In-Feed Video
Native creative, hook tested in the first three seconds, sound-on by default.
SHORT-FORM VIDEO
TikTok Ads with creative built for the platform
Repurposed Meta creative fails here, visibly and quickly. TikTok needs footage made for TikTok, in volume, and that is a production problem before it is a media problem.
3s
To hold or lose the view
12+
New concepts monthly
−28%
Typical CPM vs Meta
2wk
Creative refresh cycle
DIAGNOSIS
Why most TikTok accounts stall
These are the four findings that come up most often in our TikTok Ads audits. If two of them apply to you, there is money on the table.
01
Meta creative reposted
Polished, landscape-cropped, brand-led. It reads as an ad in the first second and gets scrolled.
02
Creative fatigue ignored
Performance here decays in one to two weeks, far faster than Meta. Without a refresh cycle the account dies quietly.
03
Events API not configured
Without server-side events the algorithm has almost no signal, and optimisation never stabilises.
04
Judged on last-click
TikTok drives discovery that converts later elsewhere. Last-click attribution will always make it look worse than it is.
CAMPAIGN TYPES
Formats that survive the scroll
Spark Ads
Run through creator accounts, which typically outperforms brand-account delivery.
Video Shopping Ads
Catalogue-driven for e-commerce, with feed hygiene maintained.
Creator partnerships
Sourced and briefed, with usage rights negotiated up front rather than after.
Retargeting
Segmented by watch depth, which is a far better intent signal here than page views.
Lead Generation
Instant forms for services, with qualification built into the flow.
METHOD
How we sustain performance
Concept-first testing
We test concepts, not edits. Ten variations of a weak idea teach you nothing.
Fortnightly refresh
New creative on a fixed cycle, because fatigue is measured in weeks here.
Events API
Server-side events configured and monitored, not left on the browser pixel.
Blended measurement
Reported against blended CAC, since last-click consistently understates the channel.
REPORTING
Creative metrics before media metrics
Visible in your dashboard continuously, not summarised once a month.
Hook rate
Three-second views over impressions
Hold rate
Completion over three-second views
CPA
Platform and blended
Creative age
Days since each asset launched
ALSO AVAILABLE
The rest of the stack
Google Ads
Search, Shopping, Performance Max and YouTube, managed against your target CPA rather than platform defaults.
Meta Ads
Facebook and Instagram campaigns with creative production, clean Pixel and CAPI, and reporting you can audit.
Bing Ads
Lower CPCs, an older and wealthier audience, and LinkedIn profile targeting no other search engine offers.
Amazon Ads
Sponsored Products, Brands and Display, structured by harvest tier and bid against true contribution.
LinkedIn Ads
The most expensive clicks in advertising, targeted tightly enough to be worth it.
TikTok Ads questions
Do we need to appear on camera?
No, but something has to feel native. Product demonstration, UGC-style footage or a creator partnership all work. Polished brand film does not.
Is our audience on TikTok?
Increasingly yes across all five of our markets, but if your buyer is a 55-year-old procurement manager we will tell you to spend the money on LinkedIn instead.
How much creative do you need?
At least eight to twelve new concepts a month to sustain performance. That is included, and it is the main reason accounts here succeed or fail.
Free TikTok Ads audit
A read-only review delivered as a recorded walkthrough within 24 hours. Yours to keep either way.
Get your free audit