Are you considering whether to invest in TikTok ads or Facebook ads to boost your e-commerce sales? These two social media giants are popular among e-commerce brands worldwide, providing a wealth of marketing opportunities and potential revenue growth. So, what are the key differences between TikTok ads vs Facebook ads, and what unique advantages they can offer your campaigns?
Find out more about TikTok Ads vs Facebook Ads right here!
Table of Contents
TikTok ads vs Facebook ads: Head to head
Ad Formats
Regarding the formats for advertisements, both Facebook ads and TikTok ads provide a diverse selection of choices.
Facebook provides a diverse range of advertisement formats including photo ads, video ads, carousel ads, slideshow ads, collection ads, and more. These formats cater to different business objectives and target different audiences. For instance, photo ads are ideal for displaying products, while video ads are suitable for narrating a brand story. Carousel ads enable the display of multiple products within one ad, and slideshow ads help create short videos with minimal effort. Collection ads allow businesses to exhibit a group of products in one ad, which helps to create a harmonious shopping experience.
- TikTok
The bread and butter of TikTok ads are In-Feed ads which show up while users swipe through the app to view videos. These are the most affordable and accessible TikTok ads format for small to medium-sized businesses and a great beginning point for a TikTok campaign.
Moreover, TikTok provides various ad formats like TopView ads, Brand Takeover, In-Feed ads, and Branded Hashtag Challenge for its managed accounts. Although these options can produce high engagement, they come with a high price tag, the more technical expertise required, and the need to collaborate directly with the TikTok Ad Agency.
TikTok also offers campaigns optimized for purchase with the “Complete Payment” campaign type. This campaign allows businesses to encourage conversion by including a “Shop Now” button in their ads, directing users to a landing page where they can finalize their purchase. This tactic is particularly useful for e-commerce vendors aiming to boost their sales.
Ad Placement
After preparing an advertisement and placing it on Facebook, you have the option to share it on other social media platforms like Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, which are all owned by Metaverse. It is possible to run multiple ads simultaneously, but it is crucial to closely monitor your daily budget since the cost of clicks on your ads may unexpectedly increase.
In case there is significant competition on the feed, you can explore other ad placements to target individuals in areas where your competitors are not present. This strategy will allow you to expand your reach and potentially attract more customers.
- TikTok
TikTok adopts a simpler approach in terms of ad placement, where they appear on the “For You Page” and the “Discover” tab of the platform. As TikTok is optimized for mobile phones, incorporating videos and images is easier on mobile devices rather than desktop applications. In terms of advertising, it is easier to place TikTok ads on Facebook rather than the other way around. This is because TikTok videos are typically 15-30 seconds long, with a maximum length of 60 seconds.
Using short videos on TikTok is an effective method to convey information. To connect with TikTok users, it is essential to deliver your message quickly and provide significant value in a brief time. One unique aspect of TikTok is its ability to make videos go viral, which allows them to be seen by a large number of users regardless of when they were posted. This feature is not yet available on Facebook.
Ad Targeting
Facebook and TikTok provide a broad spectrum of targeting options that assist businesses in reaching their preferred audience.
On Facebook, businesses can utilize advanced targeting options such as demographics, location, interests, behaviors, and connections to target users. Additionally, Facebook enables businesses to create Custom Audiences by using customer data and retargeting options. With Facebook’s Lookalike Audiences feature, businesses can also target users who are similar to their current customers.
Facebook’s algorithm is frequently updated and improved to enhance segmentation. Moreover, Facebook has been the leading social media platform for almost a decade, which means that it has gathered a more extensive pool of information compared to TikTok. This data provides more opportunities for businesses to target their preferred audience.
- TikTok
TikTok’s targeting options are not as sophisticated as Facebook’s, but businesses can still target users based on demographics, location, interests, and device type. TikTok also enables businesses to create Custom Audiences using customer data and retargeting options. Although Facebook Ads offer more detailed targeting options than TikTok Ads, TikTok Ads can reach a broader range of target segments. Additionally, TikTok analyzed users’ behavior using data from screen time and engagement actions like scrolling, liking, sharing, and commenting to create customized topics and seamless experiences for each user.
Currently, TikTok provides Interest Targeting, which enables businesses to reach users based on their interests.
Demographics
- TikTok
TikTok is extremely popular among younger generations, and the latest TikTok statistics confirm this. A significant 43.7% of TikTok users are aged 18-24, while 31.9% fall in the 25-34 age bracket. Conversely, only 23.3% of TikTok users are over 35 years old.
In contrast, Facebook appeals to a wider range of age groups. Only 22.6% of the Facebook audience is aged 18-24, while the largest segment, comprising 31% of users, falls in the 25-34 age bracket.
Facebook also has a more significant user base among older generations, with 41% of users over the age of 35, which is higher than the 24.1% of users in the same age range on TikTok.
This information is important for marketers and businesses who want to reach specific age groups. If the target audience is Gen Z and younger millennials, then TikTok is the best platform to use. TikTok has a huge influence on younger generations, and around 40% of Gen Z prefer to search on TikTok instead of Google. On the other hand, if the target audience is not just younger generations, then Facebook is a better choice as it has a more balanced user base with a wider reach.
