How to create Video Shopping Ads (for Catalog)
Last updated, March 2024

Before getting started: Video Shopping Ads (for Catalog) is now automatically available to all Web advertisers globally. The App use case is only available to selected advertisers for closed beta testing.


Please contact your sales representative to verify your eligibility.


Note: To learn more, refer to Getting Ready for Video Shopping Ads (for Catalog) and Considerations for Video Shopping Ads (for Catalog).


This article is about creating Video Shopping Ads using a catalog as the product source and does not require setting up TikTok Shopping. If you would like to promote your TikTok Shop products, refer to Video Shopping Ads (for TikTok Shop).


There are 5 main steps required to create Video Shopping Ads using a catalog as a product source:

  1. Create a catalog on TikTok Business Center.

  2. Upload your products to your catalog.

  3. Upload or generate videos for the products in your catalog.

  4. Integrate events between your catalog and measurement partner or TikTok Pixel.

  5. Publish a campaign using the products in your catalog.


Step 1. Create a Catalog

The first step in creating Video Shopping Ads is creating a catalog on TikTok Business Center.

  1. Login to TikTok Business Center (https://business.tiktok.com/).

  2. Go to Assets, then Catalog.

  3. Click Create.

  4. Input a Catalog Name.

  5. Choose a Default Currency for the products in your catalog.

  6. Select a Targeting Location where you will show your ads.

For more information on how to create and manage your product catalog, refer to How to Create and Manage Catalogs.


Step 2. Upload Products

After you create a catalog, you'll need to upload your products to it.

  1. Select your Catalog.

  2. On the left side of the screen, under Manage, click Products.

  3. Click the Upload Product button.

  4. Choose how you will upload your products into your catalog. Choose from:

    • Manually Add: Fill out a form for each product.

    • Data Feed Schedule: Automatically import your products from an online file.

    • Upload File: Upload products from a template.

  5. When uploading your products, you must enter a Data Feed Name. This name will help you manage the products you've uploaded to your catalog.

  6. Ensure mandatory product attributes are provided in the required format and guidelines. Learn more about mandatory and optional Catalog Product Parameters.

    • Important Tip: If you are an app advertiser, both ios_url and android_url product attributes are required in order to promote your products through deeplink.


Note: You will need at least four deliverable (in stock, approved, and activated) products to run a Video Shopping Ad. If you have less than 4 products and would still like to run a Video Shopping Ad campaign, please contact your TikTok representative.


Step 3. Generate Video

Like regular TikTok ads, you will need video assets to create Video Shopping Ads. However, you have the option of using your product information to dynamically create Catalog Video, or using videos you upload or select from your Asset Library.


To create Video Shopping Ads, you will need to make your ads using a Single Video, Catalog Video, or both.


Create a Single Video on TikTok Ads Manager

There are two ways to create or upload a single video on TikTok Ads Manager:

  1. From the Ad module:

    • Select Single Video as the Ad format.

    • Under Video, click +Upload, +From Library, or +Create.

    • Upload or select a video asset or create one using our creative tools.

  2. From the Creative page:

    • On TikTok Ads Manager, go to Assets, then Creatives, and select Videos.

    • Click Create and select one of the available creative tools (such as TikTok Video Editor).

    • Create your video using the available tools.


Create a Catalog Video

After adding your products to your catalog, you can quickly generate videos featuring your products directly from Catalog Manager.

  1. Go to your Business Center.

  2. Select your catalog and open it in Catalog Manager.

  3. Under Configure, click Videos.

  4. Choose the video style you want to create for your catalog products. Choose from: Dynamic Template, Custom Template, or Ready-to-use TikTok Templates.

    • Dynamic Templates: A tool that automatically turns your products into optimized video ads using templates designed to look and feel hyper-native to TikTok. This means visualizing relevant details from your product catalog, such as images, text, and prices. The system will automatically combine the visuals in your catalog with video effects, music, and contextually relevant stickers - creating an engaging video for each product.

    • Custom Template Video: A customized solution that enables you to develop a totally custom creative unit that reflects your brand's visual identity. When creating a Custom Template Video, you can use your brand's signature colors, logo, visuals, messaging, and audio.

