TikTok has taken the social media world by storm in recent years, with more and more users of all ages joining in every day.
Clearly, this offers an amazing marketing opportunity because it can help you reach new consumers, increase brand awareness and conversions, and drive sales.
But where do you begin?
Sorry to disappoint, but simply shooting a short video ad won’t do the trick.
First, you must understand and apply all the complex TikTok ad specs and requirements.
Don’t worry; we’ll give you all the details so that you can make the most of TikTok advertising.
Let’s begin.
TikTok Ad Requirements: TL; DR
Just so we’re on the same page, TikTok ads are paid ads that you can use to promote your brand on this very popular social media platform.
TikTok ads are great for e-commerce brands because they have high engagement rates and can help you grow your business.
What’s more, TikTok ads expose your brand to new audience demographics, like Gen Z, compared to Facebook ads, which mostly target users over 25.
But enough about that because we’re here to explain the technical stuff.
And since we don’t want to scare you off right from the start, we’ll start with the most basic TikTok ad specifications:
- Aspect ratio: 9:16, 1:1, or 16:9
- Image file type: .png, .jpeg, .jpg
- Image resolution: 720*1280
- Video file type: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, or .avi
- Video resolution: 540*960, 640*640, 960*540
- Video file size: within 500 MB
With this out of the way, it’s time to better understand how advertising on the TikTok app actually works.
How TikTok Ads Work
First, you’ll need a TikTok Ads Manager account, which you can easily create by signing up on the TikTok Advertising page.
With this account, you’ll get access to all the tools you need to launch, manage, monitor, and optimize your TikTok sponsored ads campaigns.
The best part is that you can set daily ad budgets or lifetime ad budgets depending on your needs and can change them whenever you want.
TikTok Ads Manager also gives you access to four bidding methods (a.k.a. the price you’re willing to pay): Cost per Mille (CPM), optimized Cost per Mille (oCPM), Cost per View (CPV), Cost per Click (CPC).
On top of that, you have three main ad distribution channels that you can choose from, depending on your TikTok ad strategy:
- In-feed Ads are the simplest way to advertise your brand on TikTok.
With this option, your ads will appear organically on the For You page and easily grab the attention of users.
TikTok users can then interact with your ads by following, liking, commenting, or sharing.
You can use in-feed ads to increase traffic to your external landing pages or channels.
- Global App Bundle is an integrated traffic solution that lets you advertise beyond TikTok on the Southeast Asian market and enhance your brand reach.
Basically, you’ll be able to place your ads on trending platforms like CapCut (a free video editing software) and Fizzo (a mobile reading app).
- Pangle Ads is a fast-growing mobile advertising platform that gives you access to over 100,000 global apps.
Using the integrated TikTok ads manager you can run your ads on any of those global apps and expand your reach to new heights.
While TikTok ads manager has many functionalities, our goal here is to help you understand video and image ad specifications for these distribution options.
Let’s start with image ads.
TikTok Image Ads Specifications
Check out the main image ads specs for the Global App Bundle and Pangle image ads.
Global App Bundle
Here are the image ad specifications that the Global App Bundle supports:
Placement: The first thing users see when opening the Resso app (a.k.a. TikTok music)
Ad Composition: Image ad creative, brand or app name, CTA button to your landing page, skip ad button
File Type: JPEG, JPG, PNG
Image Resolution: It only supports 720*1280 pixels.
File Size: up to 100MB
App or Brand Name: For your app name, you can use 2-20 Asian characters and 4-40 Latin alphabet letters.
For your brand name, you can use 1-10 Asian characters and 2-20 Latin alphabet letters.
You cannot include Emojis. Spaces and punctuation marks count as characters.
Ad Description: You can use 1-50 full-width characters and 1-100 half-width characters.
Pangle Image Ads
Here are the image ad specifications Pungle image ads supports:
Placement: Interstitial ads (normal), banner ads (normal, icon-only, video thumbnail), native ads (normal, video thumbnail), app open adds (normal)
Ad Composition: Image ad creative, brand or app name, ad description, CTA button
File Type: JPEG, JPG, PNG
Image Resolution: 1200*628 / 640*640 / 720*1280
File Size: up to 100MB
We know this is all very technical, so here are some useful tips:
- Use ad localization for your image ad creatives and focus on using the local official language.
- Keep your important creative elements in the middle of the screen to ensure they fit well on all screen sizes and avoid them being covered by the description.
- Use TikTok’s image cropping tool to resize any image that you want to use.
But what about video ads?
Keep reading to find out.
TikTok Video Ads Specifications
Since TikTok is all about video content, these ad specifications are really important.
