TikTok Top Media Buying & Ad Creative Strategies [JULY 2023]

Introduction

Hey everyone, this is Savannah Sanchez from The Social Savannah. I'm thrilled to be here today to talk all about TikTok media buying and ad creative strategies.

Who Am I?

I started my business, Social Savannah, in 2020. Initially, I was a media buyer, and I worked at the Common Thread Collective agency. There, I led the Facebook and Snapchat media buying teams. In April 2020, I ventured out on my own to become a paid social freelancer, working directly with brands on their media buying. I leaned heavily into TikTok, becoming one of the early adopters of the platform.

Since then, I’ve assisted multiple brands in scaling on TikTok. Post iOS 14, having outstanding ad creatives became critical. Hence, I’ve put significant emphasis on ad creatives, building a team to provide exceptional TikTok ads for my clients, including Athletic Greens, Farmer's Dog, Revolve, and Dr. Squatch, to name a few.

My Default Ad Set Structure

When working with e-commerce brands, I optimize for conversions, particularly complete payment. I never use day parting but always use audience exclusions, like 180-day past purchasers. One effective strategy is optimizing for value as the goal. This has become standard practice for me.

Audience Targeting

For e-commerce brands, I usually have five to ten ad sets running at a time in my TikTok ad account. Here are some examples of frequently used ad sets:

Broad (No Interest Targeting), segmented by age (e.g., under 24 years old).
Lookalike based on purchasers from the past year.
Interest and hashtag stacks.
Auto targeting.
Smart performance targeting.
Retargeting ad sets.

Interest and hashtag stacks involve selecting broad interests (e.g., makeup, liquid makeup) and combining them. Always turn on targeting expansion, allowing TikTok to target outside your initial selections if it lowers the CPA.

Automatic Targeting

Automatic targeting can be selected over custom targeting. I often test both to see which yields better results. This works well for products with broad appeal, as TikTok uses machine learning to optimize targeting.

Smart Performance Campaign

Smart performance campaigns are relatively new but worth testing. You can upload up to 30 video variants and five text variations. TikTok will optimize these based on performance. This option, driven by machine learning, is easy to manage and may yield impressive results without extensive media buying.

Display Cards

Display cards are another tool worth testing. These cards pop up during the ad, showcasing discounts or CTAs. They can be created easily using TikTok's ad manager templates and can extend the lifespan of your creative while lowering CPA.

Ad Optimization Schedule

Here's my optimization schedule:

Twice a week, I launch new ads or iterations of top performers.
Turn off ads above CPA targets.
Use tools like Northbeam attribution and Fairing for Shopify apps.
Always keep five to seven ads active.
Leave best-performing ads and ad sets alone.

Top Performing Ad Creatives on TikTok

Your focus should be on creating compelling ad creatives. Here are some top-performing formats:

Fake Podcast Intro: A fake podcast setup adds credibility.
I Tried [Product] to See if Rumors Were True: Highly engaging hook.
Three Reasons Why: Another classic format, often enhanced with SpongeBob voice-over.
Three Reasons You Shouldn't Buy [Product]: Pokes fun while highlighting positives.
What I Ordered vs. What I Got: Showcases expectations vs. reality.
Do You Want [Benefit]?: Effective for problem-solution formats.
TikTok Comment Question Overlay: Mimics organic TikTok content.
Testimonial Mashup: Showcases various models or customers.
TikTok Made Me Buy It: Still a winner.
Display Comment Reviews: Adds credibility by showcasing actual reviews.

For more inspiration, visit my full portfolio at thesocialsavannah.com. If you found the media buying portion helpful, I offer a TikTok ads course with continuous updates and a private Facebook group. Get $ 100 off by signing up with this link.

Keywords

TikTok Media Buying
Ad Creative Strategies
E-commerce Brands
Audience Targeting
Smart Performance Campaign
Display Cards
Ad Optimization
Creative Formats
Social Savannah
Savannah Sanchez

FAQ

Q: What is your default ad set structure for TikTok? A: I optimize for conversions, exclude past purchasers, and often use value as the optimization goal.

Q: How do you handle audience targeting? A: I use a mix of broad, lookalikes, interest and hashtag stacks, auto targeting, and smart performance targeting.

Q: What are smart performance campaigns? A: These campaigns rely on TikTok’s machine learning to optimize targeting and ad creatives, making them easy to manage.

Q: How often should you launch new TikTok ads? A: I recommend launching at least two new ads per week and regularly optimizing based on performance.

Q: Are display cards effective? A: Yes, display cards can extend the lifespan of your creative and lower CPA by adding interactive elements like discounts.

Q: What are some top-performing ad creatives? A: Formats include fake podcast intros, "I tried [product] to see if the rumors were true," three reasons why, and "TikTok made me buy it."

Q: How can you learn more about TikTok ad strategies? A: You can check out my portfolio at thesocialsavannah.com and sign up for my TikTok ads course for continuous updates and a private Facebook group.