a.ads
← All guides

How TikTok campaigns work

The exact objectives, learning-phase thresholds, budget floors, creative specs and policy rules the agent works from — rendered from the same versioned knowledge module, nothing added.

TikTok best practice · knowledge v2026-07-13.1, verified 2026-07-13

Integration status

OAuth + provider are code-complete but gated: publishing awaits TikTok Marketing API app approval (TIKTOK_APP_ID/SECRET + TIKTOK_TRAFFICKING_ENABLED). Knowledge, tips and generation work now; publish surfaces say so honestly.

Objectives

Every campaign starts from a goal. Each goal maps to one TikTok objective with its own optimization events, required setup and learning phase.

AwarenessREACH· check docs
Optimizes for
reach
Bidding
lowest_cost (default); cost_cap after stable signal
Required before launch
identity (TikTok account or custom identity)
Learning phase
~50 events / 7 days per ad group· check docs
Budget floor
$50/day (campaign daily)· check docs

objective_type label per v1.3 docs — re-verify on version bump. Allowed CTAs (shared aliases): learn more, see more.

TrafficTRAFFIC· check docs
Optimizes for
landing_page_view
Bidding
lowest_cost (default); cost_cap after stable signal
Required before launch
identity (TikTok account or custom identity)
Learning phase
~50 events / 7 days per ad group· check docs
Budget floor
$20/day (ad group daily)

objective_type label per v1.3 docs — re-verify on version bump. Allowed CTAs (shared aliases): learn more, see more, get offer.

EngagementENGAGEMENT· check docs
Optimizes for
post_engagement
Bidding
lowest_cost (default); cost_cap after stable signal
Required before launch
identity (TikTok account or custom identity)
Learning phase
~50 events / 7 days per ad group· check docs
Budget floor
$20/day (ad group daily)

objective_type label per v1.3 docs — re-verify on version bump. Allowed CTAs (shared aliases): learn more, see more, sign up, subscribe.

LeadsLEAD_GENERATION· check docs
Optimizes for
lead
Bidding
lowest_cost (default); cost_cap after stable signal
Required before launch
instant form or pixel lead event
Learning phase
~50 events / 7 days per ad group· check docs
Budget floor
$20/day (ad group daily)

objective_type label per v1.3 docs — re-verify on version bump. Allowed CTAs (shared aliases): sign up, learn more, get offer, subscribe, download, apply now, get quote.

SalesWEB_CONVERSIONS· check docs
Optimizes for
purchase
Bidding
lowest_cost (default); cost_cap after stable signal
Required before launch
pixel + conversion event
Learning phase
~50 events / 7 days per ad group· check docs
Budget floor
$20/day (ad group daily)

objective_type label per v1.3 docs — re-verify on version bump. Allowed CTAs (shared aliases): shop now, buy now, order now, get offer, subscribe.

AppAPP_PROMOTION· check docs
Optimizes for
app_install
Bidding
lowest_cost (default); cost_cap after stable signal
Required before launch
app_id + app store URL
Learning phase
~50 events / 7 days per ad group· check docs
Budget floor
$20/day (ad group daily)

objective_type label per v1.3 docs — re-verify on version bump. Allowed CTAs (shared aliases): download, use app, sign up, learn more.

Text limits

FieldHard maxRecommended
Ad text· check docs100 chars≤ 80 chars
Display name· check docs40 chars

Ad text: Single caption field; emoji allowed, hashtags count. Re-verify cap (varies by placement/language).

Creative specs

Ship the full ratio set per placement — serving one stretched asset everywhere is penalized by delivery ranking.

In feed
9:16 — min 540×960px, mp4/mov/jpg/png, ≤ 500 MB · keep text inside safe zone (top 8%, bottom 25%)· check docs

Policy rules

Blocks

Ads may not imply knowledge of a user's personal attributes (health, finances, beliefs). Address the topic, never the viewer's condition.

Blocks

Health/medical, financial services, alcohol and gambling are restricted or prohibited per market; weight-loss claims and before/after imagery are policy-sensitive.

Blocks

No exaggerated, unverifiable or guaranteed-outcome claims; prices and offers must match the landing page.

Common mistakes

Studio-polished creative

High-production 'ad-look' creative is skipped fast on TikTok; native, creator-style footage with visible imperfection performs better.

Slow hook

Losing the first 1-2 seconds to logos or build-up kills completion rate; open on the claim, the person, or the movement.

Recycled horizontal assets

Letterboxed 16:9 or 1:1 assets read as outsider content in a full-screen 9:16 feed.

Editing during learning

Budget or targeting edits restart ad-group learning, same as Meta; batch changes.

Working guidance

Native and informal — creator-spoken, lowercase energy, trends-aware. The ad must feel like a TikTok, not an ad; polished studio footage underperforms.

Hooks

The first 1-2 seconds decide everything: open mid-action or mid-sentence, state the payoff early, and design for sound-on (voiceover or trending audio) with captions burned in.

Source: TikTok creative best-practice docs.

Creative refresh

Creative fatigues faster than on Meta — expect 1-2 weeks of prime delivery per asset at steady spend; keep a rolling pipeline of variations rather than one hero asset.

Source: TikTok creative refresh guidance.

Funnel

Awareness: Reach on TikTok buys cultural presence; pair it with an Engagement or Traffic ad group retargeting video viewers rather than expecting direct response.

Source: TikTok objective guidance.

Tone

Sales: Direct-response on TikTok still has to entertain first: demo the product in use within the first seconds, price/offer as an overlay, CTA spoken and shown.

Source: TikTok performance creative guidance.

Last verified against official TikTok documentation: 2026-07-13 (module v2026-07-13.1). Values marked “check docs” are guidance not yet confirmed against the platform's current published specs.

Questions? hello@dotstack.io