Primer has run thousands of tests for TikTok advertising and video ads on other paid social channels.
Why?
High-volume ad testing using Primer’s Outlier Method helps our partners to keep their marketing accounts fresh, keep their finger on the pulse of modern trends in the paid social space, and identify and iterate high-performing ads that consistently convert.
That’s exactly what we helped long-time partner Rocksbox accomplish with their ad creative.
It was through this rapid, growth-based ad testing that Primer learned why Instagram ads didn’t work for us when it came to TikTok advertising–and what did. Identifying winning ad elements across different platforms gave us a 614% conversion rate increase and a 1,035% increase in purchases.
Here’s how.
Our partner Rocksbox was seeing a high level of success placing ads on Instagram, and they wanted to branch out into TikTok advertising to find growth on a new platform.
Primer helped Rocksbox test their highest-performing Instagram ads on TikTok. However, our Instagram top performers simply did not find the same success on TikTok.
Why Our Ads Worked on Instagram (but Not TikTok)
Our top-performing video ads on Instagram were often presented as not quite brand content, but not quite native style, either.
These ads had certain elements in common, such as:
- Compilations of UGC-images
- Often starting with sound off
- Ending with brand cards
- A very polished style
- Caption styles that were native to Instagram
- Branded/UGC style mix
In response, we decided to lean more heavily toward the native style of TikTok. Here’s what we found.
TikTok Advertising: What Actually Works
We found that video ads that do well on TikTok adopt a true UGC style, and incorporate those elements without going heavy-handed on the branding or the polished style of brand content. They usually focus on a single influencer or user throughout the entire video, and they avoid switching between many different POVs.
TikTok advertising that converts has these elements:
- First-person voiceovers
- Single-user storylines
- Key pop culture moments
- Fun, upbeat music
- Quiz styles
- No end cards
- Native-style captions
Example:
How Primer Helped Rocksbox Unlock Growth
These changes all unlocked exponential success for our client, Rocksbox. We think that they’ll unlock great success for you as well.
For Rocksbox, it gave us:
- a 1035% increase in purchases
- a 614% increase in conversion rates
- a 73% decrease in CPI
So try out these approaches to TikTok advertising to see if they work for you. We ended up getting consistently featured in TikTok’s top ads, and we hope for the same success for you.
How We Can Help You, Too
Hypergrowth marketing in today’s paid social landscape requires rapid, high-volume ad testing to guarantee long-term success and ads that consistently convert. That requires management and a lot of creative.
If you’re looking for a partner who can help scale and test your ads–Primer has your back. We handle the creative, strategy, design, production, and media buying, so you can dedicate your resources where they’re most effective, while you sit back and watch the wins roll in.
For those who simply need a lot of ad creative with a super fast turnaround, we also offer Primer On-Demand for access to videos, images, and landing pages designed by top marketing professionals.
Primer’s experience with many different partners has given us unique insights into what works in a variety of verticals, placements, platforms, and audiences. We want to use those insights to unlock your organization’s potential growth.
Schedule a free consultation with Primer to learn how creative testing can help you master TikTok advertising, as well as create ads that perform on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and more, to maximize your company’s growth.
