With the spread of smartphones, the Internet has become more accessible, and even young users, including junior high and high school students, are now using SNS.
Among them, “TikTok”, which has recently been seen in TV commercials, is an SNS mainly used by relatively young people and mainly for posting videos.
TikTok allows users to post short videos of around 15 seconds and interact in the comment section, but in recent years it has also gained attention as a medium for advertising.
I get the impression that most of the users are students and young women, but what is the reality?
This time, we will explain how to place advertisements on TikTok and its effects.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a platform where you can create and post short videos of about 15 seconds to 1 minute and interact with each other through comments and other means. Recently, you can see it not only in online advertisements but also in TV commercials.
Anyone can easily post high-quality short movies by adding BGM to their videos and using a wide variety of processing filters and effects.
In addition, in recent years, songs used as background music have become popular, and it can be said that recognition among young users, especially middle school and high school students to early 20s, is quite high.
Features of TikTok, actual user base
As I briefly explained in the previous section, users mainly create, process, and post videos of about 15 seconds to 1 minute.
There are a variety of processing methods, such as adjusting the playback speed and adding BGM, so anyone who is accustomed to using a smartphone can create a great-looking video in just a few minutes.
Furthermore, it has so-called “enhancing” features such as making your face look smaller and your skin beautiful, so it’s no wonder that it’s so popular among young women.
In 2020, it overtook Facebook to become the most downloaded app in the world, and its total number of downloads has now increased to 3 billion. In Japan, it seems to be popular mainly among middle and high school students, but it is a platform that is rapidly gaining popularity around the world. In particular, the number of users is rapidly increasing in the United States, so companies looking to expand overseas may be able to take advantage of it.
Based on the explanation so far, it seems that most of the users of TikTok in Japan are teenagers such as junior high and high school students. You may think so, but in reality, there are more users in their 20s to 40s. Also, although I tend to think that there are more women, the number of male users is slightly higher.
Analyzing the number of users and the gender ratio, in Japan, as the number of users increases, the number of people using TikTok for business purposes such as “I want to become famous using TikTok” and “I want to earn income using advertisements” is increasing. It is thought that the number of users is increasing.
Types, costs, and implementation methods of TikTok ads
As you can see, the number of downloads on TikTok is still increasing, but when it comes to actually advertising, there are some things you may be concerned about or don’t understand.
From here, we will carefully explain the types of TikTok ads, their costs, and how to implement them.
There are 4 types of advertisements
There are four types of ads that can be distributed on TikTok.
“TopView” and “startup screen advertisement” when starting the app
“TopView” refers to a video ad space of up to 60 seconds that is distributed as the first video when the app is launched. “Launch screen advertisement” refers to the still image advertisement that is displayed first when the TikTok app is launched. Masu. Both are limited to 2 companies per day.
TikTok original advertising menu “Hashtag Challenge”, “Brand Effect”
“Hashtag Challenge” is also called challenge advertising, and is a user-participation type of campaign in which the advertising company or brand prepares a hashtag as a topic or theme, and users post videos based on that hashtag. This is a new form of advertising. “Brand Effect” is combined with “Hashtag Challenge” to provide an “experiential” experience of brand functions and worldview through various creative contents such as 2D, 3D, and AR.
“In-feed advertisement”
In-feed ads are video ads that are displayed in the “Recommended” section of users’ video posting fields.
“Proactive advertising”
Programmatic advertising is advertising that is distributed within general posts. It is possible to reach not only domestically but also overseas.
Characteristics and effects of each
First, “startup screen ads” are ads that are displayed when TikTok is launched, so they are easy for all users to see, and are extremely effective in increasing awareness of products and services. On the other hand, it is difficult to predict whether it will lead to final results, and there are also disadvantages such as the cost incurred just by displaying the advertisement.
Since it is possible to place a link within the advertisement, it is also possible to lead to the URL of your company’s website or product purchase.
Next is the “hashtag challenge,” in which users take on a theme related to a company or brand, which can be expected to have the effect of creating a sense of affinity and interest among users for that company. Sho.
Also, unlike ads distributed by companies, these ads are spread naturally by users themselves, so if the video becomes a buzz, it can be expected to spread further.
Since the distribution format is a fixed-term contract, it is possible to reach a large number of users at a fixed cost. Because it has a large effect on increasing awareness, the cost is higher than other forms of advertising.
And regarding “in-feed ads,” you can add “likes” and “comments” to these ads just like other posted videos. Since this is an advertising format that allows you to directly check user reactions, it will be useful when considering future improvements.
It is also possible to share videos, which can also be spread more widely if they become popular with users. Among the advertising forms introduced above, it is the least likely to be noticed that it is an advertisement, so another major feature is that it is less likely to be perceived as annoying.
This distribution format is a playback fee type, and there is no charge unless the video is played for a certain amount of time. Users may skip it, but if you can get them interested after playing, it may be more cost-effective than a “launch screen ad.”
Lastly, there are “programmatic ads,” which are displayed alongside users’ general posts, so they may not seem as annoying as in-feed ads.
Because it is a highly visible distribution format, it is also effective in expanding awareness. Detailed targeting is also possible, making it possible to distribute not only within Japan but also overseas.
Programmatic advertising is pay-per-click, and the publication cost is calculated based on the number of clicks. Basically, only interested users will click on it, so it is easy to lead to final results. However, there are cases where someone other than the target clicks by mistake, so it is necessary to thoroughly understand and analyze operational data.
Advertising costs vary depending on the type of ad.
