TikTok last week eliminated the option for advertisers to run campaigns without linking official brand accounts, marking a fundamental shift in how brands maintain presence on the short-form video platform. The company announced that Custom Identity, which enabled advertising without verified profile connections, will be phased out in early 2026, forcing all new campaigns to launch from authenticated TikTok accounts.

The policy change represents TikTok's most aggressive move toward standardizing brand authenticity requirements since launching advertising capabilities. Starting in early 2026, advertisers must connect campaigns to verified Organization, Business, or Personal accounts through TikTok Business Center. Custom Identity campaigns created before the cutoff will continue running, but new campaign creation will require proper account linking.

According to TikTok's announcement distributed to advertisers on January 22, the transition aims to "strengthen two critical areas: how brands establish a legitimate, compliant presence on TikTok, and how agencies are formally recognized for the media spend they manage." The platform frames the requirement as essential for building trust with TikTok's community of over 1 billion global users while unlocking performance improvements and new advertising capabilities.

Organization accounts become mandatory pathway

TikTok recommends Organization Accounts as the primary structure for most advertisers operating on the platform. These accounts require business verification through TikTok Business Center before creation, establishing a documented corporate identity. The verification process demands submission of registration certificates, business licenses, or articles of association alongside company information.

Organization Accounts provide centralized management capabilities, allowing brands to consolidate all activities under one verified structure rather than maintaining scattered accounts across teams. The framework supports seamless collaboration through role-based permissions, enabling multiple team members or agency partners to access accounts without relying on single-owner credentials. Enhanced security measures include secure logins and one-time verification codes that reduce password sharing and unauthorized access risks.

The infrastructure addresses operational challenges that have plagued brands managing TikTok presence through personal accounts or informal structures. Account access complications when team members depart, inconsistent brand representation across different campaign managers, and difficulty maintaining continuous campaign operations all require proper organizational frameworks that Custom Identity circumvented.

Business verification prerequisites create immediate barriers for advertisers accustomed to launching campaigns through simplified identity options. The process requires 2-7 business days for review, with approval contingent on documentation accuracy and business legitimacy verification. Companies must provide registration certificates or incorporation documents, business licenses demonstrating operational authorization, and correspondence between submitted documentation and Business Center account names.

Spark Ads gain prominence as native creative format

The Custom Identity elimination coincides with TikTok's increased emphasis on Spark Ads as the preferred creative format for branded content. Spark Ads delivered 37% higher ROI compared to regular ad formats in TikTok's marketing mix modeling research, according to a two-year study analyzing beauty brands operating in Romanian markets.

Spark Ads transform organic posts from brand accounts or authorized creator accounts into paid advertisements while maintaining native engagement features. The format preserves like buttons, comment sections, and share functionality that users associate with organic content rather than traditional advertising placements. This preservation of social features drives engagement rates substantially higher than standard In-Feed Ads that lack interactive elements.

Account linking becomes essential for three primary Spark Ads activation methods. Advertisers can push new posts from TikTok Ads Manager directly to verified profiles, creating content specifically designed for paid distribution. They may pull existing content from posts already published on TikTok profile pages, converting successful organic content into advertising creative. Creator partnerships enable authorized content use through video codes that creators provide to brands for specific posts, expanding creative inventory beyond owned content.

TikTok introduced a "Show Through Ads Only" mode that addresses advertiser concerns about maintaining clean profile pages. The setting, formerly called Ads-Only Mode, enables Spark Ads delivery without displaying paid content on public TikTok profiles. Paid traffic reaches target audiences while brand pages showcase only curated organic content, separating paid and organic content strategies.

The toggle functions differently across TikTok's advertising interfaces. When pushing Spark Ads through TikTok Ads Manager, the setting defaults to ON, preventing advertisements from appearing on profiles unless explicitly disabled. When pulling existing content or using creator video codes through the TikTok App, the toggle defaults to OFF, requiring manual activation to prevent paid content from displaying organically.