    • Ready to use TikTok Templates: Choose from our library of more than 50 TikTok Templates to get started. This allows you to generate video assets with just a few clicks while adding customization.

  5. Once you select a style for your Catalog Video, follow the on-screen instructions to create your video package.


Note:

  • You do not need to generate videos for products if your Catalog contains links to Product Videos.

  • Each Catalog can only have a maximum of 20 video packages at a time. You will need to delete one of your video packages before creating another if you have already met the maximum of twenty video packages.


Create a Catalog Carousel on TikTok Ads Manager

Powered by your catalog, this is a scalable and cost-free solution to showcase multiple products in a swipeable carousel, taking your shoppers to unique landing pages.

  1. From the Ad module:

    • Select Catalog Carousel as the Ad format.

    • Upload or select a music of choice that will accompany your Carousel.


Step 4. Connect Event Sources

Connecting your app measurement partner or your TikTok Pixel to your Catalog will allow you to dynamically show ads to people based on how they interacted with your app or website. Learn more about match rates and how to increase them.

  1. Go to your Business Center.

  2. Open your catalog in Catalog Manager.

  3. On the menu on the left side of the screen, under Configure, click Event Sources.

  4. Choose whether you want to connect your Catalog to:

    • App Event Sources: Track your in-app events with our measurement partners and connect them with your catalog.

    • Pixel Event Sources: Connect your catalog with the events that happen on your website.


Step 5. Create Video Shopping Ads

Once you have created your catalog, uploaded your products, generated your videos, and connected your event sources, you're ready to create a campaign.


At the Campaign level

  1. To get started, go to the Campaign tab and click Create.

  2. Under the Advertising Objective, select Product Sales.

  3. Choose if your product information (Product Source) is coming from a Catalog or TikTok Shop.

  4. If you want to run iOS Dedicated Campaign, turn on the Use iOS 14 dedicated campaign toggle.

  5. Determine campaign budget.


At the Ad Group level

  1. Choose your Optimization location (if your products are for sale on an App or Website).

    • If you select App, choose your app from the drop-down menu.

    • If you select Website, choose your pixel and select an optimization event.

    • If you would like to optimise towards Traffic, leave TikTok Pixel and Optimization event blank.

  2. Choose your ad placement TikTok, Pangle, or Automatic.

  3. Under Targeting, choose your Audience.

    • Select Retarget Audience to show specific product ads to people who expressed interest in them on your website or app.

      • If using a Retarget Audience, you will need to select the events you want to include or exclude from your audience and the time frame those events occurred.

      • You also have the ability to include or exclude a custom audience from your Retarget Audience.

    • Select Find Prospective Customers to show your product ads to new potential customers.

      • If using a Find Prospective Customers audience, you can select Custom Audiences and Lookalike Audiences to include or exclude from your targeting.

      • If you are selling your products on an app, we recommend that you create a Custom Audience from people who have installed your app and exclude them from your Find Prospective Customers Audience.

  4. Complete the remainder of your ad group's selections (e.g. Budget, schedule, bidding & optimization preference).


At the Ad level

  1. Under Products, select your Catalog and choose one of the following:

    • All Products - this will be the default selection.

    • Product Set

    • Specify Products

  2. Determine what type of video you would like to show in your Video Shopping Ads campaign.

    • Single Video: Upload an existing video asset, select one from your library, or create a new one.

    • Single Image: Upload an existing image asset, select one from your library, or create a new one. (Pangle only)

    • Catalog Video: Select a video package you have created.

      • Alternatively, select Choose all video designs. This option will prioritize any videos that you added to your catalog via the Video URL field and then use your catalog's video packages if there are none available for your product.

    • Catalog Carousel: Create an ad with your catalog images. 2 to 20 products will be displayed in a Carousel format.

  3. For website advertisers, ensure you opt-in to Dynamic Destination to direct your potential customers to your landing page or a TikTok Instant Page, depending on what is most likely to generate the best results for your business.

  4. If you are selling products on an App, select a Deeplink type:

    • Choose Product Deeplink to use the Deeplink you've provided for each product in the catalog.

    • Choose Custom Link to enter a Deeplink that will be applied to the entire ad group.

    • Select a Fallback Type. This will determine where your link will lead if someone does not have your app installed.

  5. Publish your campaign.


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