TikTok hasn’t been around as long as most other big-name social platforms (think Meta and Google), but it’s already a serious contender. As of February 2025, it was the fifth largest social platform in the world, with more estimated monthly users than Snapchat and Reddit combined.
With TikTok’s exponential growth comes massive advertising opportunities, especially for B2C brands. Statistics show that TikTok has more than 3.5 times the ad reach of X, with potential ad reach of almost 2 million users every month.
So should you be advertising on TikTok? And if so, where should you start? To find out how advertisers can integrate TikTok into their social ad strategy in 2026, we sat down with Fiona Bradley, the founder and director of FB Comms content and social agency, on the Paid Media Lab podcast.
In the episode, Fiona explains all about the impact of TikTok Search Ads, why authenticity trumps brand in (most) TikTok ads, and how to find creators who can make genuinely great TikTok ads that convert.
Watch the full episode here (or read on for the written key takeaways):
Timestamps:
0:00 - Coming up
0:13 - Intro
3:58 - Meta’s ‘No Ads’ subscription
6:38 - ‘AI enhanced’ Facebook ads
8:13 - Fiona’s approach to Black Friday
9:13 - What are TikTok Search Ads?
10:36 - What are GMV Max campaigns?
11:44 - The big opportunities for marketers
12:59 - Keyword targeting on TikTok
14:29 - How people search on TikTok
16:03 - Will TikTok Search overtake Google?
17:27 - Measurement & attribution in TikTok Search
18:43 - Common TikTok marketing mistakes
20:27 - Working with creators on TikTok
23:34 - Brand guideline advice for TikTok
26:34 - Does B2B / Lead Gen work on TikTok?
27:38 - Do YouTube Shorts work for B2B / Lead Gen?
28:53 - Key advice for marketers using TikTok
30:55 - Final thoughts & advice
What are TikTok Search Ads and when should you use them?
TikTok Search Ads are a relatively recent addition to the TikTok advertising suite. Until recently, advertisers had to rely on demographic or behavioral information to target users, rather than keywords or queries. But TikTok Search Ads change all that. Fiona explains how TikTok Search Ads work and why TikTok has introduced them:
“More than half of people use TikTok as a search engine. A search ad comes up when you’re in the search feed or on the search page (a bit like the Instagram Explore page). We had search ads already, but they were just part of the regular feed ads. You could just toggle them on. But now they’re separated.
So initially you could just toggle on and your ads would appear in the search. You were targeting by interest and demographics, hashtags people were looking at. Whereas with Search Ads, you can break it down to exact terms or related terms people are searching for.”
TikTok users won’t see any changes in their feed. All ads appear the same way as for in-feed ads; the only difference is that advertisers can now target specific search queries.
TikTok Search Ads let you steer people towards external sites where they can make a purchase. They work really well for brands who want to drive conversions from eCommerce platforms (like WooCommerce or Shopify). If you’re selling products directly from a TikTok Shop, you’ll need to use GMV Max, TikTok’s automated campaign type. At the moment, you can’t use TikTok Search Ads to send buyers to your TikTok Shop.
Fiona recommends using TikTok Search Ads if your product or service is super niche. If it’s not, you may get better value on other platforms that leverage more personal data:
“We’ve all had Facebook accounts since we were teenagers. We’ve been using it and putting our data in and talking to people for years. TikTok is so new, and you don’t have that same back and forth. You don’t put your demographic data in. You don’t put where you work. We don’t use it in the same way. So the targeting has always been so much looser.
With search, we’ll be able to get people’s specific purchase intent, similar to Google. It’s people that actually want the product. Rather than ‘they’ve looked at a beauty tutorial in the last month’, we know they’ve searched ‘korean skincare trends autumn 2025’.”
Are TikTok Search Ads similar to Google Search Ads?
TikTok is quickly becoming a go-to search engine, especially for younger audiences. This puts it in direct competition with Google, which has had a monopoly on online search for some time now.
But while TikTok Search Ads do work in a similar way to Google Search Ads, it’s important to note a few key differences. Google has more customization options than TikTok, which can give you greater control. For example, TikTok doesn’t currently let you add negative keywords, so there’s a higher chance of your ads showing up for unwanted queries.
Additionally, Fiona says that people use TikTok and Google search in different ways:
“People are looking for reviews, they’re looking for humans. Rather than just looking for random information, they’re expecting somebody — an expert, or someone who’s used the product or service — to give you their experience. People want to know what it’s like.
Let’s say you’re looking for the top 5 restaurants in Manchester city centre. Where Google has the AI summary, and a top few sponsored posts, [on TikTok] you expect an actual person to tell you their experience and give you the breakdown on that.”
People searching on TikTok want to see real human experiences. Understanding this will help you create effective TikTok ads. So let’s talk about authenticity, and why it’s essential in TikTok ad creation.
Why authenticity is important in TikTok Search Ads
When users search video content platforms — whether it's TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram — they’re looking for a human connection. Unlike Google, which is largely driven by information, TikTok users want opinion and experience. They want to know what real people think about products and services. That’s why, on TikTok, authenticity drives conversions.
Fiona reveals that inauthentic content is one of the most common mistakes she sees among TikTok advertisers:
“People fall down by putting out content that's not human. Even if it’s really polished. It doesn’t want to look slapdash, but it needs to be an actual person where you can, or hands, or user voiceover. People mostly use TikTok with the sound on. Make sure it’s actually something for someone to follow, not just a little demo or a GIF. You want a story that someone can use.
