TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms, making it a great choice for driving brand awareness. However, it is also one of the fastest-moving platforms, with changing trends that require changing strategies. That means they need to keep refining their TikTok content strategies for brands to achieve success on the platform.

When doing that, one decision they have to make is choosing between an organic content strategy and paid ads. In this article, we compare the two strategies and help you decide which of the two options is better.

A Case For TikTok Ads

TikTok ads are immersive full-screen video ads that appear in the search results, For You feed, and TikTok’s partner apps. These ads differ from traditional social media ad formats in that they are made in a way that blends smoothly with organic content but are tagged Sponsored while featuring an interactive CTA.

TikTok ads are run on an auction-based method, meaning that advertisers can bid for clicks (CPC), impressions (CPM), and views (CPV). TikTok allows brands to connect their ads to the TikTok Shop, enabling direct purchasing on the app. However, they can also boost their organic content using the TikTok Promote feature. 

Before getting into the TikTok ads strategy, you also need to find out what makes the platform different. This includes:

• Prioritizing authentic instead of polished content.
• A focus on short-form or viral trends.
• Users value relatability over production value.

Types of TikTok Ads

Brands on TikTok have many advertising options, and each brand must select the most efficient option to reach its audience and deliver its message. 

Here are some of the various TikTok ads to choose from:

• In-feed video ads. These are ads appearing in the native feed on TikTok's For You Page.
• Search ads. With these ad formats, brands can bid on certain keywords, just as in Google Ads. This ensures that when TikTok users search a relevant term, your video will appear, enabling you to capture a high-intent audience.
• Spark ads. This type of ad was rolled out by TikTok in 2021 to enable brands to sponsor popular organic videos regarding their products.
• Top-view ads. When the TikTok user opens the app, these ads are the first thing they see. They open in full-screen mode with the sound on, making them perfect for capturing the user’s attention.
• Video ads. The full-screen TikTok videos are often between 5 and 60 seconds and appear on the For You Page.
• Image ads. These include the app or brand name and text.
• Carousel ads. The ads feature over 10 images in the TikTok feed.
• Pangle ads. TikTok also integrates with the Pangle platform to provide videos with banners and native ads. However, the feature isn't available in some countries.
• Branded effects. In some cases, ads can appear as branded stickers, AR content, and filters, enabling TikTok users to add them to their videos.
• Video shopping ads. These are entirely integrated into the TikTok Shop, enabling brands to leverage smart automation to show tiles of shoppable products and increase sales on TikTok.
• Sponsor influencer videos. This TikTok ad lets users promote their messages using sponsored videos from influential TikTok users.
• Playable ads. These are designed for gaming companies, enabling users to play a game prior to downloading.

Benefits of TikTok Ads

TikTok ads offer brands a lot of  benefits, such as:

• Highly targeted reach. TikTok ads offer advanced targeting based on factors such as interests, behaviors, locations, and demographics, enabling you to put content in front of audiences more likely to convert.
• Creative flexibility. TikTok ads can provide your brand with performance metrics that help you determine whether your campaigns are effective. You can also tweak campaigns based on their effectiveness to make informed decisions.
• Creative flexibility. The TikTok ad ecosystem can support visual appeal, humor, and storytelling, enabling brands to create a memorable impact.

When to Use TikTok Ads

TikTok ads can be a great choice for brands looking for:

• Immediate reach and quick results.
• Running campaigns that are time-sensitive, such as product launches.
• Having a paid ad budget.

Which Brands Can Benefit From TikTok Ads?

If you are a B2C brand with a product that can be visually demonstrated, you can leverage TikTok ads. Some of the top brands that have used visuals appear in TikTok's top showcases, including NesQuik and Cetaphil. These brands have products that fit the show-don't-tell format of TikTok.

While TikTok can also be good for B2B brands, the platform is better suited for direct-to-consumer (DTC) engagement, where products can be showcased in 9 to 15 seconds.

