Top 5 TikTok Business Ad Strategies That Work

As of 2025, TikTok has solidified itself as one of the greatest brand discovery engines for commerce as well as cultural influence. Unlike heavily follow-dependent feeds-based social media platforms, TikTok is based on algorithmic discovery whereby innovation is consistently encouraged at the expense of followers. Such a shift implies buying impressions is no longer the focus when it comes to advertising on TikTok; rather, it is harnessing a content ecosystem whereby community engagement achieves virality.
TikTok Ads for Business—the set of available ad formats for brands—are specifically designed to blend in naturally with organic content, thus making it less intrusive and more real. From Spark Ads which elevate organic creator content, to interactive AR filters which engage users at a level, TikTok has remade what advertising is in the age of short-form video.
It's a much greater opportunity for UK brands. With a consumer base sensitive to trends, fewer ad saturations in comparison to the US, and a budding TikTok Shop, businesses can enjoy rapid ROI when employing proper strategies. Collaborate with a TikTok marketing agency UK for brands so that they can navigate nuances in the app, take advantage of in-market creators, and campaign in high-ROI.
Here, we dissect the top five TikTok business ad strategies which are perennial performers in 2025 based on UK-specific study and real-case scenarios.

Strategy 1: Spark Ads on Organic Conversion Posts

What They Are

Spark Ads allow brands to turbocharge their own TikTok posts or posts from creators with whom they are collaborating. These are organically-appearing ads whose engagement metrics are no different for their original posts (likes, sharing, comment).

Why They Work

• Social proof gives reassurance.
• Cheaper than developing brand-new polished creative for advertisements.
• Taking advantage of content already trending.

British Case Study: GlowGenix Skincare

GlowGenix is a UK clean beauty brand. Its Instagram growth was flat but on TikTok, it attained new traction. With a TikTok advertising agency UK business, it identified organically trending content created by users and boosted it with Spark Ads.
Results:

• 2.8 million views within six weeks
• 5× ROAS
• 35% were new customers purchasing

By leveraging Spark Ads, GlowGenix avoided overproduced creatives in lieu of further optimizing actual content people were inherently consuming.

Strategy 2: Effective in-Feed Ads Powerful Hooks

What They Are

They are the most prevalent TikTok business ads found directly in users' For You Page. They resemble normal TikToks but contain a CTA (i.e., "Shop Now," "Learn More").

Why These Work

• Native experience—they don't interrupt browsing.
• High CTR when used along with popular music.
• Scalable with A/B tested hooks.

Main Strategiai

• Develop a 3-second hook (a compelling statement, question, or surprise stat).
• Include sound overlays which correlate trending tracks.
• Keep it short and imperative CTA.

UK Insight

For in-feed UK ads, performance is robust based on comparatively low CPCs (often in the $0.50–$1.50 range) compared to other channels. According to agency data by House of Marketers, UK brands are seeing up to 3× more engagement for in-feed ads compared with Instagram reels.

Strategy 3: Branded Effects & AR Filters

What They Are

Branded Effects and AR Filters enable brands to produce interactive filters, stickers, or AR effects where users can overlaid their content in their own videos.

Why They Work

• Enable UGC at scale.
• Complements lifestyle and beauty companies (e.g., virtual fitting).
• Performs well at the top-of-the-funnel awareness creat.

UK Example

Though AR campaigns remain in their infancy in the UK, cosmetics companies such as L'Oréal UK have tried their hand at virtual try-on filters allowing users to try out makeup colors. When combined with creator seeding, such filters induce mass engagement frequently converting commercials into community challenges.

Strategy 4: Creator-Funded Commerce Programs

What They Are

These promotions utilize not only influencer marketing but also direct product tagging so users can purchase directly within TikTok Shop.

Why They Work

• Establishes credibility—you are observing influencers you are following utilize the product.
• Converts directly in TikTok (no friction in external checkout).
• Lower cost of acquisition compared to full paid advertisements.

UK Case Study: INKEY List x Campfire

British skincare company The INKEY List joined forces with UK agency Campfire in an effort to expand TikTok reach. Rather than putting their bet all on brand-controlled commercials, their interest was in influencer content with shoppable links in TikTok Shop.
Outcomes:

• Greater awareness in UK and EU.
• Increased TikTok Shop conversions.
• Boost in DTC website traffic alongside retail partnerships.

It is an illustration of the effectiveness of creator-driven commerce campaigns to push tangible sales, rather than impressions.

Strategy 5: Spark Retargeting + In-Feed Combination

What It Is
A full-funnel campaign with layering Spark Ads and In-Feed Ads, retargeting.
Flow:

• Top of Funnel (TOF): Cold audiences for Spark Ads.
• Middle of Funnel (MOF): Ads In-Feed with benefits.
• Bottom of Funnel (BOF): Retargeting strong warm lists with strong offers.

Why it Works

• Optimizes value for each step of audience.
• Converts “window shoppers” who engaged but didn’t buy.
• Increases ROAS by up to 30–40.

UK Agency Insight

Social Shepherd is a leading TikTok agency in the UK and regularly employs this layering funnel technique for their e-commerce clients. These clients indicate Spark + In-Feed + Retargeting blended campaigns produce a much higher CTR and lower CPA when compared to single-format campaign results.

Why These Strategies Work for UK Brands

Trend-Based Culture

British consumers are eager adopters of new trends so TikTok is ripe for activity leveraging music, memes or challenge.

Reducing Ad Saturation

Compared to the US, TikTok UK is less competitive in ads, which tends to lower CPMs in addition to CPCs.

TikTok Store Adoption

As TikTok Shop grows in the UK, companies are now able to connect ads directly to commerce.

Agency Ecosystem

A TikTok agency UK allows brands to achieve maximum ROI by:

• Accessing TikTok beta tools.
• Building creator partnerships.
• Running performance analysis.

Practical Examples in UK

• GlowGenix Skincare - Spark Ads by creators → 5× ROAS.
• INKEY List – Creator-led commerce promotions → TikTok Shop sales rush.
• Manchester Boutiques – Niche DTC businesses thriving with TikTok agencies → 2–3 times higher engagement in comparison with other platforms.

These are just a few examples of how creativity plus strategy (and agency knowledge) equal business results you can count.

Conclusion

TikTok is no longer an "experimental" platform—it's a requirement for performance-minded marketing. With the proper TikTok business ads—from Spark Ads up to full-funnel retargeting—British brands can create awareness, make sales, and grow even faster compared to standard channels. Collaborating with a TikTok marketing agency UK is the best-kept secret for unlocking this potential. There are agencies that offer creator matching, test-and-learn campaign capabilities, and performance measurement—that enable brands to quickly and efficiently scale.
By 2025, TikTok winners won't just advertise; they'll become culturally integrated, tap into creators, and make shopping an inherent component of entertainment.