Why American TikTok Users Prefer Interactive Ads

In 2025, TikTok is not just a social media site—it's an interactive shopping site where consumers don't just scroll, they engage. One of the biggest changes in U.S. online marketing is the growth of interactive marketing on TikTok, from quizzes and polls to gamified experiences that merge content and commerce.
Why do American users respond more to these formats? It's simple: interactivity creates connection. Today's audiences desire ads to be native, interactive, and relevant, rather than interruptive. Brands that understand are seeing genuine payback in reach, conversion, and brand love.
To capitalize on this opportunity, companies need to excel not only in new formats but also in the marketplace model of TikTok. That is where TikTok Shop marketing agency and TikTok Shop management agency come into play—guaranteeing that thrilling experiences are connected to quantifiable outcomes.
Let's get into why interactive ads are soaring on TikTok, top-performing ad units, and how U.S. brands can thrive with campaigns by merging entertainment and commerce.

Shift to TikTok Interactive Advertising

US TikTok users, particularly millennials and Gen Z, require a different type of ad experience—one that's native to their social feed, not interruptive. The algorithm and culture of the platform prefer content that's engaging, provocative, or interactive.
Interactive ads fit perfectly with this kind of dynamic. Based on TikTok's internal data:

• Interactive ads have 40% more interaction than video ads.
• People are 2.5 times more likely to share branded interactive content with someone else.
• Brands using interactive forms see an average 25–30% boost in conversion rates.

These results are no accident. They're linked with TikTok's transformation from a content destination to a social commerce initiative. And to maximize performance here, brands must synchronize their TikTok Shop management and ad strategy to deliver a seamless, shoppable experience.

Add TikTok Shop Management

TikTok Shop management is the behind-the-scenes power that enables frictionless e-commerce within these campaigns. From inventory management to product listing optimization to bringing shop data into your ad strategy, TikTok Shop management makes your interactive campaigns not only engage—convert.
When combined with high-performing ad formats, good shop infrastructure makes curiosity click and clicks convert.

Types of Interactive Ads

"Interactive ads" is a name given to a variety of TikTok-native ad formats that encourage interaction. The following are the top three formats that are currently trending in the U.S. market.

1. Quizzes and Polls

These light-touch interaction apps allow users to vote on topics or quiz themselves—creating a sense of involvement that compounds time spent with your brand.
Example:
A skin care brand debuts a "What's Your Skin Type?" quiz advertisement. Following the response to 2–3 brief questions, customers are suggested a tailored product on the brand's TikTok Shop—with a "shop now" button.
Creative Strategy Tip:
Make polls viral and fun. Tie them in with viral challenges or holidays (e.g., "What fall fragrance is your vibe?").

2. Swipeable Carousels

TikTok swipe ads allow users to find multiple images within one ad placement—perfect for showcasing product sets, tutorials, or before-and-after stories.
Example:
A fashion brand creates swipeable carousel with 5 various outfit combinations with the same jeans. Each slide directs to other product listings in their TikTok Shop.
Creative Strategy Tip:
Use swipeables to guide individuals through a narrative visually—such as "3 Steps to Clearer Skin" or "Pick Your Festival Fit."

3. Gamified Experiences

Gamified ads turn advertisements into mini-games—typically utilizing AR filters, interactive challenges, or reward-driven mechanisms. These implementations take advantage of the game-like nature of TikTok and encourage more interaction.
Example:
One food brand launches an AR game where consumers "catch" falling items for rewards. Top-scoring consumers are rewarded with exclusive coupons or time-sensitive discounts through TikTok Shop.

Creative Strategy Tip:

Add an incentive that goes viral—like a leaderboard or sharable result—to incentivize sharing and interaction.

Advantages to Brands

The growth of interactive advertising on TikTok isn't just hype—it's providing actual value to marketers who understand how to leverage it. These are three primary benefits:

1. Greater User Involvement

Interactive modes involve users in the story, rather than keeping them as passive observers. This fosters a two-way connection that's more lasting and meaningful in itself.

• Users are in charge
• Share growth and view time
• Greater emotional engagement with the manufacturer

2. Higher Conversion Rates

By associating interaction with business—via TikTok Shop marketing tools like direct links, creator codes, or product tags on videos—brands are experiencing an enormous boost in sales.
Data Insight:
Brands employing interactive TikTok advertisements with in-app Shop integrations see as much as 28% conversion increases over baseline video advertisements.

3. Brand Recall Increased

The more involved a user becomes, the greater the chances that he or she will retain your brand. Engaging experiences create mental impressions that cannot be duplicated with conventional advertising.

• Interactivity content will be recalled 60% more after 2 days
• Brands gain more top-of-mind awareness in purchase decisions

Case Study:

One wellness supplement brand collaborated with a TikTok Shop ad business to launch a gamified quiz that matched users with their ideal product. The ad generated:

• 18K quiz completion
• 4.3% CTR to TikTok Shop
• 3.8x ROAS within the first 10 days
  
  

Marketing Strategies

Creating successful interactive TikTok ads requires more than awe-inspiring visualizations—it requires an integrated approach that connects content, commerce, and community.

Implementing TikTok Shop Marketing Strategies

Here’s how U.S. brands are using TikTok Shop marketing to elevate their interactive campaigns:

• Product Tagging: Tag products of interest within interesting videos to enable immediate purchase.
• Creator Collaboration: Collaborate with creators to release polls, duets, or AR challenges showcasing your products.
• Live Shopping Events: Prepare quizzes or polls in advance of an upcoming TikTok Live, and then showcase those kinds of products live.
• Personalization: Suggest specific products from your TikTok Shop inventory based on quiz answers.
• Retargeting: Retarget users who have interacted with your ad through TikTok's ad pixel and custom audiences.

Agency Tip:

Having a complete TikTok Shop management team can make logistics go smoothly—from inventory synching to product page optimization, so users never have to deal with friction between engaging and buying.

Conclusion

The future of US advertising on TikTok is interactive—and it's already here.
From quizzes to games, the most successful TikTok ads today engage customers instead of selling to them. The evidence is in the pudding: interactive formats have better engagement, better brand recall, and more conversions—particularly when ideally combined with TikTok Shop marketing campaigns.
But it requires more than imagination to build these experiences—what it requires is execution, store infrastructure, and platform expertise. That's where the proper TikTok Shop management partner can make it worthwhile to participate.