Now here’s something particularly eye and ear-catching for marketers – TikTok just launched beta testing for ads in search this week, providing another way to reach the TikTok audience through the terms they use via search. In a nutshell, it’s similar to keyword mapping, only that it includes several ad suggestions.
Search Ads By TikTok
Based on examples posted by digital ads expert David Herrmann, TikTok’s new search ads, which would now feature a ‘Sponsored’ label, will appear above the ‘others search for’ terms listing within the search results page, meaning that they’ll generally appear within the first four results displayed.
If it makes it to the main app, then the option would enable TikTok advertisers to better target people who search for specific items, which could significantly boost reaching those with higher purchase interest and intent. It would greatly complement your overall TikTok marketing approach, allowing you to be more versatile and personalized in reaching more people who show stronger, more tell-tale behaviors in looking for and confirming purchases.
To add, Hermann further notes that TikTok will also provide advertisers with a listing of the search terms that drove clicks on their campaigns, which further enhances their ad targeting capabilities. Based on this, you would now have the capacity to build a database of the most popular related searches in the app, further guiding your clip titles and content targeting moving forward. It helps add value to your overall TikTok approach.
This is a good and potentially life-saving move by TikTok, given that optimal monetization now seems to be the biggest risk to the company’s growth. While TikTok does have monetization and revenue systems currently in play, they’re not as appealing as those found on either YouTube or Instagram. Yes, TikTok is very popular and well-received right now, but it’s still building out its suite of commerce tools and systems, leaving much to be desired, at least when income and revenue come to mind.
As it stands, TikTok loses out a lot in the ads department, seeing as it can’t insert mid and pre-roll ads. This is partially the reason why TikTok looks to make its videos longer and facilitate new eCommerce partnerships. If this current issue on monetization continues to persist, creators will likely complain and consider migrating to more profitable platforms instead.
The Wrap
At least TikTok has time on its side, even if it works to be a supplementary channel for creators, that’ll be enough to have them posting on the app. Based on how things look, it would seem that the real battle in building the broader creator economy will be determined by whoever can land the most exclusive content deals, which will likely have Meta and YouTube locking in on their most popular stars, keeping them away from TikTok.
That would effectively reduce TikTok’s market share, or at least slow its momentum, further putting pressure on TikTok to insert more ad options and tools to expand its revenue potential and counter such risks.
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