Performance advantages drive account linking rationale

TikTok positions account linking as a performance optimization requirement rather than purely an authenticity mandate. Backend testing conducted in September 2025 revealed that 59.3% of advertisers experienced cost per acquisition decreases exceeding 10% after linking accounts to campaigns. The performance improvements stem from enhanced signal quality available when TikTok's algorithms access comprehensive profile data.

Linked accounts provide access to Smart+ Paid & Organic Optimization, TikTok's AI-powered automation platform that the company launched in October 2024. The feature combines paid advertising performance with organic content insights to optimize campaign delivery. Backend testing demonstrated that over 60% of advertisers achieved return on investment increases exceeding 10% when utilizing Smart+ capabilities enabled through proper account connections.

The platform's algorithmic systems gain visibility into audience engagement patterns, content performance history, and follower demographics when campaigns connect to verified accounts. This expanded data access enables more precise targeting optimization and creative selection compared to Custom Identity campaigns operating with limited profile information. Machine learning models improve prediction accuracy for user responses when drawing from complete account histories rather than isolated campaign data.

Attribution improvements represent another performance benefit from account linking. Connected accounts enable proper conversion tracking across the customer journey as users move between organic discovery, paid advertising exposure, and final purchase actions. Custom Identity campaigns struggled with attribution fragmentation where organic and paid touchpoints remained disconnected in reporting systems.

Registered Business Accounts address compliance requirements

TikTok introduced Registered Business Accounts alongside the Custom Identity phase-out announcement. The account classification ties organic TikTok presence to documented business categories, enabling proper application of platform rules and feature availability. Registration ensures TikTok applies correct safeguards including age-gating and geo-fencing based on business vertical and operational jurisdictions.

The framework particularly matters for brands in restricted verticals including alcohol, gambling, and healthcare sectors subject to regulatory advertising limitations. Registered Business Accounts enable TikTok to enforce age verification requirements, geographic availability restrictions, and content disclosure mandates specific to regulated industries. Without proper registration, organic content faces higher flagging risks, distribution limitations, and inconsistent enforcement as TikTok's moderation systems lack business context.

Registration unlocks organic capabilities beyond compliance requirements. Approved accounts gain access to link in biofunctionality, lead generation tools directly within profiles, destination and app download links on posts, organic geo-targeting for location-specific content distribution, and multi-user login capabilities for team-based account management. These features remained unavailable through Custom Identity campaigns lacking verified business connections.

The registration process requires existing business verification completion through TikTok Business Center. Advertisers must select appropriate business categories from TikTok's taxonomy, provide additional documentation for restricted verticals, and confirm operational jurisdictions where business activities occur. Processing timelines extend beyond basic verification, with restricted verticals requiring 7-14 business days for regulatory compliance review.

Agency attribution gains formal recognition structure

TikTok's infrastructure changes include formal agency designation capabilities addressing long-standing attribution ambiguities. Media agencies can now explicitly designate themselves as the buying agency for client advertiser accounts, establishing clear responsibility for spend management. The designation requires client approval, ensuring brands authorize agency attribution.

Previous attribution methodologies depended primarily on account setup configurations, creating inconsistencies where agency contributions to campaign management and strategic direction remained undocumented in platform reporting. The ambiguity complicated performance evaluation, budget planning, and compensation structures between brands and agency partners managing TikTok advertising investments.

The formal designation system enables agencies to aggregate client spending across multiple advertiser accounts while maintaining proper client-agency boundaries. Agencies gain consolidated reporting views showing total TikTok investment managed across their client portfolio. Brands retain full visibility into their individual account performance while acknowledging agency management contributions.

Implementation requires agencies to request buying agency designation within TikTok Business Center, specifying the advertiser accounts they manage. Brands receive approval requests through Business Center notifications and must explicitly authorize agency attribution. The approval establishes formal documentation of the agency relationship within TikTok's infrastructure rather than relying on external contracts or informal arrangements.

