Spark Ads in Video Shopping Ads

Last updated: October 2024

Why Use Spark Ads in Video Shopping Ads?

The Spark Ads format has the following benefits:

  1. Authentic and unique brand experiences.

    • Spark Ads provide an opportunity to build and cement your brand image and brand trust by allowing you to add organic TikTok page and posts to your Shop Ads.

  2. Increase in ad performance.

    • We are seeing overall positive campaign results of Spark Ads on Video Views, Engagement Rate, CVR, and CPM (Completion Rate +30%, Engagement Rate +142%, CVR +43%, CPM -4%) compared to Non-Spark Ads. With Spark Ads, you can also reduce unintended clicks to achieve higher CVR.

  3. Innovative features.

    • Spark Ads can be used together with single product link or multiple product links.

    • The same video post can be paired with different products in different ads.

  4. Long-lasting marketing impact and improved ROI.

    • All of the Spark Ads post engagement will be attributed to the original organic post and can have a positive impact on this organic post's engagement in the future.

    • Spark Ads can help to improve customer retention and loyalty and drive more unique buyers and repurchases.


Will there be affiliate commissions if affiliate videos are used?

When using a TikTok Shop affiliate video to run Shop Ads, sellers may need to pay commission for sales generated by the ads.

  • The affiliate commission is based on qualified GMV generated by the video when used in ads. Qualified GMV is determined according to the attribution logic that affiliate collaborations use.

  • Even if product links are changed in ads, commissions may still be applied to the ads GMV if the ad products have active affiliate plans.

  • Sellers can set and modify commission rates in Affiliate Center.

  • The above applies regardless of creative authorization method.


How to create Spark Ads in Video Shopping Ads

Spark Ads is a native ad format that enables you to leverage organic TikTok posts and their features in your advertising. This article explains the process of creating and publishing Spark Ads in Video Shopping Ads for your TikTok Shop or Showcase.


There are two ways to create Spark Ads:

  • Pull existing post from a TikTok account, which can be achieved through any of the following authorization methods:

    • Authorize your own TikTok account or your partner's TikTok account via Business Center; or

    • Link a TikTok Business account; or

    • Enter video codes of individual posts.

  • Push video from Ads Manager, which can be published under any of the following accounts:

    • Your linked TikTok Business account; or

    • Your own TikTok account or your partner's TikTok account authorized via Business Center.

Both ways are explained in detail below.

Pull existing post

Method 1. Authorize TikTok account via Business Center

  1. Request access to a TikTok account: You will need to generate a QR code on your Business Center, which the owner of the TikTok account will need to scan and authorize. For detailed steps, refer to How to Manage TikTok Accounts in Business Center.

  2. Give Business Center members access to the TikTok account: Give the members of your Business Center permission to access the TikTok account. Once they have access to it, they can use the TikTok account to create Spark Ads on any ad accounts they have permission to use.

  3. Create a campaign with Product Sales objective with TikTok Shop product source.

  4. At ad level, choose TikTok post video source.

  5. You can directly select any posts under the authorized TikTok account and use any of them as Spark Ads creatives.

  6. Complete ad settings and publish your ads.

Method 2. Link a TikTok Business account

  1. Link the TikTok Business account with the TikTok Ads Manager.

  2. Create a campaign with Product Sales objective with TikTok Shop product source.

  3. At ad level, choose TikTok post video source.

  4. You can directly select any posts under the linked business account and use any of them as Spark Ads creatives.

  5. Complete ad settings and publish your ads.

Method 3. Enter video codes of individual posts

  1. Create a campaign with Product Sales objective with TikTok Shop product source.

  2. At ad level, choose TikTok post video source.

  3. Enter the video code of the individually-authorized post to use the post as Spark Ads creative.

  4. Complete ad settings and publish your ads.

Push video from Ads Manager

  1. Create a campaign with Product Sales objective with TikTok Shop product source.

  2. At ad level, choose +Video.

  3. Directly upload/create new videos on Ads Manager, as Spark Ads creatives. Choose:

    • Upload to add a video from your computer.

    • Library to select video materials previously used.

    • Create to make a video using our creative tools.

  4. You will see an Only show as ad checkbox. You can turn it on if needed - it will make your published video only appear as an ad, and won't be organically recommended, searchable, or publicly displayed on your profile page.

  5. Publish them under the TikTok account without any in-app operations. The TikTok account can be a linked TikTok Business account or a TikTok account authorized via Business Center:

TikTok Ads Only Mode

If you want the selected post to only appear in TikTok ads, and not appear organically in the For You Feed, Follow Feed, Account Profile Page, Search Result Page and Playlist, you can enable the Only show in ads checkbox under Ad settings.


Note: The Only show in ads feature requires TikTok version 21.3 and above.


Note:

  • You cannot edit a post's caption after it's been authorized as an ad. Please make sure the ad caption is the final version when creating Spark Ads.

  • A private video will become public once it is used in a campaign, and the video privacy status cannot be changed during promotion (however, you can turn on the TikTok Ads Only Mode).