On TikTok, advertisers now have a new way to reach customers.
TikTok appears to be quietly rolling out ads within its search results page, though this has not been announced or confirmed.
We’ll explain why search ads are rumored to be coming to TikTok and what this means for your social media marketing strategy in this post.
Examples Discovered in Nature
David Herrmann, a Digital Media Buyer in the industry, was the first to report this discovery on Twitter.
Herrmann shared a screenshot of the TikTok search results page, revealing that the first four results included a Sponsored ad.
We checked the TikTok search results page with a few different non-related queries to make sure this wasn’t a coincidence:
- Makeup tutorials
- House cleaning tips
Both times, an ad appeared in the first four results.
Read When is the Best Time to Post on TikTok?
The Implications for Advertisers
You’ll be able to expand your campaign targeting to specific queries once search ads are available to the general public. The following are some of the advantages of this type of targeting:
- Better control over campaigns
- More “bottom of funnel” options
- Identify user intent and interest
When search ads become available, you’ll see additional reporting in the TikTok Ads Manager interface, including:
- Search term click data
- Conversion data from search terms
Aside from Paid Advertising, There Are Other Advantages
For marketers, search ad targeting opens up a whole new world of possibilities. It allows you to take actionable steps in your TikTok marketing in addition to reporting on search term data. Not only for paid campaigns but also for SEO and content creation in general.
Herrmann, for example, later recommends in a Twitter thread:
“…make a list of those search terms and start putting those as titles in your top performing TikToks to get new life out of them.”
This strategy has the potential to help you rank higher and gain more exposure without the need for paid advertising.
From an SEO standpoint, the search terms report is also useful. You’ll be able to analyze data on the most frequently searched terms, which will aid in the direction of your TikTok marketing strategy.
Herrmann recommends creating TikTok content that solves problems for users if you notice a lot of users searching “how to” in relation to your product or service. It’s a great way to get your audience to know you and engage with you before they buy.
Another advantage of reporting is the conversion data. You could use converted users to create new audiences to expand or exclude from future campaigns’ targeting. It’s an excellent remarketing strategy, and you can then tailor content to that specific audience, perhaps with a stronger call to action.
Summary
TikTok’s advertising capabilities appear to be just getting started. While this search ads beta isn’t open to everyone, contacting a TikTok ads representative is the best way to get started.
We’d appreciate it if you could contact us. Are you a TikTok search beta tester? So far, how have things gone for you?
Learn more from Tiktok and read How to Make and Sell Merch on TikTok.
2 Comments