As more users turn to social platforms for product and brand research, TikTok has identified an opportunity for advertisers to capitalize on this trend. The platform shared internal data revealing that 57% of its users engage with the app’s search function, and 23% search within the first 30 seconds of opening the app.
Additionally, research commissioned by TikTok found that over half of respondents prefer researching products on social media and video platforms rather than using traditional web browsers.
TikTok responded to this behavior by introducing the Search Ads Toggle in October, allowing advertisers to display ads in the app’s search results based on existing content. These ads were algorithmically placed next to related search queries, helping brands reach users actively searching for relevant information.
Building on this, TikTok has now rolled out the Search Ads Campaign, giving advertisers more control over where and how their ads appear. This feature allows brands to engage with high-intent audiences at a crucial moment in their search journey, offering opportunities to optimize for traffic and web conversions.
For users, entering a query in the search bar at the top of the For You feed brings up search results alongside ads, which can be explored within TikTok’s in-feed experience. Users can continue browsing through the results after viewing the ads.
TikTok highlighted several advantages for advertisers, including the use of planning tools to align content with user search behavior, whether intentional or serendipitous. Features like budget management, creative flexibility, enhanced bidding options, and keyword targeting enable brands to reach high-intent audiences with precision.
Early testing showed promising results: brands that combined Search Ads with in-feed ads experienced a 20% increase in conversions, often with similar or better acquisition costs. TikTok’s internal data also revealed that 18% of users who didn’t initially convert after seeing an in-feed ad did so after encountering the corresponding Search Ad.
To get started, brands can set up a Search Ads Campaign via TikTok Ads Manager by selecting either the traffic or web conversion objective. This will direct them to a campaign creation flow featuring tools like keyword suggestions and the option to block negative keywords. The campaign supports both image carousels and video assets, and TikTok’s algorithm selects the best-suited creative based on user activity.
Advertisers can update creative assets and keywords throughout the campaign to adapt to the dynamic search environment. TikTok recommends best practices such as using at least 20 relevant keywords, designing creative to drive engagement, maintaining a 20-to-1 budget-to-bid ratio, and continuously optimizing the campaign based on performance data.