Creating a TikTok Ad Strategy

Creating an outstanding TikTok ad strategy depends on the stage of the sales funnel you want to reach. This can be categorized as:

Awareness

This is the top of the sales funnel and aims at capturing your target audience’s attention. It is where you need to create scroll-stopping ads. Such ads should be energetic and bold, focusing on trending topics. 

To increase the chances of success with this kind of content, you should:

• Use trending sounds, effects, and hashtags.
• Use a strong hook in your first three seconds.
• Leverage trending challenges that fit your brand.

Visiting the TikTok Creative Center can provide insights into the kinds of ads working for your niche.

Consideration Stage

After capturing your audience’s attention, you will need to nurture their interest. The aims of this stage are to build trust by sharing content that entertains, educates, and provides value. Some of the content ideas for this stage include:

• BTS and product demo videos.
• Unboxing and customer testimonial videos.
• Tips and how-to content integrated into products.

You can use interactive features such as Q&A, polls, or live sessions to engage directly with the video. This phase aims to build relationships without being overly promotional.

Conversion

This is where you now want to turn the viewers into customers after generating their interest. You will have a strong call to action that motivates viewers to act immediately. 

Some of the effective CTAs include:

• Shop now for 15% off.
• Limited-time deals. Don't miss out.
• Click the link for some free shipping.

Ensure that you have a popping offer to reduce friction. You can also use shopping links on TikTok to direct users to a clear, well-optimized landing page.

Retargeting to Boost Conversion

Remember that even with the above stages, you will still not convert some viewers. The good news is that the Pixel tracking on TikTok and the custom audiences will enable you to re-target previous users who have:

• Already rewatched the videos.
• Clicked a link.
• Added items to the cart but abandoned their carts.

At this stage, you can create follow-up ads or videos to address those objections or make the deals sweeter with discounts. You can also significantly increase conversion rates through personalization.

Post-Purchase Engagement

The aim of this stage is to turn your buyers into brand advocates, and therefore, the funnel will not end after a customer has checked out. You want to take the necessary steps to ensure sustainable brand growth by focusing on increasing customer loyalty. 

Some of the ads you can create for this stage of the buying journey should focus on:

• Showing BTS content.
• Creating a series on customer spotlight.
• Encouraging UGC using shoutouts and hashtags.

You can also build a strong community on TikTok to turn your happy buyers into brand advocates.

Organic Marketing on TikTok

The opposite of using paid ads on TikTok is organic marketing, which is the soul of TikTok: community-driven, unsponsored, and creative. It delivers great impact even without ad spend. It uses various strategies, such as participating in trending topics, consistent posting, and storytelling, to foster trust with audiences and connect with them. By doing that, brands can build landing page visibility and engagement as they become part of the conversation.

Why Choose Organic TikTok Marketing?

Organic marketing on TikTok offers various benefits, such as:

• Possibility of going viral. When you create outstanding content, it can go viral, helping you gain millions of views for free. 
• Community building. When you create engaging content, you can attract more comments, duets, and shares, helping you build a loyal following and expand your brand's reach.
• Feedback loop. When you interact organically with your audience, you can gain real-time insights into their needs, preferences, and wants.
• Authentic brand voice. Using organic posts can be a good way to showcase your brand’s humor, personality, mission, and BTS moments, ensuring your content feels more human.

To get the most out of organic content, you should focus on:

• Posting consistently three to five times a week.
• Using a trending hashtag or audio.
• Engaging with followers in the comments section.
• Participating in challenges, duets, and stitches.
• Repurposing your best-performing content.

In Conclusion: Choosing Between Organic Content and Ads

Both organic content and ads play unique roles in a brand's marketing funnel. You can use paid promotions to drive brand awareness and cold traffic. On the other hand, organic content can help you nurture and convert audiences into your long-term fans. Therefore, if you want the best results, you should go for a hybrid approach.