Timeline compresses migration requirements

TikTok provided a four-week notice period between the January 22 announcement and the early 2026 implementation deadline for Custom Identity elimination. The compressed timeline forces rapid operational transitions that typically require months for proper execution across complex marketing organizations managing multiple brands, regions, and agency relationships.

Advertisers must complete several prerequisites before launching new campaigns under the revised requirements. Business verification applications demand documentation gathering including registration certificates, business licenses, and operational authorization paperwork. Organization Account creation requires completed verification plus selection of account usernames, profile configurations, and administrative access assignments. Account linking within Business Center involves permission grant workflows connecting TikTok profiles to advertising accounts.

The accelerated timeline particularly challenges global enterprises operating across multiple markets with decentralized marketing structures. Regional teams managing localized campaigns require coordination with corporate IT departments controlling business documentation, legal teams confirming regulatory compliance in each jurisdiction, and finance departments establishing payment infrastructure for new account structures.

Agencies managing campaigns for multiple clients face multiplicative complexity as each client relationship requires separate verification, account creation, and linking processes. The workload intensifies for agencies with extensive client portfolios across diverse industries subject to different registration requirements and compliance frameworks.

Migration framework follows F.I.R.S.T. methodology

TikTok published comprehensive transition guidance organized around the F.I.R.S.T. framework: Foundation First, Integrate & Link Accounts, Roles & Responsibilities, Spark Creativity, and Track & Transform. The methodology provides structured pathways for advertisers navigating the operational changes.

Foundation First establishes proper account infrastructure through Organization Account creation and business verification completion. Advertisers must access TikTok Business Center at business.tiktok.com, navigate to verification sections, submit required documentation, and await approval confirmations before proceeding to subsequent steps.

Integrate & Link Accounts authorizes connections between TikTok profiles and advertising infrastructure. Within Business Center's Accounts section, advertisers select "Add a TikTok Account," then choose "Request ad delivery permissions" to initiate linking workflows. The process requires specifying which permissions to grant, including Existing Posts, TikTok Posts, LIVE Videos, Showcase, Message Ads Permissions, and Series Permissions options. Advertisers must enable both Existing Posts and TikTok Posts to ensure Spark Ads functionality.

Roles & Responsibilities establishes team access controls and permission structures. Advertisers can share linked TikTok accounts with specific advertiser accounts or individual Business Center members. Account-level sharing provides access to all team members with appropriate permissions on designated advertiser accounts. Member-level sharing grants granular control over which Business Center users can access specific TikTok accounts regardless of their advertiser account permissions.

Spark Creativity activates Spark Ads campaigns using linked account content. Advertisers access TikTok Ads Manager, create campaigns with appropriate objectives, and select "Use TikTok post" when configuring creatives. The interface displays available posts from linked accounts or enables video code entry for authorized creator content.

Track & Transform establishes performance monitoring and optimization protocols. Advertisers access analytics through the TikTok App by navigating to Profile > Menu > Business Suite > Analytics. The framework segments metrics across Reach categories including impressions, video views, and follower growth; Engagement measurements tracking comments, shares, average watch time, completion rate, clicks, and saves; and Conversion tracking covering lead submissions, cost per acquisition, return on ad spend, and add-to-cart orders.

Industry context shows automation acceleration

The Custom Identity elimination reflects broader platform trends toward authenticated advertising and algorithmic optimization. TikTok upgraded its Smart+ automation platform with creative automation, ad preview capabilities, and efficiency features addressing advertiser concerns about automated campaign control. The enhancements arrived as major platforms including Meta and Google consolidated behind AI agents throughout 2025.

TikTok launched Search Ads Campaign in September 2024, enabling keyword-based advertising targeting TikTok's search results page. Internal data from June 2024 showed 57% of users utilizing platform search functionality, with 23% initiating searches within 30 seconds of opening the app. The Search Ads infrastructure requires proper account linking for optimal performance as TikTok's algorithms match search queries to advertiser profiles.

