Gen Z Searches on TikTok: How to Benefit from Search Ads
Management Summary
TikTok: Just an Entertainment Platform – or More?
Online users’ search behavior has been changing for years. “Ask Google” is increasingly transforming into “Ask Chat GPT” or even “I’ll check that on TikTok.” Many marketers have already recognized that TikTok is becoming increasingly relevant in digital marketing strategies – especially among the younger target audience.
The behavior on the platform itself has changed over time – what was once considered merely an entertainment platform now serves as a source of information. Overall, 41% of users have used TikTok as a search engine, and among the Gen Z target group, this figure rises to 64%. TikTok has responded to this development accordingly – for example, with an improved search algorithm and the introduction of a visual search function (currently only available in the USA and Southeast Asia).
Users are also motivated to search while consuming content. Here, the TikTok algorithm analyzes the video, and based on that, a potential search query is suggested to the user. This is displayed within a search bar, designed to encourage a more detailed investigation of a topic.
Why Users Like to Search on TikTok
One in 10 Gen Z TikTok users prefers TikTok over Google as a search engine. The reasons for this are:
Short, concise format
Users prefer concise video answers that get straight to the point. They offer a quick solution – if it’s unsuitable, one can simply scroll on. This format is significantly more dynamic compared to standard Google search or YouTube videos.
The storytelling aspects
Products and services are often presented by real people in a narrative context, which is more emotionally appealing than pure text ads. Creators often share their personal opinions and present the product or service in an engaging way. With exciting hooks, they manage to capture users’ attention and convey their message.
Stronger content personalization
Due to the TikTok algorithm, users are shown videos tailored to their individual preferences, even in search results. This ensures they find the best answer to their question as quickly as possible. This also increases the likelihood of interaction and purchase.
Content confirmation by other users
Whether a hack or a recipe truly works is not always clear directly from the video on TikTok – but also from the accompanying comments. These serve as a kind of social proof for the search query.
What are TikTok Search Ads?
The benefits of TikTok search as a marketing channel could previously be utilized as a search placement for classic campaigns. In this scenario, classic in-feed ads are also displayed in search results if the search query matches the ad. More recently, it has become possible to run Search Ads as separate campaigns. The main difference is that the target audience’s search intent is already present. This means there is already a fundamental interest in the product, and the lead may be generated more easily. The ads can be adapted to appeal most effectively to users.
Search campaigns – similar to Google Ads – come with a range of planning functions, keyword targeting, bidding actions, and creative tools. This makes it even easier to reach the right target audience. Especially in the e-commerce sector, Search Ads can be beneficial. Top search queries include topics such as new recipes, DIY tips, fashion, beauty, and workout routines. This means that fashion and lifestyle brands, in particular, have a good chance of generating additional leads through Search Ads.
How are Search Ads structured?
Running Search Ads is currently possible with the Traffic or Sales Objective. Not all accounts have access to the feature yet, but it is being rolled out continuously. While optimization can be selected the same way as with classic campaigns, a Cost Cap can optionally be set at the Ad Set level. Recommendation: Especially for the first campaigns, leave this blank. Without historical data telling us the range of the CPA, we might set it too high or too low, thus not utilizing the budget optimally.
Within the Ad Set settings, up to 1,000 keywords can be added to the campaign to capture product searches. These are either suggested by TikTok based on a keyword, entered manually, or in bulk. When selecting keywords based on TikTok’s suggestions, TikTok provides the search volume for the selected keywords – at the same time, it can be determined whether Search Ads are suitable for the respective product or not. It should be noted that not all keywords have the same search intent – the focus should be on relevant keywords that still allow us to reach a good audience size. TikTok recommends at least 20 keywords and a good mix of niche and broad keywords here.
For keywords, you can distinguish between different match types: broad, exact, or phrase:
Broad Match
The ad can be delivered if a user searches for terms broadly related to your keyword. This includes synonyms, related searches, misspellings, and similar terms:
- Example: The keyword “running shoes” could also be displayed for “buy sports shoes,” “best shoes for jogging,” or “sneakers.”
Exact Match
Your ad will only be delivered if the user’s search query exactly matches the keyword you have entered or is a very close variation of it.
- Example: The keyword “[adidas running shoes]” will only be displayed for an exact search for “adidas running shoes” or minor deviations (e.g., plural).
Phrase Match
The ad will be delivered if the user’s search query contains the exact keyword phrase, even if additional words appear before or after it.
- Example: The keyword “”adidas running shoes”” could be displayed for “new adidas running shoes” or “cheap adidas running shoes.”
Keywords can be further adjusted after the ads launch. This allows you to analyze the search queries for which the ads are displayed, and if terms arise that are not relevant to the company, they can be added as negative keywords. The data can be viewed after the campaign launch under “View data” => Search. The respective negative keywords can then also be added there.
Creative Best Practices
The creative setup for Search Ads does not differ significantly from the classic TikTok Ads setup. To ensure that the ad is classified as relevant to the keywords, the keywords should appear at least partially in the video’s caption. These should still be concise and action-oriented. The CTA should also be adjusted. By default, all options are selected here – but the focus should be on a website visit or lead. The video should be structured similarly to native content, adapted to a target audience that is already aware of their problem and actively seeking a solution. It should be aligned with the selected keywords. The algorithm operates based on the correlation between the video and the search terms – the higher this correlation, the more relevant the video is to the target audience and the more likely it is to be shown to more users.
Another factor to consider is the thumbnail – while it is not as relevant for classic in-feed ads, as they play immediately, the thumbnail is displayed first in TikTok search. This has a significant impact on the success of the advertisement – if it does not encourage a click, we can assume that the ad performance will not be good either. The thumbnail can either be automatically selected by TikTok as a “Smart Thumbnail” or optionally uploaded manually. TikTok recommends using a custom thumbnail image with text that matches the image, which can potentially improve the CTR. Unlike classic ads, ad fatigue does not occur as quickly with Search Ads – the ads only appear when the user actively searches for the term. Therefore, they can be integrated very well as part of an always-on strategy.
Search Ads are just the beginning – TikTok plans to further expand its search functions and associated ads on the app – entirely in line with the increasing focus on social commerce.
Tips & Tricks
- The combination makes the difference – Search Ads alone, especially when just starting with TikTok, will probably not be the best choice. They should ideally be integrated as a supplement to classic TikTok campaigns. TikTok itself used this combination during its launch, noting a 20% increase in conversions.
- Start small and test – Search Ads do not work for every product and every target group. However, the Keyword Planner can be used very effectively to estimate the size of the target group and see if this ad type suits the brand. But even here, it is recommended to start with a small budget (10-20% of the total budget) and test the ads.