Cost
| Metric | Facebook average | TikTok average |
| CPM | $14.2 | $10.5 |
| CTR | 0.76% | 0.5% |
| CR | 1.5% | 1.2% |
- CPM comparison
In general, TikTok’s advertising expenses are lower compared to those on Facebook, but they can vary depending on factors such as the ad format, targeting options, and placement. The average cost per click (CPC) on TikTok under specific conditions is roughly $1.63, and the average cost per thousand impressions (CPM) is around $10.5.
However, noting that although TikTok’s advertising costs are typically lower, the platform has a smaller user base than Facebook, which could limit the reach of your ads. For more details, see how to measure ads performance on TikTok.
- CTR comparison
On average, Facebook has a higher link click-through rate (CTR) of 0.76%, compared to TikTok’s average of around 0.50%. This indicates that users are more inclined to click on a link in a Facebook ad rather than a TikTok ad. One reason for this is that Facebook has been around longer, and users are more familiar with it, making them more comfortable with and responsive to its ads. Furthermore, it is relatively easier to achieve a high CTR on Facebook by optimizing the ad copy.
TikTok ads vs Facebook ads: Which is best?
Facebook Ads
- Benefits
Detailed targeting: Facebook has a very clever advertising system that can target the specific audience you want with just one click. Post-campaign, Facebook can suggest additional demographic groups to help you improve your advertising strategies for your online store.
Huge user base: Facebook has almost 3 billion people who use it every month, which means that your online store can reach more potential customers than any other social media platform. Additionally, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, owns Instagram, which can also help you reach a wider audience.
Built-in A/B testing: You don’t need any additional tools to perform A/B testing and get real-world results. This can be done directly within the Meta Ads Manager.
Exceptional tracking and analytics tools: Facebook provides you with exceptionally strong tracking and analytics tools that have been refined over many years of use.
- Drawbacks
Time-consuming at the beginning: For new marketers, Facebook is notoriously challenging to learn. Additionally, starting your ad campaigns takes a lot of manual labor.
Facebook is not the most preferred platform anymore: Even though Facebook has a large number of users, some advertising agencies prefer to use other platforms with more user-friendly advertising dashboards and unique audiences. However, they still acknowledge the importance of Facebook due to its large user base.
To conclude, Facebook Ads would suit if you want:
- Wider audiences
- Higher budget
- Both B2C and B2B brands
- Wider variety of ad formats and media types
- Mobile and desktop application
TikTok Ads
- Benefits
Young and open-minded audiences: TikTok has gained massive popularity among the younger generation. If e-commerce can create advertisements that are relatable and engaging to this audience, they have a higher chance of being received and responded to, compared to older audiences.
Influencer marketing: Similar to Instagram, TikTok provides opportunities for influencer marketing, allowing businesses to collaborate with influencers and directly engage with their audience.
- Drawbacks
Limited ad formats: There are a few types of ads available on TikTok, meanwhile, Facebook provided various ad formats.
TikTok ads are easy to ignore: Most people don’t like ads, and on TikTok, ads are easy to ignore because they don’t stand out much. Since the app is designed for scrolling, people are used to quickly swiping past things they’re not interested in. Make TikTok ads attention-grabbing, otherwise, people will just ignore them.
TikTok would suit if you want:
- Younger audiences
- Lower budget
- B2C brands
- Short videos content
- Marketing channel with a high conversion rate
- Reach more audiences in a short period
- Mobile application
Ultimately, to select the most suitable platform for advertising, you should take into account your marketing objectives, budget, message as well as the user base of the platform your business is considering.
How to use TikTok ads & Facebook ads together
Combining TikTok and Facebook ads can be a lucrative strategy for businesses of all sizes, whether they are established or just starting out. Each platform has its own strengths and marketing potential, prompting the question of how to effectively use both to maximize returns. Let’s explore how to merge Facebook and TikTok ads to achieve optimal performance.
Collect and gather insight across platforms
To make your business bigger nowadays, you need to advertise in many different places, not just one. This means putting ads on things like search engines and social media and using other parts of those places, like TikTok and Facebook. When you advertise in many different places, you can learn more and get better at it. You should look at reports from both TikTok and Facebook to find new ways to advertise across both. For example, you might find a group of people on Facebook who really like your ads, and then show them the same ads on TikTok. You might find a good ad that works well on Facebook, and use it on TikTok too.
Improve your brand identity
You can achieve this by maintaining a consistent tone of voice, using the same branding elements (like colors, fonts, and imagery), and engaging with your audience regularly on both platforms. Consistency is key in building trust with consumers, so use Facebook and TikTok as an opportunity to strengthen your brand identity.
Use different ad formats
Facebook and TikTok together offer a variety of ad formats, such as image ads, video ads, and carousel ads. Experiment with different ad formats to see what works best for your target audience
Use retargeting
Retargeting is a powerful advertising strategy that allows you to target users who have interacted with your brand in the past. You can retarget users who have engaged with your Facebook and TikTok ads to increase conversions and drive more sales.
Maximize your TikTok ads returns
Consider your business goals! Both platforms have the potential to provide excellent outcomes for your advertising efforts. To decide which platform is more suitable for your e-commerce, you need to evaluate your objectives. Alternatively, if you have the resources, you can run a test campaign on both platforms and compare their performance.
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