The platform's measurement capabilities evolved substantially during the Custom Identity transition period. TikTok enabled real-time iOS conversion tracking through Kochava partnership in October 2025, addressing delays associated with Apple's SKAdNetwork attribution framework. The integration provided app marketers access to granular conversion data for iOS campaigns without waiting for SKAN reporting windows, functionality that requires proper advertiser account connections.

TikTok introduced Brand Lift Studies with Kantar as third-party verification partner, enabling advertisers to measure campaign impact on awareness, consideration, and preference metrics. The measurement framework operates through in-feed questionnaires displaying with music and motion graphics, requiring authenticated brand accounts for proper attribution of brand lift results to specific advertisers.

Operational implications extend across marketing infrastructure

The Custom Identity elimination forces reassessment of existing campaign structures, creative workflows, and team responsibilities across marketing organizations. Advertisers must audit active campaigns to identify Custom Identity usage, document timeline requirements for business verification and account creation, coordinate cross-functional teams controlling required documentation, establish agency relationships within TikTok's infrastructure, migrate existing creative assets to verified accounts, and implement new quality assurance protocols verifying proper account connections before campaign launches.

Budget planning faces disruption as advertisers navigate temporary campaign pauses during migration periods. Organizations maintaining continuous campaign delivery must overlap Custom Identity campaigns with newly created linked account campaigns, ensuring uninterrupted market presence while transitioning infrastructure. The overlap generates short-term budget increases as both campaign structures run simultaneously during migration windows.

Creative asset management requires restructuring as content previously deployed through Custom Identity campaigns must transfer to verified TikTok profiles. Video libraries maintained outside TikTok's platform infrastructure need uploading to Organization Accounts before utilization in new campaigns. Creator partnerships require renegotiation as video code authorizations may have specified Custom Identity usage, necessitating updated permissions for linked account deployments.

Measurement continuity challenges emerge as historical Custom Identity campaign data remains associated with unlinked campaign structures. Year-over-year comparisons, baseline performance benchmarks, and attribution models built on Custom Identity data require adjustments accounting for structural differences between unlinked and linked campaign performance. The backend testing showing 59.3% of advertisers experiencing CPA decreases after account linking suggests performance improvements may complicate historical trending analysis.

The policy change particularly impacts advertisers operating across multiple brands within corporate portfolios. Each brand requires separate TikTok account creation, business verification, and linking workflows. Shared services teams managing advertising operations across brand portfolios face multiplied workload as Custom Identity previously enabled centralized campaign management without brand-specific account requirements.

Timeline

Summary

Who: TikTok announced the policy affecting all advertisers using the platform for campaign creation, particularly those relying on Custom Identity for unlinked advertising. The change impacts brands, agencies, and marketing organizations managing TikTok advertising across Organization, Business, and Personal account structures.

What: The platform eliminates Custom Identity starting in early 2026, requiring all new campaigns to connect to verified TikTok accounts through Organization, Business, or Personal account types. The transition introduces Registered Business Accounts for compliance requirements, formal agency attribution capabilities, and emphasizes Spark Ads as the preferred creative format requiring account linking.

When: TikTok distributed the announcement to advertisers on January 22, 2026, with Custom Identity phase-out scheduled for early 2026. Existing Custom Identity campaigns created before the cutoff will continue running, but new campaign creation will require proper account linking after implementation.

Where: The policy applies globally across all markets where TikTok advertising exists, operating through TikTok Business Center at business.tiktok.com for account creation, verification, and linking workflows. Campaign management continues through TikTok Ads Manager with new requirements for verified account connections.

Why: TikTok positions the change as essential for building community trust through verified brand presence, improving campaign performance through better algorithmic optimization, enabling Spark Ads functionality that drives higher engagement, addressing compliance requirements for restricted verticals, and providing formal agency recognition for media spend management. Backend testing showed 59.3% of advertisers achieved cost per acquisition decreases exceeding 10% after account linking.

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