because attention spans are short, aim to grab users in the first few seconds with eye-catching visuals or compelling text.
  • Add Clear CTAs: Whether it’s “Shop Now” or “Learn More,” a prominent CTA can increase your click-through rate.
  • Focus on Trends: TikTok thrives on viral trends. Incorporate popular music, challenges, or comedic elements to boost engagement.

Brand Takeover Ads

Brand Takeover Ads are like the VIP pass of TikTok advertising. They appear immediately when a user opens the app, ensuring near-instant visibility.

What Are Brand Takeover Ads?

A Brand Takeover Ad is usually a short (3 to 5 seconds) full-screen static or dynamic display shown the moment someone launches TikTok. This format can also take the shape of a GIF or a brief video clip, guiding users to either a hashtag challenge, a landing page, or another piece of TikTok content.

Why Use Brand Takeover Ads?

  • Maximum Visibility: These ads occupy prime real estate by showing up right after the app is opened.
  • High Impact: The viewer has minimal distractions, as they’re greeted by the ad before seeing anything else.
  • Guaranteed Reach: Typically, TikTok restricts how many Brand Takeovers appear per day in a user’s app, ensuring that your brand’s message won’t get lost in a crowd of competing ads.

When to Choose Brand Takeover Ads

If you want a bold way to reach a wide audience quickly, or you’re launching a major promotion, event, or product release, this format can give you that immediate, impactful presence. It’s also ideal when your marketing budget allows for a premium placement.

Tips for Success

  • Be Concise: You only have a few seconds. Focus on a memorable image or message that makes viewers want to learn more.
  • Strong Visuals: Use high-quality designs or eye-catching video clips that convey your brand’s identity.
  • Timed Promotions: If you have a flash sale or time-sensitive campaign, this is the perfect platform to ensure it’s seen by as many people as possible right from the moment they open the app.

TopView Ads

TopView Ads can be considered an evolved version of Brand Takeover Ads, offering a longer format while still providing prominent placement.

What Are TopView Ads?

TopView Ads also appear when users open TikTok, but they tend to play a bit longer, up to 60 seconds. They take over the screen once the user has passed the initial “welcome” moment or brand takeover. This format is generally a full-screen video that auto-plays with sound, capturing the user’s attention right away.

Why Use TopView Ads?

  • Extended Duration: The longer run-time can help convey a more detailed message than a Brand Takeover.
  • Immediate Engagement: By appearing early in the user’s session, TopView Ads often see higher engagement rates.
  • Less Intrusive: While still prominent, users first see an initial screen (or brand takeover if present), and then your ad starts, allowing a slightly gentler user experience.

When to Choose TopView Ads

TopView Ads are perfect for campaigns that need more than a few seconds to tell a story. If you’ve got a compelling video that can hook users and keep them watching, consider this format. It’s also valuable for product demonstrations, mini-trailers, and brand awareness projects.

Tips for Success

  • Keep It Snappy: Even though you can go up to 60 seconds, try to make your main point in the first 5-10 seconds.
  • Use Sound Wisely: TikTok’s audience loves good music or catchy audio. Incorporate sound to enhance your video rather than distract from it.
  • Clear Messaging: Don’t overload the viewer. Keep text overlays clean and ensure your brand name or logo is easily visible.

Branded Hashtag Challenges

One of TikTok’s most iconic community-driven features is the hashtag challenge. Brands have capitalized on this by creating Branded Hashtag Challenges, encouraging user-generated content around a specific theme.

What Are Branded Hashtag Challenges?

A Branded Hashtag Challenge is when you promote a unique hashtag associated with your brand or campaign and encourage users to create videos around it. TikTok features the challenge on the Discover page, making it easy to find. By participating, users become brand ambassadors, generating waves of organic content and engagement.

Why Use Branded Hashtag Challenges?

  • High Engagement: These challenges tap into the collaborative nature of TikTok, often leading to millions of views and user submissions if done right.
  • Community Building: By inviting users to join the conversation, you create a sense of community and brand loyalty.
  • Viral Potential: If your challenge is fun, accessible, and easy to participate in, it can quickly go viral, reaching audiences far beyond your initial target.

When to Choose Branded Hashtag Challenges

If your brand or campaign thrives on creativity and audience participation, this format is a winner. It’s especially effective when you have a product or concept that people can easily incorporate into their own videos—think dance challenges, comedic skits, or transformation videos.

Tips for Success

  • Make It Fun: Give users a reason to participate. Whether it’s a dance routine, a DIY project, or a comedic skit, the challenge should be enjoyable and easy to replicate.
  • Leverage Influencers: Partner with popular TikTok creators to kick-start the challenge. Their involvement can quickly boost visibility.
  • Promote It: Don’t rely solely on the challenge going viral. Use In-Feed Ads, TopView Ads, and other placements to drive traffic to your hashtag.

