Are your TikTok videos struggling to reach the right audience, no matter how creative or trendy they are? You’re not alone. Millions of creators and businesses pour time, energy, and resources into creating content, only to see low views and minimal engagement. If you’re tired of seeing your videos flop despite putting your best work forward, it might be time to explore a powerful solution that many successful creators and brands are already leveraging: TikTok Ads through TikTok for Business.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to use TikTok ads to increase your views, reach your target audience, and grow your brand. Whether you’re a small business, a content creator, or a marketer looking to scale, this article is packed with insights, actionable tips, and best practices to help you succeed.
What is TikTok For Business?
TikTok for Business is TikTok’s dedicated advertising platform that allows brands and creators to run paid campaigns targeting specific audiences. It offers a suite of tools to create, manage, and analyze ads, helping you promote your videos to users most likely to engage with them.
Unlike organic content, TikTok ads give you the power to amplify your reach instantly, with precision targeting based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and more.
Why Use TikTok Ads to Increase Views?
With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok offers one of the most engaged user bases in the social media world. However, organic reach is becoming increasingly competitive. Using paid ads can help you:
- Gain Immediate Exposure: Show your content to thousands—even millions—within hours.
- Target Specific Audiences: Reach the users who are most likely to resonate with your content.
- Boost Credibility: High view counts can increase social proof, encouraging organic users to engage.
- Drive Conversions: Whether you’re selling a product, growing followers, or building brand awareness, TikTok ads can move the needle fast.
Types of TikTok Ads to Increase Views
TikTok offers multiple ad formats through TikTok for Business. Choosing the right one depends on your goals and budget.
1. In-Feed Ads
These ads appear naturally in users’ “For You” feed and look just like organic content. They are skippable but highly engaging if done right.
Best for: Driving views, clicks, and conversions
Pro tip: Hook your audience within the first 3 seconds with strong visuals or a question.
2. TopView Ads
These are premium ad placements that appear as the first video when a user opens TikTok.
Best for: Brand awareness and maximum reach
Pro tip: Use bold, colorful visuals and clear branding to make an immediate impact.
3. Branded Hashtag Challenges
Encourage users to create content using your hashtag. These often go viral and bring massive exposure.
Best for: User-generated content, engagement, and community building
Pro tip: Make the challenge fun, simple, and inclusive.
4. Branded Effects
Create custom filters or effects that users can apply to their videos.
Best for: Branding and interactive experiences
Pro tip: Make your effect visually appealing and trend-relevant.
5. Spark Ads
This format promotes existing organic content (either your own or a creator’s) and allows you to turn it into an ad without losing the engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments).
Best for: Boosting your top-performing videos
Pro tip: Use videos that already have good engagement for better results.
Step-by-Step: How to Set Up TikTok Ads for More Views
Step 1: Create a TikTok For Business Account
Go to TikTok for Business and sign up. This gives you access to TikTok Ads Manager, where you can create and manage campaigns.
Step 2: Define Your Campaign Goal
Choose a campaign objective that aligns with your goal. For increasing views, select:
- Traffic
- Video Views
- Engagement
- Reach
Step 3: Choose Your Ad Group Settings
This includes:
- Target Audience: Set location, age, gender, interests, and behaviors.
- Placement: Choose automatic or manual placement (In-Feed, TopView, etc.).
- Budget & Schedule: Set a daily or lifetime budget and schedule your ads.
Step 4: Create Your Ad
Use TikTok’s ad creation tool or upload your own video. Ensure your video follows TikTok’s creative guidelines.
Tips for an engaging TikTok ad:
- Keep it short (15–30 seconds)
- Use vertical format (9:16)
- Add captions and music
- Include a strong CTA (call-to-action)
Step 5: Launch and Monitor
Once your ad is live, use the analytics dashboard to monitor views, CTR, engagement, and conversion rates. Optimize based on performance.
Read more: How to get more views on tiktok
Best Practices to Increase TikTok Views with Ads
Here are some expert tips to ensure your TikTok ads drive maximum visibility and engagement:
1. Hook Viewers Instantly
The first few seconds are critical. Use a catchy opening line, bold text, or quick movement to grab attention.
2. Use Native-Style Content
Ads that blend in with organic TikToks perform better. Avoid overly polished, “salesy” videos.
3. Use Hashtags Strategically
Incorporate trending and niche-specific hashtags to improve discoverability. Include 3–5 relevant ones.
4. Collaborate with Creators
Partnering with TikTok influencers or using Spark Ads can help you tap into an existing fan base.
5. Retarget Engaged Users
Set up custom audiences to retarget users who watched your previous videos or visited your website.
How Much Do TikTok Ads Cost?
TikTok ads are more accessible than most people think. You can start with as little as $20 per day. The actual cost depends on:
- Ad format
- Audience size
- Bidding strategy
- Competition in your niche
For video views, a CPV (cost-per-view) bidding strategy is commonly used, where you pay only when a user watches your video for a set duration (usually 2 seconds or more).
Real-World Example: Small Brand, Big Results
Let’s say a small skincare brand wants to launch a new face serum. They create a short, engaging video showing a transformation using the product and run it as an In-Feed ad targeting women aged 18–34 interested in beauty.
With just a $200 budget over 5 days, they generate:
- 150,000+ views
- 7,000 likes
- 1,200 shares
- 300 website clicks
This kind of performance is possible when your content is compelling, well-targeted, and professionally optimized.
Tracking and Measuring Success
TikTok provides detailed analytics to help you measure your campaign’s performance:
- Impressions & Views: How many times your ad was seen
- Engagement Rate: Likes, comments, shares, and follows
- CTR (Click-Through Rate): How many viewers clicked on your CTA
Conversion Metrics: Sales, sign-ups, or app installs