What Types of Ads Are on TikTok?

What types of ads are available on TikTok?

In recent years, with the rise of short video platforms, TikTok has become one of the most popular applications worldwide, and its advertising market has rapidly developed. As a rich and highly active social platform, TikTok offers diverse advertising options for brands and merchants. These ad formats not only help brands reach their target audience but also enhance user engagement through creativity. So, what are the main types of ads available on TikTok? This article will delve into this topic based on relevant reports.

Firstly, the most common type of ad on TikTok is native advertising. These ads typically appear in video form and blend seamlessly with content created by ordinary users, avoiding any sense of intrusion or coercion. For instance, at an industry seminar in early 2025, professionals mentioned that many international brands like Nike and Coca-Cola chose this method to promote their products. The advantage of native ads lies in their ability to naturally integrate into users' browsing experiences, thereby increasing acceptance rates. Given that TikTok users tend to be younger and more creative, this type of ad is more likely to resonate.

Secondly, hashtag challenges are a significant component of TikTok's advertising framework. Challenges are interactive and fast-spreading marketing tools that encourage users to participate in creating content around specific themes. For example, last year, a well-known skincare brand launched a challenge titled Beauty Defined by You, attracting millions of participants. Participants simply needed to upload a short video showcasing their unique style and include the designated hashtag. Such activities not only effectively boost brand awareness but also foster communication and interaction among users, creating positive word-of-mouth effects.

Thirdly, brand partnerships also hold a place in TikTok's advertising strategies. Under this model, brands seek out influencers with considerable influence and collaborate with them to produce high-quality content promoting products or services. According to media reports, earlier this year, a mobile phone manufacturer teamed up with several tech bloggers to release a series of review videos, achieving remarkable results. Through this approach, brands can leverage creators' expertise and charisma to precisely reach potential customer groups.

Moreover, live streaming commerce represents another emerging trend flourishing on TikTok. Unlike traditional image-and-text advertisements, live streaming commerce allows merchants to demonstrate product features and answer audience questions in real time, greatly enhancing purchase confidence. Especially during the pandemic, more companies began experimenting with this format to compensate for losses caused by obstructed offline sales channels. Data shows that live sales on TikTok doubled year-over-year growth in just the first quarter of this year.

Lastly, it is worth mentioning that TikTok has introduced an advertising toolkit specifically designed for small and medium-sized enterprises SMEs to lower marketing barriers for smaller businesses. This toolkit provides a series of easy-to-use functional modules, enabling small enterprises without professional teams to easily create engaging ad materials. As one industry insider put it for newly established brands, TikTok is undoubtedly a highly cost-effective platform.

In summary, TikTok, thanks to its unique ecosystem, offers various flexible and diverse advertising solutions for brands of all sizes. Whether it’s local small businesses looking to subtly penetrate markets or multinational giants aiming to expand their global influence, everyone can find their own way here. Looking ahead, with technological advancements and continuous optimization of user experience, TikTok's advertising business is bound to have even broader development prospects.