TikTok Video Ads
Here are the video ad specifications TikTok video ads support:
Placement: TikTok in-feed ads
Ad Composition: Video creative, ad display image, brand or app name, ad description, CTA button, audio
Aspect Ratio: 9:16, 1:1, 16:9
Video Resolution: 540*960 min / 640*640 / 960*540 / 1080 x 1920 max
File Type: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, .avi
Video Duration: While you can use 5 to 60s videos, TikTok suggests you keep them at 9-15s.
Bitrate: ≥516 kbps, max 25 Mbps
File Size: up to 500MB
Profile Image: Aspect Ratio: 1:1; File Type: .jpg, .jpeg, .png; File size: <50 KB
App or Brand Name: For your app name, you can use 2-20 Asian characters and 4-40 Latin alphabet letters.
For your brand name, you can use 1-10 Asian characters and 2-20 Latin alphabet letters.
You cannot include Emojis. Spaces and punctuation marks count as characters.
Ad Description: You can use 1-50 Asian characters and 1-100 Latin characters.
You cannot include Emojis or the symbols "{ }" and "#," and spaces and punctuation marks count as characters.
Global App Bundle
Here are the video ad specifications that the Global App Bundle supports:
Placement: CapCut (app open ads, in-feed, album, draw), Fizzo (app open ads, native ads)
Ad Composition: Video creative, brand or app name, skip ad button, CTA button to your landing page
Aspect Ratio: 9:16
Video Resolution: It only supports 720*1280
File Type: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .avi
Video Duration: 30 seconds
Bitrate: ≥516 kbps
File Size: up to 500MB
Profile Image: Aspect Ratio: 1:1; File Type: .jpg, .jpeg, .png; File size: <50 KB
App or Brand Name: For your app name, you can use 2-20 Asian characters and 4-40 Latin alphabet letters.
For your brand name, you can use 1-10 Asian characters and 2-20 Latin alphabet letters.
You cannot include Emojis. Spaces and punctuation marks count as characters.
Ad Description: You can use 1-50 Asian characters and 1-100 Latin characters.
You cannot include Emojis or the symbols "{ }" and "#," and spaces and punctuation marks count as characters.
Pangle Video Ads
Here are the video ad specifications Pangle video ads supports:
Placement: Interstitial ads, rewarded video ads, native ads, banner ads, app open ads
Ad Composition: Video creative (or thumbnail image), brand or app name, ad description, CTA button
Aspect Ratio: 9:16, 1:1, 16:9
Video Resolution: While the platform recommends a resolution of at least 720*1280, 640*640, or 1280*720, you don’t actually have any resolution restrictions.
File Type: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, or .avi
Video Duration: Use 5 to 60s videos.
Bitrate: ≥516 kbps
File Size: up to 500MB
Profile Image: Aspect Ratio: 1:1; File Type: .jpg, .jpeg, .png; File size: <50 KB
App or Brand Name: For your app name, you can use 2-20 Asian characters and 4-40 Latin alphabet letters.
For your brand name, you can use 1-10 Asian characters and 2-20 Latin alphabet letters.
You cannot include Emojis. Spaces and punctuation marks count as characters.
Ad Description: You can use 1-50 Asian characters and 1-100 Latin characters.
You cannot include Emojis or the symbols "{ }" and "#," and spaces and punctuation marks count as characters.
Bonus: If you want your video ads to thrive on TikTok, here are a couple of useful tips:
- Since TikTok is a vertical platform, your video ads must also be vertical to create a great user experience.
- TikTok is also a music platform, so pick the right music for all your video ads.
Next, we’ll give you the specs for different TikTok ad formats.
Specs for Different TikTok Ad Formats
One of the things we like most about the TikTok app is that it offers a lot of diversity in ad formats.
Still, each ad format comes with its own specifications that you must comply with.
Let’s break them down:
In-feed TikTok Ads
TikTok in-feed ads are the most basic type of video ads that are displayed in a user’s news feed, a.k.a. For You page.
They can easily catch the eye of users, and according to TikTok, they are 23% more memorable than TV ads.
Plus, the audience can interact with your in-feed ads and click a CTA button leading them to your landing page or TikTok shop.
In-feed ad specifications:
Max video length: 60 seconds
Max file size: 500 MB
File type: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, .avi
Aspect ratio: 9:16
TopView TikTok Ads
TopView ads have the best ad placement because they appear first when a user opens their news feed.
Since it’s impossible for TikTok users not to see them, you can use TopView ads to boost brand awareness.
The only downside is that the audience can’t interact with these ads, but their position makes up for that.
TopView ad specifications:
Max video length: 60 seconds
Max file size: 500 MB
File type: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, .avi
Aspect ratio: 9:16
Brand Takeover Ads
Brand takeover ads are similar to TopView ads, with the exception that they appear first when the user opens the TikTok app.
So, they basically hijack the user’s For You page. Just kidding! 😅
Don’t worry; brand takeover ads are very short (max 5s), so they won’t bore your audience.
However, these ads don’t allow you to add text or descriptions.
