Solutions for Scaling Auction Ad Spend

Last updated: July 2024

When you create auction ads on TikTok Ads Manager, you will tell the system the outcomes you want to achieve and the amount of budget you are willing to spend to achieve it.


You'll start scaling your ad spend by using a relatively low budget to test a variety of campaign settings and creatives. As you find winning combinations, you can start to increase your budget.


The types of campaigns will generally determine how you can measure success.


For conversion campaigns, you'll be ready to start scaling your conversion campaigns when an ad group generates at least 50 conversions within a week and when the campaign meets or exceeds your performance metrics.


TikTok Ads Manager uses a learning phase to find the right audience for your ads. Your cost per action will vary until the system is able to identify the people most likely to convert, which takes the system about 50 conversions.


This is important because if you attempt to calculate your return on ad spend (ROAS) before passing the learning phase, you won't have accurate data about your true advertising costs and cost per action.


So once an ad group has generated 50 conversions in a week, and has a profitable ROAS, you are ready to start scaling your budget at a rate that is in line with your risk tolerance.


For non-conversion campaigns, you'll be analyzing your targeted cost per action. You'll want your campaigns and ad groups spending 90% to 100% of their budget with the cost per action at or below your target. This is a strong indicator that the system will be able to sustain the results while reaching a wider audience.


Creating predicate, profitable, and repeatable campaigns is the foundation for creating a scalable ad-buying system. Below are more optimization tips to help you create scalable ad-buying systems:

  • Account Structure: The way you configure your campaigns, ad groups, and ads will make it easy to measure your success and identify problem areas quickly. Learn more about account structures for scaling Auction Ad spend.

  • Budget to Bid Ratios: The relationship between your budgets and bids will determine if your campaigns will pass the learning phase, ensuring your ad groups can quickly achieve a stable CPA. Learn more about budget to bid Rations for scaling Auction Ad spend.

  • Targeting: Use TikTok Ads Manager's audience creation tools and targeting options to reach people throughout the various segments of your funnel.