How to Break Through on TikTok

TikTok has become the “it” platform to be on. But with over a billion monthly active users worldwide, it can be tricky to establish yourself or your brand among the noise. With that being said, there are tips you can learn about how to break through on TikTok. Keep reading to find out more. 

One of the clearcut ways of reaching your audience is with intentionality, rather than leaving it up to chance. While you’ll need a mix of promotional and organic content, this post is going to focus on creative TikTok ads to help you stand out among the sea of content with compelling videos that resonate with audiences. 

It is worth noting that ads on TikTok are not meant to be seen as in-your-face poster style adverts. Instead, they’re meant to be part of the seamless user experience. It should have a creative and unique edge, showcase the brand’s personality, and appeal to the TikTok platform. When this mix is achieved, ads are more likely to be seen and to be effective (with focused attention on the screen rather than being glossed over). 

Creating TikTok Ads

Focus on the Creatives

Creative elements impact performance. There are guidelines that brands can follow, such as being authentic and willing to experiment. This means that content needs to be created for the TikTok platform and your audiences.In simple-terms, having a TikTok-first mindset can make all the difference, especially when it comes to performance in terms of things like engagement, view-through rates, recall, and relevance. Branded content therefore needs to be a reflection of organic creator content to ensure that users have an immersive and holistic experience. 

TikTok has a creator community where you can learn detailed tips about best practices to achieve this, which includes:

• Mobile-first
• Vertical format
• Entertaining
• Sounds
• Trend alignment 

There are many other areas of the strategy which are not clear-cut w and will require testing. For instance, finding the sweet spot of how long an ad should be for maximised brand awareness and recall.  

5 Tips for Creative TikTok Ads

• Be authentic and unpolished: Ads with a native feel are preferred. Having a less polished look that veers away from professional perfectionism is key, but that doesn't mean quality should be compromised! It’s all about being casual, real, and relatable. 
• Spark joy: TikTok is an entertainment platform, so infuse smiles and laughter into your content. Find your fun side when creating, from sounds to trends and delivering brand messages in amusing ways. 
• Make some noise: Creating fully immersive experiences are important on TikTok. Be sure to think about the sound as a core sense and means of capturing attention, be it a voice-over, a song, or a trending sound.
• Be trendy: Being at the top of trends can take you to the top quickly and put you in a position at the top of mind. Timing is essential here, but trends are a great way to leverage what’s popular at the moment, while showing that your brand is attuned and involved in what’s hot. Another way to grab this opportunity for brands is to inspire challenges that can take off among your audience. 
• Collaborate with creators: Creators can be a game changer for brands. They have a vested interest in and knowledge of TikTok, with a trusted community that brands can tap into. It’s all about connections that drive results. This can have a significant influence in a brand’s perception, likability, and conversions. 

Tip: Browse TikTok Creator Marketplace where you can search for qualified creators to manage branded content campaigns and outsource creative production.

There you have it: a general view of how to approach TikTok as a brand, and how to create creative ads that deliver real results. This platform is filled with potential and opportunities. This is the space to unleash creativity and play to see what works best.

Eager to learn more about creating ads on TikTok. Explore the work that our team at Imperial Leisure has done to help brands win on TikTok.