TikTok ads
TikTok ads reward videos that look like TikTok, not like television. If your product can be shown, used or transformed in a few seconds, the platform can put it in front of a lot of people for a reasonable price. I deliver TikTok campaigns with a trusted partner; the contract, deadlines and communication stay with me.
Free: a 30-minute call, an action plan and a price range in writing.
Where TikTok ads
usually work
TikTok isn't only for teenagers any more, but it still favours certain kinds of products and stories.
Cosmetics, gadgets, kitchen tools, cleaning products, fashion. Anything with a visible before and after.
Owners and staff who are happy on camera. People follow people, and the algorithm rewards personality.
The core audience skews younger than Facebook, though older users are a growing share.
Lower-priced items that can be bought on the spot do better than long, considered purchases.
Emergency services, complex B2B deals and businesses that can't produce video regularly. I'll say so if that's you.
An ad in Stories,
a message in the inbox
A vertical ad in Stories, Reels or TikTok stops the scroll and starts a conversation.
- 9:16 format for phones
- A clear call-to-action button
- Messages come straight to you
TikTok campaign
from start to report
Fit check with me
A 30-minute call on product, audience, margins and whether you can supply video. If TikTok isn't right, I say so here.
Plan and quote
Goal, budget, creative plan and a fixed quote for setup and management, all agreed in writing with me.
Setup and tracking
TikTok Ads Manager in your name, pixel and Events API, audiences and the first campaign.
Creative testing
Several short videos with different hooks, plus Spark Ads boosting your best organic posts.
Reports from me
Every two weeks, in the same plain format as your other channels, so you can compare TikTok with Meta and Google.
Two short-video
platforms compared
| TikTok ads | Instagram Reels ads | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Trusted partner, managed by me | Me |
| Audience | Younger on average, very fast scrolling | Broad, tied to Facebook audiences |
| Creative style | Raw, trend-aware, sound-on | Slightly more polished, often sound-off |
| Ads from organic posts | Spark Ads | Partnership and boosted posts |
| Price | Quoted individually | From $700/month with Meta |
How TikTok ads differ from everything else
On most platforms, the audience you choose does most of the work. On TikTok, the video does. The For You feed is driven by what people watch to the end, rewatch, share and comment on, and ads sit in that same feed. A video that doesn't hold attention in the first second or two gets swiped away, no matter how precise the targeting. A video that feels like a real post from a real person can travel surprisingly far for the money.
That's why TikTok ads are mostly a creative challenge. The campaign settings matter, and tracking matters, but the biggest lever is a steady supply of short, honest, sound-on videos with a strong opening.
Ad formats worth knowing
For small and mid-sized brands, a handful of formats cover almost everything:
- In-Feed ads: full-screen videos in the For You feed with a button to your site, app or form.
- Spark Ads: paid promotion of an existing organic post, from your account or a creator's (with their permission). Likes and comments stay on the original post, which builds social proof.
- Lead generation: instant forms inside TikTok, similar to Meta's lead ads.
- Catalogue ads for stores with a product feed, where TikTok's shopping options are available.
Larger formats such as takeovers and branded effects exist too, but they're built for big brand budgets rather than small businesses.
Creative that tends to work on TikTok
The videos that perform best rarely look like ads. Typical patterns:
- The hook in the first second: the result first, then how you got there.
- A person talking to the camera, filmed on a phone, ideally the owner or someone from the team.
- Process clips: making, packing, fixing, applying, cleaning.
- Answers to real comments and questions, turned into short replies.
- Creator videos (UGC), where someone outside your company shows the product in their own style.
If you don't have people or time to film, UGC content from creators is one route; professional video ads are another. Both are quoted separately.
Why I work with a partner on TikTok
TikTok changes fast: new formats, new rules, new trends every few weeks. Rather than pretend to be an expert in every platform at once, I deliver TikTok campaigns with a trusted partner who works on it daily. The contract, deadlines and communication stay with me. You agree the plan with me, I check the work, and you get reports in the same format as your Meta and Google campaigns, so you can judge TikTok against the rest of your budget rather than in isolation.
Tracking and privacy
TikTok uses its own pixel and a server-side Events API, similar to Meta's setup. Without them, the algorithm optimizes for views instead of buyers. In Canada the usual rules apply: your privacy policy should mention advertising tracking, and in Quebec, Law 25 generally requires consent before tracking cookies are set. The tracking is configured to respect your cookie banner from day one.
How pricing works
TikTok campaigns are quoted individually after a short call, since the work depends on how much creative testing your product needs. You pay ad spend directly to TikTok, in an account registered in your name. Management has no minimum term once running. If TikTok turns out not to be the right fit, I'll suggest Instagram ads or another channel from my social media advertising range instead. For a deeper look at the platform in Canada, read my article on TikTok ads in Canada.
Short video
and TikTok
TikTok ads
FAQ
How much do TikTok ads cost?
My fee is quoted individually after a short call, because it depends on how much creative work and testing your campaign needs. Ad spend is paid by you directly to TikTok. TikTok has minimum daily budgets per campaign and ad group, and to test properly you usually need a budget similar to what you'd use on Meta.
Who actually runs my TikTok campaigns?
A trusted partner who works on TikTok every day handles the hands-on campaign work. I stay your single contact: I agree the plan and budget with you, check the work, and send the reports. You never have to manage two suppliers.
Do I need to post on TikTok to run ads?
No, ads can run without an active profile. But Spark Ads, which promote real posts from your account or a creator's, often perform better than standard ads, and an active profile reassures people who tap through. Even a few posts a month helps.
Can I use the same videos as on Instagram?
Sometimes, if they're vertical and feel native. Clips with heavy branding, stock music or a TV-commercial look tend to underperform on TikTok. It's usually worth editing the same footage differently for each platform rather than reusing one file.
Is TikTok worth it for a local service business?
Usually it's not the first channel I'd choose. For a local plumber or dentist, Google and Facebook tend to bring customers more directly. TikTok can still help a local business with a strong visual story, like a bakery or a tattoo studio.
Let's check if it fits
before you spend
Send me your product and a couple of videos you already have. On a free 30-minute call I'll tell you honestly whether TikTok is worth testing, and what it would cost.