BY Kathy Crosett
What are advertisers spending on TikTok ads? Globally, the amount will come to $43B in 2026. That’s nearly double what was spent in 2024. U.S. businesses will account for $14.5B of that ad spending. AudienceSCAN, along with other research shops, reports that nearly half of U.S. adults use TikTok. But what is the best way to reach a TikTok fan with a marketing message? New data reveals truths about TikTok marketing.
How do TikTok ads deliver for marketers?
Your accounts have the option of running various ad types on the platform. Each type comes with a different cost and return on investment. For example, in-feed ads have an average cost of $5.20 for CPM or $0.72 CPC. They deliver an average CTR of 1.62%. To get a top CTR, printful.com reports, marketers need to check out the branded hashtag challenge format which has an $8.60 CPM, a $0.94 CPC and a CTR of 3.18%.
How do metrics vary by vertical?
Like many platforms, TikTok delivers higher engagement rates for some industries. In particular, while the average conversion rate comes in at about 2.01%, marketers in the beauty and health, fashion and accessories, and food supplements verticals see higher activity.
Beauty and fashion also enjoy a higher return on ad spend, between 4:1 to 7:1, while the average is at 2.21. affninja also reports that education marketers, think colleges, achieve engagement rates of 9.5% when they post ads to the site.
Your accounts may experience different metrics.
How to make a big impression with TikTok ads
Your accounts face plenty of competition in terms of getting noticed. They have only a short period of time to make a memorable impression and to stand apart from the competition. New research in the Journal of Business Research, highlighted by scienceofmoney.org, considers specific aspects of TikTok ads that boost engagement. When TikTok users like, comment on or share a video with others, they are signaling engagement. Advise your accounts that they may be able to optimize their advertising outcomes by checking out recommendations based on the Journal of Business research.
Optimize video length
If your clients post videos that last between 7 seconds and 15 seconds, they should land in the sweet spot. And your accounts should consider using a TikTok influencer in their videos. Around 78% of surveyed brands do, reports affninja.
Use the right visual and auditory ad elements
Researchers reviewed both visual and auditory aspects of several ads. Based on their analysis, they recommend that marketers use “colloquial, informal speech” during the ads. The casual language “builds a sense of closeness with the viewer.” And that sense of closeness encourages the audience members to interact, to the benefit of the advertisers.
The casual language should also be produced with a rhythmic pattern. In making this suggestion, researchers also noted that this tonal variation has a stronger impact on TikTok fans at night.
In addition, displaying colorful video attracts attention and positive responses. For food products, colorful visuals result in more shares.
Who is the typical TokTok fan?
The TikTok platform reaches a global audience of 1.9B users who are often on the site for 1.5 hours a day. That amounts to about 1/3 of social media users.
And TikTok fans aren’t just watching videos. Emarketer data cited in uproas.io notes that U.S. consumers purchased $15.8B of products via TikTok last year.
The TikTok User audience is mostly comprised of consumers under age 55. Overall, nearly 54% have responded to an ad on a social network, according to AudienceSCAN. In addition, around 58% have taken action as a result of a social video they’ve seen. This detail underscores the importance of having a presence on TikTok.
Advertising content should speak to the aspirations of this audience. They over-index for their interest in products that will help them feel powerful, sexy and popular, reports AudienceScan.
Remind your clients that some audiences are not the best match for TikTok ads. These categories include B2B audiences and technical products.
The bottom line is that TikTok advertising can reach every TikTok fan. Your accounts may need your help regarding best practices to get the most from the TikTok investment.
Image by Greenwish_ on Pexels.