Brand takeover ads specifications:
Max video length: 5 seconds
Max file size: 500 MB
File type: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, .avi
Aspect ratio: 9:16
Branded Hashtag Challenge
Branded hashtag challenges are one of the easiest ways to boost brand awareness and are highly engaging.
You just need to create a hashtag for your ad campaign, and then create a video challenging users to do something unique.
In return, your audience will create UGC videos of themselves performing the action and post them on their TikTok accounts with the branded hashtag.
If you want your challenge to go viral, pick a really fun action, like the ASOS #AySauceChallenge, where TikTok users were encouraged to showcase three of their best outfits.
Video source: TikTok
Branded hashtag challenge specifications:
Max video length: 60 seconds
Max file size: 500 MB
File type: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, .avi
Aspect ratio: 9:16
Branded Effects
We can’t get enough of TikTok’s branded effects ad format because it’s incredibly creative and engaging.
With branded effects, you can create your own brand sticker or filter and encourage TikTok users to create video content using it.
The more unique and fun your effect, the bigger the chances your campaign will go viral.
Plus, you can combine branded effects with branded hashtag challenges just like KFC did in its #KFCMakeItLegendary dance challenge.
Video source: TikTok
Branded effects specifications:
File size: < 60KB
Export size: 162*162px
File type: PNG
Pixel size: 144*144px
TikTok Spark Ads
In our opinion, TikTok spark ads have the greatest potential of all TikTok ads because they use user-generated content.
According to a 2023 Statista survey, 36% of millennials trust influencer recommendations more than sponsored ads.
Thus, by using UGC as part of your marketing efforts, you can build consumer trust in your brand.
With TikTok spark ads, you simply pick the best-performing organic UGC and ask the user for permission to turn it into an ad.
Or you can use our creator marketing platform, Insense, to get matched with influencers who specialize in this.
They’ll send you a spark ad code through Direct Chat and then you’ll be able to activate your partnership.
Then, you can use In-feed or TopView ads to increase your spark ad visibility.
Spark ad specifications:
Great news! You have no restrictions when it comes to ratio, resolution, file type, and size.
Plus, the max video length for spark ads is 10 minutes.
Collection Ads
Collection ads are perfect for e-commerce brands because they aim to enhance the user’s shopping experience.
Basically, you create an in-feed video ad that will lead TikTok users to an instant storefront without ever leaving the app.
Once they get there, consumers can discover your products while enjoying a full-screen browsing experience.
Collection ad specifications:
Max video length: 5-16 seconds
Max file size: ≦ 500 MB
File type: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .avi
Aspect ratio: 9:16, 1:1, 16:9
As you can see, each of these ad formats has its own peculiarities and benefits, so you can pick and choose the ones that work best for your TikTok campaign.
Now, take a look at some best practices.
TikTok Ads Best Practices
No matter what type of TikTok ad format or distribution channel you choose, you should always follow these best practices:
- Focus on quality. Your video ads should always have high resolution.
Never go under 720 pixels if you want to create a great user experience.
And don’t forget to make them vertical.
- The 15-second rule. If you look at the TikTok ad specs, you’ll notice most of them support a max video length of 60 seconds.
However, TikTok recommends sticking to 15 seconds for best results.
Otherwise, users might get bored and not watch the entire thing.
- Always include a CTA. While your TikTok ads can reach many users, they won't convert them without a CTA button.
After all, it is through the CTA that you encourage users to take action.
- Use user-generated content (UGC). We already mentioned that UGC can help build consumer trust, so you should make the most of it.
You can either look for organic UGC and turn it into spark ads or partner up with a TikTok influencer or UGC creator to generate unique UGC for your brand, a.k.a. influencer marketing.
Using our Creator Marketplace advanced search filters, you can identify TikTok influencers in your industry that align with your audience demographics.
Or you can fill in our Creative Brief with your campaign details and creator requirements and we’ll find a match for you.
Then, let your new collaborators use their creativity to create authentic video content featuring product testimonials, demos, tutorials, and more.
- Track performance and optimize. The good news is that TikTok Ads Manager lets you track and monitor the performance metrics of your ad campaigns.
Then, based on their reporting, you can make data-driven decisions and optimize your TikTok ad campaigns.
On the other hand, if you’re launching an influencer campaign with multiple creators on both TikTok and Instagram, it might be easier to use our centralized Campaign Management dashboard and Performance tracking.
That’s it for now, as we don’t want to bore you too much with too much technical stuff.
Now Over To You!
We get that all these TikTok ad specs can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but they are worth your time and effort.
Don’t forget that TikTok is growing more popular by the minute and so does its marketing potential.
So, don’t waste any more precious time and hop on the TikTok ad wagon.
As for sourcing UGC for your ad campaigns, we can help.
Book a demo with Insense and we’ll explain how it all works.
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