Branded Effects

Branded Effects allow you to create customized stickers, filters, and other augmented reality (AR) elements that users can incorporate into their videos.

What Are Branded Effects?

TikTok’s creative suite offers AR filters, 2D or 3D stickers, and other interactive visual effects. Brands can develop custom versions of these elements so users can overlay them on their own videos, effectively promoting the brand through playful, user-generated content.

Why Use Branded Effects?

  • Interactive Experience: Unlike a static ad, branded effects are a fun way for users to engage with your brand.
  • Brand Visibility: Whenever someone uses your effect, your logo or branding elements appear, garnering organic reach.
  • Longer Lifespan: A successful effect might remain popular for weeks or even months, extending the life of your campaign.

When to Choose Branded Effects

If your product or service lends itself to visual creativity—like makeup, fashion, or anything that can be displayed in an AR environment—Branded Effects can be especially powerful. They’re also great for events, holidays, or special promotions, giving users a fresh way to express themselves.

Tips for Success

  • Keep It On-Brand: Make sure your colors, theme, and design match your brand identity.
  • Focus on Creativity: The more unique and fun your effect, the more likely users will share and engage with it.
  • Combine With Other Formats: Promote your new effect through In-Feed Ads or a Hashtag Challenge to maximize reach.

Choosing the Right Format for Your Goals

Now that you have a clear breakdown of TikTok’s main ad formats, how do you decide which one to use? Let’s match formats with common marketing objectives:

If You Want Quick Reach and Immediate Impact

  • Brand Takeover Ads: Perfect for big announcements, product launches, or time-sensitive campaigns.

If You Want a Native Experience and Engagement

  • In-Feed Ads: Great for budgets of all sizes and for driving app installs, website clicks, or on-platform engagement.

If You Want Longer, High-Impact Visibility

  • TopView Ads: Offers up to 60 seconds of content, making it ideal for storytelling and deeper brand messaging.

If You Want to Create a Viral Movement

  • Branded Hashtag Challenges: Harness user-generated content and spark a wave of participant-driven promotion.

If You Want Interactive Engagement

  • Branded Effects: Encourage user creativity and generate organic visibility over a longer period.

Setting Up Your TikTok Ad Campaign

TikTok’s self-serve ad platform, TikTok Ads Manager, offers a user-friendly interface for creating, deploying, and monitoring campaigns. Here’s a quick rundown on how to set up your first campaign:

Step 1: Create a TikTok Ads Manager Account

Go to the TikTok Ads Manager website and sign up with your business details. You’ll need to verify your email or phone number.

Step 2: Choose Your Objective

TikTok typically offers objectives like Awareness, Consideration, or Conversion. Select the one that aligns best with your campaign goals. For instance, if you want to drive traffic to your website, pick a Consideration objective such as “Traffic.”

Step 3: Set Your Budget and Schedule

You can choose a daily budget or a lifetime budget for your campaign. Decide when you want it to start and end. Keep in mind that if you’re using premium placements like Brand Takeover, you’ll need a larger budget.

Step 4: Select Your Ad Placement

You can opt for Automatic Placement or manually choose your placements (like TikTok alone or TikTok plus other partners). Note that some formats, such as Brand Takeover and TopView, are only available in specific placements and typically require approval or direct collaboration with TikTok’s sales team.

Step 5: Define Your Target Audience

Use TikTok’s targeting features to narrow down your audience by demographics, interests, and behaviors. For example, if you’re selling sports apparel, you might target users interested in fitness or sports accounts.

Step 6: Create Your Ad

Upload your creative assets (images or videos), add ad text, and finalize your call-to-action. TikTok provides a video creation kit if you need help producing content.

Step 7: Monitor and Optimize

Use TikTok Ads Manager’s analytics to track performance metrics. Keep an eye on your cost-per-click (CPC), click-through rate (CTR), and conversions to see if your ad is resonating. If performance dips, tweak your creative, targeting, or budget.

Crafting Engaging TikTok Ad Creatives

TikTok ads thrive on creativity. Here are some best practices to keep your content engaging and in line with platform culture:

  • Embrace Vertical Video: Always create ads optimized for a vertical, full-screen experience.
  • Start Strong: The first few seconds matter most. Use them to hook your audience.
  • Utilize Captions and Text Overlays: Many users watch videos without sound. Add captions or minimal text to get your message across.
  • Match the Music: Pick trending or popular tracks (where allowed) to align with the platform’s culture.
  • Be Authentic: TikTok users value genuine content. Avoid overtly “salesy” approaches whenever possible.

