About Smart Targeting in TikTok Ads Manager

Last updated: October 2024

Smart Targeting helps you find users most likely to complete your objective, such as completing a payment. It allows TikTok to deliver ads outside the designated Interest & Behaviors or Audience settings if it likely improves ad performance. Smart Targeting reduces Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) and ad fatigue for most advertisers.


Availability

Smart Targeting is available for auction bidding with the following performance objectives:

  • Traffic

  • Web conversion

  • Lead generation

  • App installation

Smart Targeting is not available for ad placements via Global App Bundle or Pangle.



Key concepts and terms

Once you set a criteria, we launch the ad based on the target. Our model observes ad performance to determine if the ad is underperforming or if users outside the targeting audience are likely to convert. If we believe we can improve performance, our targeting model will expand the selected targeting settings to maximize campaign objectives.

Note: Smart Targeting will not affect other targeting variables you have selected, such as age, gender, or location.

  • Audience Size Estimation: Uses your targeting criteria to determine the audience size. The tool will not update the audience size when you enable Smart Targeting. However, if Smart Targeting triggers, you will reach users beyond your initial audience size.

  • Audience Selection Impact: The ad group will launch with your exact targeting settings. Over time, we may expand the audience if we determine we can improve ad performance by delivering ads to users outside your audience selection.

  • Comparison to Targeting Expansion: With Smart Targeting, the user interface gives you more control over what to expand. Additionally, we have optimized the ad delivery model to improve performance.

  • Expanded Audience Pool Timing: There is no set time for applying the expanded targeting settings. The expanded settings will automatically apply when the system determines there is a greater chance of delivering ads to the expanded audience than the original one.


Next steps