If it looks too studio and staged, people aren’t going to believe it. They won’t think it’s an actual human who cares about the product; they’re just being paid to do it.”
At a time when AI-generated content is getting more and more prevalent, getting genuine experiences from actual humans is really valuable. Especially for Search Ads that are targeted to your specific query. That’s why many brands are turning to TikTok creators to test, showcase, and advertise their products.
Paid partnerships and authenticity don’t always go hand-in-hand. Influencers have been known to avoid disclosing the paid or sponsored nature of their content, which can make users and advertisers wary of working with creators. But if you do everything above board and get a great creator to generate a genuinely good review or video for your brand, they can really pay off.
Choosing TikTok creators to showcase your products
There are three main routes to working with creators on TikTok:
- Influencer marketing — You pay an influencer (ideally with plenty of crossover in your audiences) to create a video and post it on their channel. This gets your brand in front of thousands of their followers.
- Creator partnerships — You pay a creator to make a video that you can then post from your own channel. They don’t necessarily have to have lots of followers, as you’re posting it from your own account, but they should have a track record of creating great content.
- Affiliate program — TikTok’s affiliate program allows you to contact multiple creators and form partnerships with them. They create and post the content, and get a kickback if you make a sale.
Fiona explains how she’s worked with creators and affiliates to boost sales and brand awareness:
“When we’re paying for the piece of content, a lot of the time we bring the creators in and we film it, so we have full control over it. When it’s an influencer, we tend to give them a steer, but they know their audience way better than we do. We can tell them about the brand, but we need them to talk to their audience the way they usually would.
On the affiliate center, they can do whatever they want. They get a sample, a bit of a brief, but they don’t get paid unless they actually sell stuff through tagging it on TikTok Shop. Then they’ll get a 10% kickback. So they’re directly incentivized to make it really good.”
Who you choose to work with depends on a few factors. If you have a tighter budget, affiliates can work well, as you only pay when you make a sale. Influencers and creators, on the other hand, tend to charge a flat rate no matter how many conversions or sales you get.
Aligning with specific influencers can work really well if you share similar brand values and there’s significant crossover in your audiences. But if they’re found to breach advertising guidelines or get other negative press, it could damage your brand as well. So some advertisers prefer to spread their budget across multiple affiliates, rather than relying on one or two specific influencers.
How important are brand guidelines in TikTok ads?
Branding is helpful when creating TikTok ads, and it’s useful for affiliates and creators to know how you position your products. But in most cases, branding isn’t as important as authenticity and entertainment. Instead of focusing on your brand, think about how you can hook your audience. Fiona says:
“It doesn’t need to be comedy content to have an impact. It’s the first second of your video that counts. Make sure you clearly put your hook on there.
What’s someone going to get out of it? What are you trying to convey to people? What’s the actual message and the value? Don’t ever start a video with “Hi, I’m —.” No. People don’t care. Put the value in there first, then introduce yourself. They’ve watched 3 seconds by that point, because they want to find out what you’re going to tell them.”
That said, you do need to be careful when you’re advertising regulated products like medical treatments and supplements. There are specific regulations around what you can and can’t say when it comes to these products. So you may need to share explicit guidelines with creators if this applies to your brand.
Are TikTok ads useful for B2B brands, or just B2C?
There’s no doubt that TikTok is effective for B2C companies, especially eCommerce brands. But can B2B businesses benefit from TikTok too?
According to Fiona, TikTok can work for B2B lead generation, but it’s probably not going to be the best value for your money:
“To be honest, we don’t have anything live for B2B lead gen on TikTok. Just because organic on LinkedIn is just so much easier and has a lower barrier to entry to get to people, rather than putting paid media behind it on TikTok.
It can work, and we’ve seen it work, and it worked for us when I gave it a little prod when it first came out. But it’s not a priority.”
Whether it’s worth testing out TikTok ads for your B2B brand depends on what you’re selling and whether your audience is likely to engage with you there. But you may find there are better platforms out there that give you a better return.
Top tips for getting started with TikTok ads
If you’re just starting out with TikTok ads, here’s a round-up of Fiona’s top tips:
- Check out TikTok Academy. This is a great way to get used to advertising on TikTok (although note that they’ll probably push you to use their automated features, which aren’t always the best choice).
- Set up and test your tracking before you spend the big bucks, so you can be sure you’re seeing accurate results.
- Make sure the first second of your video has a clear, compelling hook.
Don’t start with an introduction; get the value in as quickly as possible to draw your viewer in. - The hook doesn’t need to be fancy or complex. Experiment with different camera and editing techniques to create some kind of interest quickly.
- Don’t be afraid to be fun. TikTok is an entertainment platform and people won’t hang around to watch boring videos.
- Have a go. Consider putting in a tenner of your own money to play around with. That way, you can test new features and theories without spending company or client money.
Power up your TikTok ad campaigns in 2026
Advertising on TikTok is a great way for B2C brands to connect with Gen Z audiences, especially since the introduction of TikTok Search Ads. You can serve more targeted ads to actively engaged users, increasing brand awareness and driving more conversions. And by partnering with great creators and/or affiliates, you can capitalize on the authentic human voices that make TikTok such a powerful platform.
Massive thanks to Fiona for sharing her insights for our Paid Media Lab podcast and this article.
Follow Fiona on LinkedIn for more expert tips on adding a bit more fun to your social media presence.
Want more insights to power up your ad performance? Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss an episode, or search for the Paid Media Lab on your favourite podcast platform.
