How to Make TikTok Ads that Convert

As we said in the intro, the key to successful TikTok ads is content.

By the end of this section, you'll know exactly how to make strong ad creatives yourself or partner with content creators who can do this work for you. We recommend the latter option for most of you, but every company is different, so we'll leave the choice up to you.

Consumers are more media-literate and aware of digital marketing now than they used to be. So it's no wonder that TikTok users expect to see something more authentic in your ads—something that doesn't feel like a typical ad at all.

The natural solution is user-generated content (UGC).

UGC works for the simple reason that it looks more natural and less like an ad. To no great surprise, consumer research backs this up:

• 92% of consumers trust UGC more than traditional, glossy advertising
• Creatives shot on mobile devices have a 63% chance of outperforming studio-shot creatives for purchases, checkouts, and app installs.
• Consumers find UGC 9.8x more impactful than influencer content, and 79% report that it “highly” impacts their buying decisions.

Furthermore, It's worth mentioning that TikTok originally started ad-free. Users simply aren't accustomed to seeing ads the same way they are on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.

As a TikTok advertiser, your goal is to bring the desired product messaging to the viewer's attention in an appealing way without distracting from the overall user experience.

Done right, the experience should feel seamless; viewers will be less inclined to dismiss the material as an ad and more likely to retain its key messaging and take action.

By fully adapting to user behavior and baking your promotion into the content, you can make attention-grabbing ads that hardly look like ads at all—and they'll convert better because of it.

How do I get UGC for my ads?

We say "user-generated" content, but that's a bit misleading.

What we're referring to with 'UGC' is working with TikTok creators and influencers to produce product-focused content that doesn't feel like advertising.

We'll show you how to find and work with great content creators on the next page, but before we do, it will be helpful for you to see what quality TikTok ads look like in the first place. That way, you'll be better able to manage your creative partnerships and end up with results you're happy with.

Here are a few best practices, then we'll move on to examples.

TikTok ads creative best practices

Here are five best practices for producing the right kind of UGC videos for TikTok:

1. Lead with a hook

Most people decide whether to swipe or watch an ad based on the first frame alone, and only 25% of users watch beyond the first 5 seconds (average watch time is 5-6 seconds). Without a thumb-stopping hook, nobody will see your ad, so plan on testing a variety of hooks, headlines, and video openers to find out what works best

2. Sell with stories

The key to selling on TikTok is to tell simple stories involving your products that convey genuine human emotions. TikTok videos are performative, but it's pretty apparent when the person on camera is acting or phoning it in—that's how most ads come across. Authenticity tends to perform best on TikTok—your ads will resonate more if they express an earnest performance or an honest reaction to something. People buy on TikTok when you tell them a believable story that sells the meaningful lifestyle benefits your product provides in a relevant and relatable context.

3. Keep ads short, fast, and lean

63% of videos with the highest clickthrough rate get the message across in the first 3 seconds and stay within a 30-second sweet spot. Consider stitching together multiple 1-2-second video "quick cuts" that vary camera angles to increase watch-time. You should trim unnecessary pauses and lulls and replace them with transition effects (e.g., jumping into different outfits for fashion brands). Audiovisual variety is inherently stimulating to the senses. It adds a sense of novelty that helps keep people engaged.‍

4. Enrich content with native TikTok effects

A successful TikTok ad has two qualities: a believable on-camera performance and strategic editing. Integrate popular effects, animations, and audio into the creative (e.g., green screen backgrounds, time warp, robot voice narration, etc.) to give your ads a more natural look,

Here's a great example from Anytime Fitness that showcases how brands can make the most of TikTok's publishing features and achieve a signature TikTok aesthetic.

5. Emphasize discounts and special offers

If you're offering a deal, feature it prominently with a colorful price bubble and in your headline copy. Buyer intent is low on TikTok, but discounts are a reliable tactic to improve conversion rate. And if you're offering a TikTok-exclusive promotion, make sure to say so (e.g. include an offer code with a creator's name, or the word TikTok in it, such as 'TIKTOK15').

