When a TikTok video is promoted, it means that the user has put money behind the release of the video in an attempt to optimise and broaden the audience and viewership.
Using the TikTok Promote advertising tool, videos which have been promoted are displayed as ads – with the original poster able to access information about how the video is performing. The stats include how much money has been spent on the video, the number of views it has got, how many users have clicked on the promotion, how many likes and comments it has, and what the demographic is of the average user who engages with the video.
But with TikTok Promote becoming more and more targeted, it can sometimes be difficult to tell when a video has been promoted and when it is simply performing well.
In this article, we’re sharing the signs that indicate a video is a paid ad.
How TikTok Promote Works
TikTok Promote operates on a bidding system whereby creators, brands, business pages, and those looking for quick but authentic growth can create campaigns and then allocate a budget to each campaign. Creators are given control over the audience they want to target before the video is then released on the ‘For You’ pages of users who meet that selected demographic.
The benefits of this level of targeting are clear.
While a typical TikTok video might benefit from some form of targeting, in that the TikTok algorithm will read the hashtags and ascertain which users might enjoy the content, using the paid Promote tool is much more distinctive and effective.
The likelihood of engagement when using TikTok Promote is much higher, granting creators and brands access to the right audience for them.
How to Identify a Promoted TikTok Video
With all that in mind, how can you – as a user – identify a promoted and paid TikTok video?
The most obvious sign is a clearcut sponsored label. TikTok videos which have been promoted will have a ‘Sponsored’ label on them which allows users to quickly see whether a post has been funded or is growing organically.
But paid posts created and shared by the brand directly are not the only form of sponsored and promoted posts on TikTok…
Understanding Promotional and Partnership Videos
While we’re on the topic of paid videos, it’s also worth mentioning brand collaboration videos and those which are posted by a user with the backing of a brand.
If a TikTok creator or influencer works with a brand and produces content on their behalf and to market their products or businesses, advertising standards require them to add an #ad hashtag to their caption or video.
What’s more, these posts will typically speak very favourably of the product and brand and will use hashtags that link back to the brand.
Lastly, there will often be a CTA which revolves around brand engagement, encouraging followers to use a code and receive a discount or special deal. This may sound like a simple gift for followers to enjoy, but it’s also a way for the creator and for the brand to understand exactly how fruitful the collaboration is and how much business and conversion each influencer brings in.
Using TikTok Promote for Your Page
Using TikTok Promote is a great way to turn specific videos into adverts for your brand, particularly if your goal is to enhance visibility and maximise exposure of your brand or page.
While using the TikTok Promote tool comes at a financial cost, choosing realistic goals will make this a valuable part of the platform that gives you direct access to your ideal audience or user.