Measuring Success

No campaign is complete without proper measurement and analysis. Here are key metrics to watch:

  • Impressions: The number of times your ad was displayed.
  • Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of viewers who clicked on your CTA or link.
  • Engagement Rate: This may include likes, comments, and shares, depending on your campaign goals.
  • Conversion Rate: The percentage of users who completed your desired action (such as making a purchase or signing up) after clicking.
  • Cost Per Action (CPA): How much you spend on each conversion. Useful for gauging efficiency.

By keeping tabs on these metrics, you can adjust your campaigns in real time—changing visuals, tweaking CTA buttons, or refining audience targeting to get the best possible results.

Tips for Staying Compliant with TikTok Policies

Adhering to platform guidelines is crucial, not just for ethical reasons but also to keep your content live and avoid penalties:

  • Follow Community Guidelines: Familiarize yourself with TikTok’s policies, particularly around content that may be sensitive or restricted.
  • Use Licensed Music: Ensure any music you use is either provided by TikTok’s Commercial Music Library or is fully licensed for commercial use.
  • Respect User Privacy: If you collect data from users, be upfront about how that data will be used.
  • Avoid Misleading Claims: Make sure your ad copy and visuals accurately represent your product or service.

Building Trust and Authority (E-E-A-T Considerations)

Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) guidelines also apply to social media marketing advice. While TikTok ads themselves aren’t directly ranked in search engines, your overall brand reputation can be influenced by the quality and integrity of your marketing efforts. Here’s how to align with these principles:

  • Experience: Share real-world examples or testimonials when applicable. If you’ve run successful TikTok campaigns before, highlight the lessons learned.
  • Expertise: Reference credible data and case studies. If there’s a well-documented success story or industry research, weave it into your content to validate your strategies.
  • Authoritativeness: Keep your messaging consistent across platforms and demonstrate in-depth knowledge of TikTok’s features. Back up your statements with verifiable facts.
  • Trustworthiness: Be transparent about sponsorships, partnerships, or data collection practices. Clearly disclose any affiliate links or brand deals to maintain user trust.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

As with any marketing channel, there are pitfalls you should steer clear of:

  • Being Too Salesy: TikTok users appreciate authenticity. Overly pushy ads can lead to negative feedback and lower engagement.
  • Neglecting Analytics: Failing to monitor your ad performance is a quick way to burn through your budget without seeing results.
  • Ignoring Trends: TikTok trends change rapidly. Stay informed and be ready to pivot if a challenge or meme aligns with your brand’s identity.
  • Poor Targeting: Casting too wide a net can dilute your message. Instead, refine your targeting to make sure your ads reach the most relevant audience.

Practical Examples for Different Industries

Even though TikTok is a highly visual and trend-based platform, it can serve a wide range of industries. Here are some examples:

  • E-commerce Clothing Brand
    • In-Feed Ads: Show styling tips with a quick “Shop Now” CTA.
    • Branded Hashtag Challenge: Invite users to share their “Outfit of the Day” featuring your items.
  • Online Education Platform
    • TopView Ad: Offer a 30-second teaser of a free webinar.
    • Brand Takeover: Highlight a limited-time discount for new subscribers.
  • Fitness App
    • In-Feed Ads: Demonstrate a quick workout routine with a “Download Now” CTA.
    • Branded Effects: Create a filter that allows users to track their daily steps in a fun, animated way.
  • Local Restaurant
    • In-Feed Ads: Show behind-the-scenes food prep to highlight freshness.
    • Branded Hashtag Challenge: Encourage users to share their reactions to tasting a new dish.

The key is to tailor the format to match your brand’s identity and your specific campaign goals.

Final Thoughts

TikTok’s meteoric rise in popularity shows no signs of slowing down. Its unique approach to content discovery and community engagement makes it a fantastic playground for creative marketers. By understanding the top 5 TikTok ad formats—In-Feed Ads, Brand Takeover Ads, TopView Ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges, and Branded Effects—you’ll be well on your way to crafting campaigns that resonate with users and deliver tangible results.

Whether you’re a small business dipping your toes in short-form video marketing or a large enterprise aiming for global reach, TikTok offers an array of opportunities. Keep testing, stay updated on platform changes, and always remember to measure and optimize. With the right mix of creativity, strategy, and authenticity, TikTok can become a pivotal channel in your overall marketing game plan.

If you need more insights or a deeper dive into any specific TikTok ad feature, feel free to ask. We’re here to guide you every step of the way, ensuring your campaigns not only reach your target audience but also resonate in a way that fuels brand growth.