Bonus best practice: Make sure to design your ads for TikTok's mobile, vertical video format (9x16) and be mindful of safe zones.

• Keep content-centered and well-framed, and your product in clear view.
• Ensure captioning elements don't overlap with the CTA, body copy, or engagement buttons on the right side of the screen

Now let's explore UGC creative in detail and look at some proven ad templates you can use as inspiration for your campaigns.

Evergreen ad templates

1. Model functionality

Your ads need to come across as authentic and entertaining while also doing their job to convert users and move them down your sales funnel. The primary way to do this on TikTok is by literally demonstrating the product in action.

A few templates to test:

• Show the use case: For visual products, sometimes it's enough just to show how the product works. Use tutorials and how-to videos to demonstrate how to use your product and layer in basic native effects to achieve the right aesthetic.
  
• Unboxing and assembly experiences: Unboxing videos are always popular. People watch them to experience the moment vicariously. To increase watch-time, start your video by picking up a package from your front door, bringing it inside, cutting it open, picking through the contents, putting it together, and showing off the final product. People want to see how the product will look when it arrives.
  
• Before and after results: For fashion, skincare, or cosmetics, people want to see the complete look, the enhanced "after," or the complete routine from start to finish. Skincare products work well because you can show someone applying the product to their face and capturing an authentic reaction.
  
• Walkthroughs and product features: Apps can record the most relevant and unique features with a screen recording or recording the computer screen with an iPhone. Reveal real-life reactions to in-app dynamics.
  
• Educational content: Ask yourself, what's the problem your audience is looking to solve, and how can you help them get there in the least amount of time? Then create content around that topic to entertain people while simultaneously making. Educational content is ideal for organic content, but it can work in your ads as well.

Example: The Farmer's Dog

The Farmer's Dog sells fresh, healthy dog food direct-to-consumer. They partnered with a creator to produce this Spark ad, targeting adults 25 and older in the U.S. who were interested in the Pets category.

• Believable voice-over: Notice how the voice-over sounds relaxed and unscripted like they're speaking to a friend, instead of rehearsed and sales-y—an instant turn-off.
  
• Clear value props, simple story structure, enticing offer: In just 20 seconds, this raw-looking ad uses simple voice-over and engaging visuals to convey the product's value props, problems with alternatives, the contextual environment, and wraps it all up with an enticing 60% off discount.
  
• Crowdsourced content: This ad is a video response to an actual user comment—someone who wanted to know about the dog's diet. Including a visual overlay in the first frame also makes the content look more organic. This is a simple crowdsourcing tactic any brand can repeatedly use in their campaigns. If people leave you comments, run with them as fresh content ideas.

Now contrast the example above with another ad from The Farmer's Dog.

This Spark ad communicates the same value props in a similar story structure, but right away, you notice it's more promotional—the upbeat audio track lets you know it's an ad, and the voiceover is clearly acting out a script.

Example: Maker

Maker sells award-winning canned wine direct-to-consumer. They use their organic account to build TOFU brand awareness with product education and behind-the-scenes content and use Spark ads with content creators to acquire new customers.

• Captions complement visuals: Every shot exists to advance the "story" and communicate a specific, relevant detail. Unlike the previous two examples, the editing in this ad is incredibly deliberate, showing only what is intended to be shown—clean editing, no fluff, nothing extra.
  
• Clever hook: Maker uses the catchy hook, "why I stopped buying grocery store wine… and do this instead," to invite viewers to stick around and find out about this alternative to grocery store wine. Buzzfeed-esque hooks using the basic captioning tool like you see in this example work well to get peoples' attention on TikTok.
  