I hope you have a general understanding of the characteristics of advertising. Next, we will explain the costs of each publication in detail.
“Start-up screen advertisements” are distributed by only two companies per day, so they are quite expensive. The total amount is calculated based on the number of impressions (the number of times the ad is displayed), and the current unit price is 770 yen for 1000 impressions, and considering the number of users, it is expected to be at least 5 million yen or more. .
The disadvantages are that it is expensive and that it is difficult to secure a placement space, but the effects are tremendous.
Due to its characteristics, “Hashtag Challenge” is a fixed-term contract. Prices also vary depending on the plan contents.
Even the lowest priced basic plan costs about 10 million yen, and the Battle Hashtag Challenge, which pits two hashtags against each other, costs 20 million yen. However, the branding effect can be expected to be quite large.
“In-feed advertising” is also billed on a fixed-term contract basis. However, unlike Hashtag Challenge, contracts can be made on a one-day basis, and because of the feature of in-feed ads that allow you to add “likes” and “comments,” you can post ads while monitoring user reactions.
There are three plans, with the cheapest starting at 420,000 yen.
“Proactive advertising” is cheaper than the three types of advertising above, so you can consider running it even if you have a small budget. Ads can also be placed on other platforms where TikTok is operated, and detailed targeting is also possible.
While other types of advertising are often aimed at increasing awareness, programmatic advertising is a form of placement that is more likely to lead directly to results, such as final purchase.
Regarding costs, “pay per click” starts from 30 yen, “pay by number of impressions” starts from 100 yen, and “pay by number of views” starts from 5 yen, making it possible to publish on a small budget. .
Actual implementation method
So far, we have explained four types of advertising. So how do I actually post it?
Contact the operating company
You can receive support such as providing detailed information by contacting us about your interest in advertising through the inquiry form on the TikTok operating company homepage.
Please follow the instructions and proceed with the contract.
Request to agency
Instead of contacting TikTok directly, you can also contact an advertising agency.
By leaving it to an agency, you will be able to publish your listing more smoothly.
They may have less knowledge about TikTok advertising than TikTok management, but since they are an agency, they have a sense of trust.
There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference in cost between directly managing TikTok and contracting, or requesting an agency. You should choose the method that best suits the advertisement you want to run based on the characteristics of each.
In any case, before introducing them, be sure to understand the characteristics of the four types of advertisements and the costs involved, and clarify the purpose of posting them.
Advantages and disadvantages of TikTok advertising
We have explained the characteristics and costs of each advertisement. From here, we will explain in more detail the advantages and disadvantages of TikTok advertising as a whole.
High targeting accuracy
TikTok has a huge amount of data due to its large number of users, and by using that data it is possible to target with higher precision.
- Basic information such as gender, age, region, language, etc.
- User communication environment
- Interest data for each
By combining this information, you can narrow down your target audience. However, if you narrow down your search to too much detail, you will be less likely to be shown, so be careful when selecting targets for advertising content.
Expanding awareness among young people
Although the age range of users of the app ranges from teenagers to those in their 50s, there are many relatively young users who actually start and use the app for long periods of time, so we are targeting young people mainly. If you want to advertise, the impact can be quite significant.
The disadvantage is that if the content of the advertisement you want to run is not aimed at young people, it may not be very effective. Let’s thoroughly analyze whether posting on TikTok is really effective and consider other forms of advertising.
If it goes viral, it will spread to other SNS and become more widely known.
TikTok’s advertisements are mainly short movies (short videos of about 15 seconds to 1 minute), which allow companies to leave a stronger impression on users with the messages and ideals they want to convey. If the video is of high quality, it will go viral and users will spread it to other SNS, further expanding awareness. Also, by using influencers, it is easier to attract users’ interest.
On the other hand, creating high-quality advertising videos is expensive, and it may be difficult to create short movies. If you can afford it, you may want to consider outsourcing to a company that specializes in creating short movies.
Points to keep in mind before operating TikTok ads
Consider privacy
Since it is easy to spread, when shooting advertising videos, be sure to take privacy into consideration by ensuring that the video is not reflected in the background. It is also necessary to thoroughly check the image after shooting. No matter how easy it is to record a video, if you post an inappropriate ad, the large number of users and the ease with which it can be spread can cause a firestorm, leading to damage to your company’s image and damage.
Creating videos with advertising content that understands the target audience
No matter how good a short movie or video advertisement you can create, it will be less effective if it does not connect with the interests of the actual target users.
Before creating an ad, it is important to look at your target audience and understand what type of ad will interest them and make them want to play them.
Can I deal with ad problems or cancel my application after applying?
Basically, with TikTok ads, there is no support for ad malfunctions after they are posted. With fixed-term contract advertising formats, you will be charged the full amount even if you withdraw the ad midway through. It is important to thoroughly check for any defects or errors in content before publishing.
Also, once you have applied and been assigned a job, you will not be able to cancel it. You cannot cancel your application even if you miss the submission deadline. It is best to apply with plenty of time in your schedule.
summary
This time, we have explained useful points for advertising on TikTok, where the number of app downloads continues to increase even after it became a hot topic.
Although there are disadvantages such as cost and the difficulty of creating video advertisements, the large number of users makes it extremely effective in spreading the word and increasing awareness, and the ability to reach young people in particular is greater than other advertisements. It is also true that it is overwhelming the media.
Gather information in advance and carefully consider whether TikTok is effective for your target audience, and whether the results are likely to be worth the budget.