5 Ways TikTok’s AI Ad Buying Tool Smart+ Can Catch Up With Meta’s ASC

After nearly two months of testing TikTok’s Smart+—which lets AI optimize creative and choose who to serve an ad—there are some areas for improvement, four ad buyers told ADWEEK. Especially when compared to Meta’s Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns (ASC), which launched in 2022. Granted, Meta's ASC has had more time to finesse its AI-buying tool, but vying for ad dollars is a competitive business. And advertisers' growing gripes about set-it-and-forget-it tools—from lack of transparency and inventory quality to ads reaching existing audiences—have been hard to ignore. That said, Smart+ isn’t without its wins. Some DTC brands at agency Wpromote saw a 10% lift in conversions compared to traditional TikTok campaigns. In terms of conversion rates, TikTok is at parity with Meta's ASC, with a 5% margin either way, according to David Dweck, svp, paid media, Wpromote. Since its October launch, brands have flagged inconsistent performance with TikTok Smart+—some even pulled their campaigns—and the tool’s lack of detailed revenue data beyond basic metrics like impressions and conversions has made it tough to gauge its true effectiveness. Meta’s ASC, sources said, seems to have relatively reliable performance and granular controls. Revenue from ACS more than doubled from last year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said during the company’s Q1 2024 earnings call. Meta also said in October that over 1 million advertisers have used at least one of its gen AI tools monthly, with 15 million ads created in the last month. Here are ways buyers believe TikTok's Smart+ can catch up with Meta. More controls for advertisers to fine-tune Meta's ASC system offers more levers for advertisers to fine-tune campaigns, zeroing in on top-performing creatives and investing in those with the most potential, according to Miki DeHaven, VML’s associate media director. “[It becomes] clear that the machine [is] learning with time,” said DeHaven, with Advantage+ identifying and leaning into the top-performing assets quickly. Custom agreements lead to more performance visibility While Meta’s ASC isn’t perfect, agencies like Wpromote have custom agreements with the tech giant that let it A/B test creative assets on Facebook and Instagram. This arrangement, according to Dweck, provides a tailored product integrated directly with their tools, giving deeper insights into creative performance—insights Wpromote finds more accessible on Meta than on TikTok. In that sense, “TikTok [insights aren't] necessarily stronger than the Meta’s Advantage+ but close to parity,” he said. Pangle, TikTok's external ad network, extends campaign reach to third-party apps, but advertisers cannot opt out of Pangle app placements within Smart+ campaigns, said Zaryn Sidhu, growth marketing consultant at M&H Digital. Performance data reports do not break out whether the placement was served on TikTok or Pangle. "[This] prevents media buyers from gleaning any placement-specific insights and without a clear understanding on budget distribution, which can greatly impact performance," said Sidhu. Greater audience reach Meta's ASC lets advertisers cap spending on retargeting and prioritize new customer acquisition—key for avoiding wasted impressions and a common complaint of AI ad buying tools. Smart+ lacks this feature, casting a wide net and hitting users who might have already seen the ad or even made a purchase, according to DeHaven. More ad placements across the ecosystem Meta benefits from its extensive ecosystem—Facebook, Instagram, and Threads (which plans to roll out ads)—where it can serve its ads. Similarly, Google’s Performance Max benefits from cross-platform reach across YouTube, Gmail and Search. “The flexibility isn’t quite there with TikTok,” said Jack Johnston, senior social innovation director, Tinuiti. “Costs can fluctuate widely—either higher or lower—while with Meta, we see impressions shift across its ecosystem based on efficiency, helping us target users where they’re consuming media.” Ease of integration Using Meta, advertisers can swap image backgrounds or expand images in creative assets within ASC, according to Johnston. TikTok, meanwhile, currently has a less streamlined setup. “For brands, it’s an extra step,” said Johnston. “You have to go into Symphony, brief the content, confirm you like it, and then export it to Ads Manager.”

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5 Ways TikTok’s AI Ad Buying Tool Smart+ Can Catch Up With Meta’s ASC

Revenue from Meta's AI-buying tool more than doubled from last year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said

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