[Photo by MarkeZine]
TikTok is adding another way to advertise on their platform through their new service, Spark Ads; the new ad format that allows brands to license already viral content.
How does it work?
Spark Ads enable a company to maximize its reach through TikTok by allowing the possibility of taking an already viral video and licensing the content for a product or ad campaign.
In addition to retroactively licensing creators’ content, Spark Ads will work alongside TikTok’s pre-existing ad targeting tools and Duet feature. Their current ad tools let companies target specific demographics through key filters, while their Duet feature enables the community to further interact with a campaign.
Costa Coffee is a U.K.-based coffee chain that utilized Spark Ads to showcase its menu items to the TikTok user base. According to AdWeek, Costa Coffee saw a 159% increase in followers and 42 million impressions¹.
The Interface
Spark Ads can be identified by a + icon at the bottom of the profile photo. Clicking this allows the viewer to follow the account quickly. Spark Ads can also be identified by an interactable hyperlink embedded in the video caption or the location of the music track/artist name.
[Photo by TikTok]
Creators can utilize the Spark Ads feature in just five steps:
- Enable ad authorization from the Privacy section in Settings.
- Authorize video for promotional use by going to one of your posts and clicking “Ad Settings.”
- Generate a video code to share with advertisers and choose how long the post will be up for. The periods of authorization can be 7, 30, or 60 days.
- Enter the video code on TikTok Manager Ads by navigating to the Creative tab, “Spark Ads,” then “Apply for Authorization”.
- Publish Spark Ads in TikTok Ads Manager
[Photo by TikTok]
How Can Spark Ads Benefit Brands?
TikTok claims that brands can expect to see performance lifts in video view, engagement, conversion, and cost metrics².
Isle of Paradise provides another success story for Spark Ads which holds true to the above statements from TikTok. MarketingDive.com reported that Isle of Paradise, “generated 45 million video views, a 500% return on investment and a 58% revenue lift per week”. This showcases just how useful it can be to leverage pre-existing content for a company’s campaign³.
Thoughts on Spark Ads
Although Spark Ads is a newly introduced concept for TikTok, it has already proven to be a powerful tool. The question is, just how much impact will this service have on social media advertising?
If continued to prove beneficial, the Spark Ads format may be further adopted as time progresses. It can possibly find its way onto alternate social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and YouTube.
This article was written by Brittny Le, Mark Fay, & Zach Blum.
Attributes:
- https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/tiktok-spark-ads-marketing-strategy/
- https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article?aid=10001881
- https://www.marketingdive.com/news/tiktok-cuts-out-the-middleman-with-spark-ads-sponsorship-tool/603721/