Spark Ads on TikTok: A unique advertising format that leverages organic posts

In recent years, TikTok has become known as one of the world’s most popular social media platforms. With more than one billion active users, it has become a favourite of brands that want to reach a young, highly engaged audience. Reaching it is made possible by various types of advertising, including Spark Ads, an innovative advertising format that allows companies to use organic TikTok posts as paid advertising.

What exactly are Spark Ads on TikTok?

The Spark Ads format allows companies to publish ads using posts derived from their account on TikTok or organic posts from other creators with prior authorization. Unlike regular In-Feed Ads, Spark Ads uses existing accounts on the TikTok platform, which ensures that all views, comments, shares, likes and followings gained from boosting videos as part of the promotion are attributed to organic posts. In addition, there is no limit to how many times the same TikTok posts can be used as creatives in ads. The format provides companies with a unique opportunity to create engaging content that resonates with audiences while remaining authentic. In addition, Spark Ads allows companies to showcase creativity, which is highly valued on TikTok. Creative videos promoted through this channel can significantly boost the popularity of a given product or service and the creator from whose account the content is promoted. 

Purchase-and-Advertise-Targets-Spark Ads Format:

Before we discuss the creative possibilities and best practices for creating Spark Ads, let’s review another dose of technical knowledge to help us run the ad efficiently within TikTok Ads Manager. 

The Spark Ads on TikTok are based on two available purchase types that enable us to target specific advertising goals. These purchase types are:

• Auction (Auction) – for this type of purchase, the display of advertisements depends on factors such as daily budget and rate-setting strategy. It allows advertisers to use the following ad targets in a campaign:
  • reach, video views, social interactions, traffic, app installs, conversions, lead generation and in-store purchases; 
• Reach & Frequency) – This type of campaign purchase in TikTok Ads Manager allows you to control the number of times your audiences are shown ads within your planned budget. It offers a slightly more limited choice of ad targets, namely:
  • reach, traffic and video views; 

What types of companies can benefit from using this advertising format?

Spark Ads on TikTok can be particularly useful for companies with existing organic content that want to increase their reach. With this format, companies can turn their already-created organic content into ads, increasing their effectiveness and generating more user engagement. Spark Ads are particularly beneficial for fashion, beauty and lifestyle companies, where visual content is extremely important and strongly impacts engagement and sales. However, this format can be used by companies in any industry – small and large – and we have no technical limitations here. Thus, Spark Ads enables companies to reach new customers and increase the reach of their message. Creativity is the most important thing when creating Spark Ads, but we will return to this topic later in the article.

Spark Ads on TikToku – influencer collaboration

Having a company’s own account on TikTok and creating content is very useful but not absolutely necessary. This is because cooperating with influencers is a popular way to issue Spark Ads. The process of establishing such cooperation, from the moment of contacting an influencer to launching a Spark Ads promotion, is as follows:

• Agreeing on the basic details – if we find out that the creator is willing to cooperate with our company, at the beginning we need to agree with him/her on the rate for recording the video and publishing it on his/her profile. This one will depend on issues such as the number of followers the creator has, the length of the material and our requirements for its content. Let’s remember to clearly communicate to the influencer with whom we want to cooperate that we will care about promoting the posted material within Spark Ads. In the case of cooperation with some influencers, we will have to pay more for the opportunity to authorize the post for such promotion. 
• Publication of the material by the creator – when both parties are satisfied with the material prepared by the creator, the next step becomes posting the video on the influencer’s profile by the influencer himself. The influencer needs to include in the description of the video the information that the material was prepared as part of a paid advertising partnership – the inclusion of this information is required by Polish law 
• Authorization and transfer of code for promotion within Spark Ads – the influencer authorizes a post for promotion within Spark Ads as a result, he/she receives a code to promote the video through TikTok Ads Manager. The validity period of the code depends on it, so it’s a good idea to establish with the creator in advance until you want the possibility of promotion within Spark Ads to be active. This is especially important when, for example, the influencer presents a dedicated discount code for purchasing our products or services in the video, which has its own validity period.
• The company creates an ad through the TikTok Ads Manager platform. The company selects the advertising target, schedule, audience, and budget of the ad it is interested in and then enters the code provided by the influencer in the appropriate place for the Spark Ads to be active.
• Ready! Spark Ads is active

Still, think TikTok is all about fooling around and dancing?

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TikTok Ads – a necessity or an optional add-on to social media campaigns?

Just a while ago, Facebook Ads was the most popular advertising platform for promoting organic posts on social media. The rise in popularity of the TikTok platform in late 2019 and early 2020 has led to TikTok Ads now being seen as an alternative to Facebook Ads, steadily gaining popularity among marketers and advertisers. 

As a result, is broadcasting ads on TikTok now a necessity or an optional add-on to existing social media advertising campaigns? It depends on the advertiser’s goals and target audience. 

That depends on the advertiser’s goals and target audience.

TikTok is particularly attractive to younger users, especially Generation Z, the largest group of users on this platform. Therefore, if an advertiser wants to reach this target group, TikTok may be an ideal choice. However, Facebook Ads is still a strong player if the target audience is more age-diverse and prefers other social media platforms. Ultimately, then, the choice between TikTok Ads, Facebook Ads, and other platforms and using a combination of platforms depends on the goals of the advertising campaign and the target audience’s preferences.

Summary

Spark Ads is a unique approach to advertising that uses organic content rather than just traditional banner ads. Promoted content is displayed as posts in the TikTok stream and encourages users to interact with it. This format is an interesting alternative to traditional advertising forms and can attract TikTok users’ attention.

Spark Ads are a wide range of possibilities – promoting a company’s own content or collaborating with influencers. They answer numerous advertising goals and help advertisers creatively present their products and services. If you decide to promote Spark Ads, remember – creativity and innovation come first on TikTok. These factors will help your business get to the next level with Spark Ads.