[FAQ]

It’s late here in Auckland, and I’m trying to get my head around the TikTok Ads Manager for my e-commerce brand. We’ve had some good results with organic posts, but I’m a bit lost now that I’m looking at creating proper ad campaigns.

I see all these different ad format names like In-Feed, TopView, Branded Hashtag, etc., and I’m not sure what they all mean or which ones I should be using.

Could anyone give me a simple breakdown of the main types of ads on TikTok, and what goal each one is best for? For example, when should I use one for brand awareness versus trying to get sales on my website?

[Jeff Bullas]

A very smart question to ask before spending any money. Understanding the tools is half the battle.

Short Answer: TikTok’s ad formats are essentially different types of video placements, each designed for a specific marketing objective. In-Feed video ads are your workhorse for driving traffic and sales, while premium formats like TopView video and Branded Effects are built for maximum brand awareness.

The key is to align the cost and function of the video format with your specific campaign goal, rather than using the wrong tool for the job.

First, you have In-Feed Ads. These are the video ads that appear natively as a user scrolls through their ‘For You’ Page. For your e-commerce business, this is the most important format. Its purpose is to drive consideration and conversion. The video creative itself should feel like an organic TikTok, using trending audio and clear on-screen text to grab attention. Your success here depends heavily on a compelling call-to-action in your caption text and the clickable ‘Shop Now’ button to drive traffic to your site.

Next are the premium formats, like TopView Ads. This is the full-screen video that appears the moment a user opens the app. It’s a high-cost, high-impact placement designed for one thing: massive, immediate brand awareness. You would use this for a major product launch or a large branding campaign, not for day-to-day sales. The video content here needs to be of very high quality to justify the investment.

Finally, you have top-tier engagement formats like Branded Effects and Branded Hashtag Challenges. These are less about a single video you produce and more about creating a tool for user-generated content. A Branded Effect, for instance, is a custom video filter that other users can apply to their own content. These are complex, expensive campaigns designed to make your brand part of the culture on the platform. Their goal is engagement and creating a library of content made by your audience, not direct conversion.

For an e-commerce brand starting out, mastering the art of the In-Feed video ad is the most logical and effective place to focus your budget and creative energy.

Cheers,
Jeff

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