TikTok Unveils New Self-Serve and AI-Powered Ad Automation Tools

TikTok announced new tools for advertisers today at its fourth annual TikTok World event, focusing on artificial-intelligence-powered automation and measurement tools that make it quicker and easier for marketers to create relevant ads on the platform. The first set of tools, TikTok One, is a hub that gives advertisers access to creators, creative tools, agency partners and measurement. all in one place. The second, TikTok Symphony, serves as an umbrella for the platform's AI-powered tools, which includes support for scriptwriting, video production and asset optimization. "We are supercharging productivity to help brands create at scale," Adrienne Lahens, global head of operations for TikTok Creator Marketing Solutions, told reporters during a media briefing Tuesday. "We're building for the future of creative, and we're inviting brands to come and test and learn with us as we look to simplify and empower creative that breaks through." The company declined to comment on whether the threat of a TikTok ban has impacted its advertising business, following one reporter's question. "Coming off of NewFronts, we've seen so much excitement from our advertising and brand partners that are fully leaned in and ready to come and continue building, learning and testing with us," Kate Amery, global B2B communications manager, said in response. Media partner to business partner TikTok also announced tools that let advertisers set the criteria to reach certain campaign goals, using AI and machine learning. After selecting budget, creative assets and goals, the predictive automation tools will choose the right creative, audience and time to achieve the advertiser's goals. Research from Kantar showed that TikTok-first ads boost purchase intent and brand favorability by nearly 40%, the company noted. The company also touted that close to 80% of users prefer brands that demonstrate an understanding of how to create content for the platform, according to a 2022 survey conducted by Ipsos. The new tools aim to make it simpler and quicker for brands to create ads that resonate with TikTok's 1 billion-plus global users. Automation tools will also be available in TikTok Shop ads to optimize bidding, budgeting, ads management and creative, as well as merchant costs like affiliate payouts, ad spend and platform fees. "Moving from return on ad spend to overall return on investment is a major step forward in our vision moving from being a media partner to becoming a true business partner for our customers," said Adolfo Fernández, global head of performance solutions and operations for TikTok. Triquetra Health, an Ohio-based health and wellness brand that piloted the TikTok Shop automation tools, saw its ROI increase fourfold and sales jump by 136%, while also saving 10 hours per week that was previously spent tweaking campaigns, Fernández said. For brands, the company debuted two new tools: Interactive Add-Ons for TopView, which lets advertisers add pop-out elements and countdown stickers, and Duet with Branded Mission, which lets advertisers participate in duets alongside creators. TikTok also launched Unified Lift, a tool that combines conversion and brand data to give a more comprehensive view of a campaign's impact. "The ability to turn audience attention and engagement into impulse purchasing will be a game changer for brands, especially emerging brands in cluttered categories," Dave Kersey, chief media officer at GSD&M, told ADWEEK. Automation around performance and improvements in measurement tools are welcome developments, another buyer told ADWEEK, noting that “connecting the dots between social in-platform results versus clients' first-party sources has been a challenge.” The tools and products TikTok offers to advertisers rival The Trade Desk and Google's Display & Video 360, the buyer argued, raising the bar for social platforms across the board. “Even with the potential ban pending, they’ve changed the way we think about paid social, and how we use it in the advertising industry, for the better.”

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TikTok Unveils New Self-Serve and AI-Powered Ad Automation Tools

The solutions, called TikTok One and Symphony, build on its newfront releases

Kathryn Lundstrom

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Kathryn Lundstrom