Summary
TikTok is the dominant platform for shopping and CPG advertising, with these categories accounting for 22% and 18% of total US ad spend on the platform in 2024. Brands like Uber (30% of ad spend), Coca-Cola (25%), and DoorDash (25%) rely heavily on TikTok within social media, potentially pivoting to Instagram if banned. According to Sensor Tower, 8% of US social ad spend would redistribute to Instagram (+3ppts), Facebook (+1ppts), YouTube (+2ppts), and Snapchat (+2ppts), benefiting Meta and Alphabet.
During the January 18-19, 2025 shutdown, TikTok users increased time spent on Instagram by 16% day-over-day, more than other platforms. ByteDance allocated 77% of its US ad budget to TikTok, which would be lost in a ban. However, the company could shift spending to CapCut and Lemon8, which are growing rapidly in US downloads and monthly active users.
You Might Also Like
TikTokTikTok Advertising Blog: Find Product Updates, Insights & Tips
This TikTok for Business landing page promotes a limited-period new-advertiser incentive program offering up to USD 6,000 in matched ad credits. Three self-serve tiers are presented: 50% off first 30-day spend (up to $200), dollar-for-dollar match up to $500, and match up to $6,000. A separate headline offer advertises Spend $100/Get $100, Spend $500/Get $500, and Spend $1,500/Get $1,500 plus 1-to-1 expert onboarding support. Registration requires email or phone sign-up with 2-step verification. Eligibility is restricted to new SMB self-serve accounts, excluding agency, Business Center, and TikTok Shop accounts; credits post within 7 days of hitting the highest threshold or after the 30-day window.
TikTokTikTok Advertising Blog: Find Product Updates, Insights & Tips
TikTok for Business is promoting tiered first-30-day ad credit incentives for new self-serve SMB advertisers: spend $100 get $100, $500 get $500, or $1,500 get $1,500 plus 1-to-1 expert onboarding support, with a headline entry offer of 50% off first-month spend up to $200 and matching credits up to $6,000. Credits are applied within 7 days of hitting the highest threshold or after the 30-day accumulation window. Eligibility excludes agency, Business Center, and TikTok Shop accounts, and limits one ad account per new TikTok For Business account. For ad ops teams, these terms dictate budget pacing, account structure, and credit-expiry planning.
TikTokMost businesses underestimate how ready they are for TikTok | TikTok For Business Blog
TikTok's UK/Europe scale (30M+ UK, 200M+ EU) and content graph make category objections obsolete. For ad ops, success comes from relevance, not trends: proof-led demos, explainers, reviews, and problem-solving content can reach high-intent audiences without a large follower base. Case studies show material performance: Toyota CPA -38%, BCP 10x registrations, Randstad 2.81% CTR/17M impressions, Prep Kitchen +44% conversion and +374% orders with Smart+, PureGym CPA -77%, HydroClean cost per conversation -74%. Action: test utility/creator content, use Smart+ for scaled creative testing, layer TopView on trusted content, and target niche communities rather than broad reach.
TikTokMost businesses underestimate how ready they are for TikTok | TikTok For Business Blog
TikTok's Lorenzo Bierhuys argues that equating performance marketing with bottom-of-funnel capture is outdated; performance should instead mean data-driven, measurable marketing applied across the entire journey. TikTok frames discovery as the start of an infinite purchase loop, citing that 61% of users purchase after seeing an ad, 83% after using TikTok for inspiration, and 41% after a 'where to buy' search. Case evidence backs the full-funnel case: Mejuri +11% ROAS with 88% more efficient CPA, Tatti Lashes 13x ROAS, Conforama 239% CTR lift, and Ooh & Aah Cookies 8.81 total ROAS. Takeaway for ad ops: plan around intent signals first, then select capture routes — TikTok Shop, Pixel, App Events API, or Lead Generation ads.
TikTokHow TikTok is transforming video entertainment for brands
TikTok offers hyper-relevant, full-screen content that captures 73% of users' attention. It drives 15% of product discovery and provides 2x better retail ROAS than linear TV. Tools like Channel Forecaster and Pulse Lineups help brands reach new audiences effectively.
TikTokYour customer saw it on TikTok. Your dashboard didn’t | TikTok For Business Blog
TikTok’s article argues last-click attribution creates a major measurement blind spot for ad ops. Because customer journeys loop across days, devices, and platforms, dashboards often credit only the final click and miss TikTok’s demand-creation role. Key data: 79% of TikTok-driven purchases are unattributed, 73% of click attribution undervalues TikTok conversions, and 50%+ undervalues ROI. TikTok users are also 30% more likely to convert and spend 20% more. The takeaway: short-term reporting can misallocate budget away from demand generation. Agencies should adopt measurement that captures full-funnel impact and not rely on pixel attribution alone.
TikTokTikTok accelerates growth for beauty brands: insights from KIKO Milano's Marketing Mix Model by GroupM Italy
Kiko Milano's study shows TikTok drives 11.5% of e-commerce sales with only 6% of media spend, achieving 32% higher ROI for retail and 60% higher ROI for e-commerce vs. other platforms.
AppsFlyer2025 App Marketer Survey
The mobile advertising industry is optimistic heading into 2025, with 80% of marketers expecting the year to be as strong or stronger than 2024. Non-gaming apps are driving growth, with downloads up 12% YoY and IAP revenue increasing 20%+. Marketers are prioritizing profitability and ROAS, with over half reporting more aggressive KPIs. Generative AI is already benefiting creative production and optimization. iOS re-engagement remains underleveraged, and most marketers are still adapting to SKAN. Budgets are increasing, with a focus on ad networks and self-attributing networks.
More from SensorTower
State of Automotive & Mobility 2026: Chinese Automakers Accelerate Global Expansion as Digital Customer Acquisition Emerges as a New Growth Driver
Automotive advertisers are shifting budgets toward localized digital acquisition as domestic growth slows. In China, pre...
Indie and New IP Break Out, Without Denting AAA
Breakout game launches are increasing, driven almost entirely by indie studios. 76 titles sold 500k+ paid units in their...
State of Game Advertising 2026: Three Trends to Know
Sensor Tower’s 2026 game ad report shows ad ops must manage more creative volume, not just bigger budgets. Top US mobile...
Show and Tell: Inside Target's Back-to-School Retail Media Campaign
Target’s 2026 back-to-school retail media campaign became more concentrated: impressions fell 66% YoY to 781M and partic...
Holiday Campaigns: What We Can Learn From Coca-Cola, L'Oreal, & Hershey's
The holiday retrospective shows three distinct ad ops plays. Coca-Cola doubled spend (+110%) and impressions rose 91%, c...
Cash In! Finance Spotlight Report 2026
Mobile finance is outpacing broader app trends: global finance app downloads are projected at 8.9B in 2026 (+6% YoY), wi...