September 24, 2024, marks the launch of a new competitor to the paid search scene, TikTok Search Ads Campaign. Not to be confused with TikTok Search Ads Toggle, advertisers can now display their ads on the search page with keyword targeting. With this, advertisers have more control over placement and a higher chance of matching their ads to appropriate user queries. According to TikTok, 57% of its users utilize the search functionality indicating Search Ads as a great advantage for advertisers who display their products on the search results.
Advertisers can start their Search Ads through TikTok’s Ads Manager. Currently, Search Ads can only be utilized with Traffic or Web Conversion objectives. Advertisers can then choose specific search-related features such as keywords, keyword suggestions, and negative keywords. These keywords can be edited before and during the ad campaign so advertisers don’t have to worry about locking in specific keywords. Here advertisers need to choose brand-related or industry-specific keywords to ensure ad delivery to the right audience. As the search campaigns run, TikTok encourages advertisers to continually monitor and optimize their performance by reviewing keywords and creatives.
TikTok is no longer just a social media platform but slowly becoming a popular place for users to shop for products/services. Users can now do their research through product reviews and make purchases all within the same platform. This creates an efficient advantage for companies to promote their products/services in the search results where related UGC can appear side-by-side. With TikTok Search Ad Campaigns, companies can better target their customers based on user search queries rather than demographics/interests alone.
By leveraging this tool, businesses can tap into a growing space where entertainment, search, and e-commerce seamlessly merge, driving more impactful results.