• Appropriate audio choice: Notice how the audio track doesn't in any way distract from the core content. The music hums along in the background, letting the visuals and captions do all the heavy lifting—you hardly notice it's there. Most companies don't give the audio component enough thought: music should complement, even enhance the content but never distract or interrupt the transmission of your message.

Example: Jones Road

Jones Road sells clean, high-grade beauty products. They use makeup tutorials and seemingly-authentic UGC testimonials to show viewers how to use the product to generate awareness, interest, and desire.

• Reusable hook: "The one [blank] you didn't know you needed" is a great hook and popular headline format used in organic posts. It's also an evergreen ad template for ecom brands. The familiar headline combined with the rolling can of balm in the opening shot is an eye-catching hook that's hard to ignore.
  
  
• Let the product do the talking (and the selling): Beauty products do well on social media because they are inherently visual. Notice how the monotone voiceover isn't the star of the ad—the up-close textures and warm colors of the product are. This is a solid example of the "show, don't tell" philosophy in action.

We've just looked at some ecom examples. Here's an app example that makes clever use of visuals in some unexpected ways.

Example: Hopper

• Catchy hook: The hook is crucial for getting people to watch your ads. Hopper does a nice job here with another Buzzfeed-style headline template ('3 mistakes people make when [blank]') and a creative visual opener.
  
• Educational content: Hopper uses a problem-solution format throughout the ad to position itself as the superior car rental product.
  
• Visual variety: Hopper wisely incorporated real-world video and screen-recording to add more visual variety. There's a hefty amount of information being communicated in this ad. Still, the visuals, along with the strange robot voice-over that TikTok seems to love, add some novelty to help increase interest and watch-time.

2. Product testimonials

Product testimonials are a staple ad format across social ad channels—they make people trust your brand. You can use them in your TikTok ads and let other people promote your products on your behalf.

Example: True Classic

True Classic sells premium fitted t-shirts for men of all body types.

• Before and after testimonials: This ad makes good use of the before and after format, competitor comparisons, and testimonials. Combined, these visual elements effectively demonstrate how much better their t-shirts fit compared to "other brands."
  
• Generous discount: Discounts reliably help improve conversion rate, and it was thoughtful of them to include the 50% off deal front and center in the body copy. If your offer is a key selling point, feature it prominently at the beginning of your ad.
  
• Smooth app-to-landing page experience: The main elements in the ad are also featured front and center on the landing page, which makes the transition experience feel seamless, thus reducing friction and barriers to purchase. Many brands neglect this low-hanging fruit opportunity.

Example: Momentary Ink

Momentary Ink sells temporary tattoos DTC. Their ads feature instructional clips and video testimonials that capture genuine reactions of people seeing the tattoo being applied to their skin.

• Visually-appealing impulse buy: Most people have thought about getting a tattoo at some point (if only the idea of it). Momentary Tattoo lets consumers indulge in the fantasy of getting a tattoo without the long-term commitment.
  
  
• Genuine reactions: Effective video testimonials (organic UGC or otherwise) capture believable emotional responses.
  
  
• Product demonstration: Notice how there is no voiceover or captioning with instructions on how the product works—it's all visual. Again, show, don't tell.

Example: Felicity

Felicity sells a variety of personalized jewelry products DTC, and in this particular ad, a custom necklace with a photo inside.

• Model the product: This is a good example of a kitschy, visual product that essentially sells itself. Notice the genuine reactions on people's faces as they peer into the necklace—this helps arouse emotions to build intrigue and desire. The novelty factor and low-price point (sub $50) make this product an excellent fit for TikTok ads.
  
  
• "TikTok Made Me Buy This": On TikTok, users organically share product finds with hashtags and headlines like, "TikTok made me buy this" or "things TikTok made me buy." Ecommerce brands can replicate this simple formula in their ads to tap into TikTok's prevalent 'word of mouth marketing' paradigm.

3. Skits and comedy

TikTok is, at its heart, all about pleasure and entertainment. It's tough to get right, but the following ad examples do a great job of building the promotion into a high-quality piece of entertainment.

