A TikTok Best Practices Checklist for your next campaign

With its ever-growing user base and unique ad format, TikTok offers exciting opportunities for brands to reach engaged audiences. But navigating the intricate auction system can be tricky.

Today, TikTok released a comprehensive Best Practices Checklist to optimize your next web auction campaign and unlock its full potential on TikTok Ads.

Structure & Data:

• One Account, Diverse Groups: Maintain a single ad account per region, but diversify with 3+ ad groups per campaign to test different approaches.
• Data Connections: Leverage both the TikTok Pixel and Events API to share comprehensive customer journey data with the platform.
• Match Keys: Utilize both Auto and Manual Matching, and create custom audiences for precise targeting.

Campaign Setup & Budget:

• Open & Optimize Budgets: Leave campaign budgets open for flexibility, utilize Campaign Budget Optimization for multiple ad groups with distinct goals, and opt for daily budgets in ad groups.
• Scaling Wisely: Increase budgets by no more than 50% at a time, following at least 80% utilization, and limit adjustments to twice per day with observation periods.

Bidding & Learning:

• Delivery vs. Cost: Choose Maximum Delivery for maximum volume and budget spend, or Cost Cap for prioritizing cost-efficiency.
• No Limit & Daily Minimums: Set campaign budgets to No Limit, and allocate daily budgets in ad groups at least 50x your target CPA.
• Learning Patience: Expect and accommodate CPA fluctuations during the learning phase (around 50 conversions per ad group). Minimize changes during this period.

Targeting & Creative:

• Start Broad, Refine Later: Begin with broad targeting and gradually refine using demographics, interests, custom audiences, and retargeting (with data connections).
• Diversity is Key: Employ at least 3-5 unique creative assets per ad group to test different styles and approaches.
• Quality Matters: Ensure your videos meet a minimum quality standard (720p resolution, audio/sound, 5+ seconds, ideally 21-34 seconds).

Creative Optimization & Fatigue:

• Testing & Collaboration: Utilize diversified ad groups for creative style comparisons, partner with creators through the TikTok Creator Marketplace, and consider third-party agencies via the Creative Exchange.
• Combating Fatigue: Monitor for fatigue using the "Fatigue Index" and react by refreshing creative, adjusting targeting/bidding/budget, or both.

Attribution & Measurement:

• Event-Level Tracking: Employ the "Performance Comparison" feature to track click and view-through conversions at the event level.
• Combined Attribution: Utilize a combined click and view-through attribution strategy in your reporting.
• Window Flexibility: Adapt attribution windows based on campaign goals, with longer windows capturing more events and ad impact.
• Demonstrating Value: Leverage Conversion Lift Studies and Post Purchase Surveys to showcase the value TikTok adds to your marketing efforts.
• Store Visit Attribution (Optional): Measure incremental foot traffic driven by your campaigns.