How to Run Ads on TikTok: Formats, Targeting & Performance Hacks

If you're planning to advertise on TikTok in 2025, the moment is now. With more than 23 million active UK users and one of the highest rates of engagement of any social media site on the entire world, TikTok offers businesses an unparalleled blend of cultural relevance, virality, and ad ROI.
But TikTok is unlike other native digital ad platforms. Its algorithm, app usage, and creative culture require a performance-first approach—a one that wed native content creation with intelligent audience targeting and rapid iteration.
Whether you are an in-house marketing professional or outsource to a top TikTok ads agency UK businesses rely on, this playbook gives you the complete guide to launch, optimize, and scale your TikTok ad campaigns.

Top TikTok Ad Formats: What's Best for Your Campaign Goals?

Prior to creating your first campaign, you need to familiarize yourself with TikTok's ad formats. They're all used on something else and work best at varying stages of the funnel.

1. In-Feed Ads

• Placement: Appear in the natural For You Feed, between authentic videos.
• Optimal for: Direct response, app downloads, TikTok Shop purchases.
• Pros: Skippable, but completely native. Supports CTAs such as "Shop Now" or "Download."
• Pro Tip: Use creator-grade content with instant hooks to reduce skip rates.

2. TopView Ads

• Placement: Full-screen video the moment customers launch the app.
• Suitable for: Product launches, event marketing, brand awareness.
• Pros: Max visibility, unskippable for 3–5 seconds.
• Pro Tip: Pair with Spark Ads to ride post-TopView traffic to conversion.

3. Spark Ads

• Placement: Creator or branded boosted organic posts.
• Best for: Creator collaborations, engagement-driven ads, social validation.
• Pros: Saves likes, comments, and shares; looks completely natural.
• Pro Tip: Choose your top-performing organic clip prior to transitioning to Spark.

4. Branded Hashtag Challenge

• Placement: Sponsored trend with a branded audio + call to action.
• Best for: Mass participation, UGC collection, virality.
• Advantages: Individuals create content based on your assignment.
• Pro Tip: Pair with creator seeding to achieve early momentum.

All the ad formats have a strategic function. A winning campaign can use TopView for awareness, In-Feed for clicks, and Spark for social proof and engagement.

Targeting Best Practices: Reach the Right People, the Right Way

When you advertise on TikTok, targeting makes or breaks your budget. Thankfully, TikTok's Ads Manager includes subtle audience tools—and UK agencies are leveraging them to laser-target their perfect customers.

1. Targeting of Interest & Behaviour

TikTok classifies users based on:

• Video interaction categories (i.e., beauty, technology, travel)
• Creator follows and likes
• Exposure to alternative products (i.e., visiting TikTok Shop)

Agency Hack: Stack 2–3 related interests (e.g., "Gym," "Protein," and "Home Cooking") to segment sub-niche intent.

2. Lookalike Audiences

Post your:

• CRM list
• Pixel data
• Engagement lists

TikTok will identify the users with the same behavior and demographics.
Use this to replicate successful customer profiles throughout the UK or target similar high-value purchasers.

3. Geo & Demographic Segments

Want to hyper-target Scotland v. Southeast England? Or execute Gen Z-only offers in London? TikTok enables you to do so:

• Segment by city or region
• Filter by age, gender, and even device type

TikTok ad agency UK experts employ geo splits to customize voice, slang, or creator accent for increased cultural alignment.

Performance Hacks to Supercharge TikTok Ads

Even brilliant targeting creativity and accuracy won't produce ROI unless supported by intelligent performance strategies. Here's what high-performing campaigns (and agencies) are doing behind the scenes:

1. Budget Unit Testing (or Creative Split Test Method)

Don't spend it all at once. Instead:

• Launch 3–5 new innovative variants at £20–£30/day
• Make all the other variables constants (audience, time, CTA).
• Termininate the low-performers within 48–72 hours and scale the top creative

This method ensures you're paying for what TikTok users actually see.

2. Pixel-Driven Retargeting

Use the TikTok Pixel to reach:

• Add to cart retargeting
• Product view but no purchase sequences
• Repeat customer loyalty loops

Retargeting is where your most profitable money typically is—and where Spark Ads with dynamic CTAs shine.

3. Time-Split Scheduling

UK user behaviors vary radically throughout the day. Most campaigns perform best at:

• 7–10 AM scrolls (commuting)
• 12–2 PM breaks
• 6–10 PM peak hours

Employ dayparting to:

• Bid more during the peak hours
• Reduce spend during low-intent periods
• Test CTA timing of placement (e.g., "Shop now for next-day delivery" vs. "Midnight restock")

Agencies utilize automated rules in Ads Manager to maximize delivery hours each day.

Advantages of Smart Targeting & Tactical Implementation

Strategic targeting and action aren't so much about precision—scalable success is what they unlock. Here's what you're rewarded with when you get TikTok ads right:

Reduced Cost Per Result

Narrower audiences = fewer wasted impressions = better ROAS.

Intelligenz Ad Spend

Pre-scaling testing allows you to invest in what really works.

Campaign Scalability

Once the successful creative + audiences are identified, scaling is straightforward and fast.

Case Study: UK Pet Brand Trips TikTok ROAS 3.8X in 6 Weeks

Brand: TreatBox UK – Monthly subscription of pet treats
Challenge: Low brand awareness, rising Meta ad costs
Agency: London-based TikTok ad agency with pet & CPG background

Strategy:

• Began with 4 ad creatives: one funny one, two UGC, and one ASMR unboxing.
• Target Birmingham, Manchester & London dog owners
• Utilized Spark Ads to scale high-performing UGC
• Added pixel and retargeted "add to cart" abandoners

Results:

• 2.5M cumulative views within 6 weeks
• 3.8X ROAS on TikTok but only 1.9X on Meta
• 41% cost per conversion reduction
• 900+ new monthly box subscribers

Source: Q1 2025 campaign report
This is an illustration of the power of format + targeting + retargeting in TikTok's environment.

Conclusion: Tactics + Targeting = TikTok Ad Success

To market effectively on TikTok in the UK, you don't just need content—you need structure. Learn about the formats, test in a structured manner, and let performance metrics guide every choice. When you combine bold, native-performing copy with careful testing and sharp targeting, you don't merely create ads. You create repeatable growth machines.
And if you're set on scaling, by leveraging a performance-led TikTok ad agency UK marketers rely on, you can do so faster, wiser, and at scale.
Ready to turbocharge your TikTok advertising campaign?
Let The Short Media help you test, optimize, and scale your campaigns with proven performance frameworks and high-converting creative that works.