Example: Pair Eyewear

Pair Eyewear takes a novel approach to DTC eyewear—customers select a base frame, then choose from hundreds of 'tops' to customize the style without having to pay for an entirely new frame.

• Show, don't tell: This simple skit is fun and entertaining—it showcases the novelty of the product without having to promote it explicitly. Pair does a nice job of expressing what makes their product compelling in a performative video that feels completely natural to the platform.
  
  
• Special promotion: The use of a custom coupon code makes this offer feel more exclusive, even scarce, which can help drive conversions.
  
  
• 80% content, 20% promotion: Pair gets their promotional messaging out of the way within the first 5 seconds (brand name and value props), then devotes the remaining 25 seconds to the core content. Expressed as a percentage, that comes out to 20% promotion and 80% content. The specific numbers aren't important, but it shows how much effort you should invest in creating great content versus explicitly promoting your product.

Example: The Farmer's Dog

Here's one last example from The Farmer's Dog (they run a ton of ads!), this time with significantly better editing and higher entertainment value.

• Impeccable editing: An incredible amount of time and energy went into crafting this ad, much more than the two examples we shared earlier. This video is highly entertaining and quite funny. Generally speaking, if you're going to attempt something like this yourself, you need to find a talented creator specializing in creating this type of content for brands.
  
  
• High-energy creative: This is the first ad we've looked at that really captures the spirit of TikTok—high-energy and near-overwhelming stimulation. To fully command the viewer's attention with a skit, you need to focus on action, action, action, and trim as much fat as you can in editing. This ad doesn't give you time to take a breath until it's over.
  
  
• Authentic performance: The performance in this Spark ad is earnest—you can tell the creator really went for it, using the fullest of their creative abilities. That's why it's authentic.

In this example, Invisalign takes a more meta approach with their Spark ad.

Example: Invisalign

• Sense of humor: This ad nails the playful, fun quality that many TikTok videos share while still very obviously a promotion for Invisalign.
  
• Meta: Invisalign doesn't take itself too seriously here, which is crucial on TikTok. This ad pokes fun at the contrived, scripted aspect of most ads (i.e., what not to do in your ads). This approach brings the viewer in on the joke, which builds goodwill, and it's clear they gave their creative partners a lot of flexibility to create something entertaining while also articulating the core brand message.

Example: Morning Brew

Morning Brew, a media company we introduced earlier, is a daily newsletter that makes business, finance, and tech news more digestible for busy people.

• Lead generation: Morning Brew is a good example of how businesses can leverage TikTok ads for lead generation. So long as you have a way to monetize leads once they enter your funnel, and depending on your CAC, you can create entertaining TikTok ads that capture attention, then direct users to an email capture form.
  
• Education and entertainment: Most TikTok content tends to fall into the education or entertainment category. MB does a nice job combining both into the skit, which aligns perfectly with their edu-tainment newsletter product.

We just covered several ad templates you can use as inspiration for your ads. To see more examples of top-performing ads, check out these four resources:

1. Get ideas from TikTok’s ad library: Visit TikTok Creative Center for examples of top-performing ads.
   
2. Browse content on TikTok: Download TikTok and spend some time playing with the app as a user would. The algorithm can take a few days to start personalizing videos, but eventually, you should start seeing ads every 3-4 swipes.
   
3. Explore trending content in TikTok's Business Creative Hub: When you set up a business profile in the TikTok app, you'll be able to access the Business Creative Hub. Here, you'll find current trending content from top business accounts.
   • Set up a business profile in the TikTok app
   • Navigate to Profile > Settings > Business Suite > Business Creative Hub
   • Discover shows all the currently trending hashtags
   • Use the audio library to explore approved Commercial Sounds
     
4. Enable Ad Experience Specialist Mode: After switching to a business account, you can access an ad-only feed to see what types of ads other brands are testing.