Search Ads On Tiktok: From Strategy To Execution

Despite being one of the largest social networking platforms with a large number of users and sellers. However, TikTok is always updating and upgrading its features. Recently, Tiktok introduced a new type of advertising, TikTok search ads, to provide solutions for sellers and brands in reaching users.

With search ads, brands can expand the reach of their campaigns to users with clear intentions who are looking for information related to their business, boosting engagement and revenue.

In this article, we not only introduce search ads TikTok and its features, but also analyze the benefits and appropriate search ads on TikTok implementation strategies for businesses.

What are TikTok Search Ads? 

TikTok Search Ads are a format of advertisement displayed on TikTok’s search results page when users type in relevant keywords. These ads leverage users' intent-based search behavior, creating an opportunity for brands to connect with audiences actively looking for related products, services, or content.

How Search Ads TikTok Work

When do ads appear: Ads are shown when users type in keywords or phrases targeted by the business in their campaign. For example, if the keyword is "how to whiten skin," an ad for whitening skincare products will appear at the top of the search results.

Placement: TikTok Search Ads are listed within the search results and are labeled as "Sponsored" to distinguish them from organic content.

Content Format: Ads are typically short-form videos or animated visuals designed to match TikTok’s native creative style, ensuring a seamless and non-disruptive user experience.

Detailed Benefits of TikTok Search Ads

Tapping into High-Intent Audiences

TikTok Search Ads target users who are actively searching for a specific topic, making them more likely to purchase or take action compared to viewers who see random ads.

For example, a user searching for “beautiful party dresses” has a clear intent to find and buy a product, helping brands maximize their conversion rate.

Enhanced Visibility and Brand Awareness

Search Ads position your brand at the top of search results, increasing the likelihood that users will immediately see your product or service. This is especially valuable in competitive industries or during trending topics.

Reaching the Right Audience at the Right Time

By displaying ads when users search for relevant keywords, TikTok Search Ads ensure that your content is highly relevant and appears at the most appropriate moment when users are seeking solutions.

Cost-Effective Advertising

Since TikTok Search Ads specifically target users with demonstrated intent, they help reduce ad spend by avoiding irrelevant impressions. This makes them an ideal solution for businesses with limited advertising budgets.

Higher Engagement and Conversion Rates

Users who actively search and see ads are more likely to click on them and take action (e.g., purchasing, learning more, signing up). This results in better outcomes compared to ads displayed randomly within the content feed.

Leveraging TikTok’s Role as a Search Engine

TikTok is gradually replacing Google for certain types of searches, especially among younger audiences. Gen Z users, in particular, tend to search for recommendations, reviews, and creative ideas on TikTok instead of traditional search engines.

How to set up Search Ads Toggle

How to set up a Search Ads Toggle campaign

Step 1: Go to Ads Manager and select Custom Mode

Step 2: At Campaign > Create new > Lead generation > Continue

Step 3: In Ad group, Placements section, enable "Include search results"

When creating a new campaign, the Search Ads Toggle button will be set to on by default. And turning on the toggle will allow your ad to be considered for search placement. 

The TikTok Search Ads delivery system takes into account many factors, such as the relevance of the ad to the search query, metadata, budget, competition level, etc. to decide which ad to serve for a particular search query.

Step 4: Create Ads as usual and save campaign

Now you can create ad campaigns like other types of ads.

How to Turn TikTok Search Ads On and Off

TikTok Search Ads allow brands to appear in search results when users search for relevant keywords. Here’s how to enable or disable them:

• To Turn On Search Ads TikTok:

  1. Go to TikTok Ads Manager and select an active campaign.

  2. Under the campaign or ad group settings, navigate to the Placement section.

  3. Enable Search Ads Toggle to allow your ads to appear in search results.

• To Turn Off TikTok Search Ads:

  1. Return to the Placement section within the campaign settings.

  2. Simply switch off the Search Ads Toggle to prevent ads from showing in search results.

Search Ads can be useful to target users actively looking for content related to your brand, providing an opportunity to connect with an engaged audience.

Enhance Brand Safety by Adding Negative Keywords

Using negative keywords helps control where your ads appear, ensuring they don’t show up in searches that don’t align with your brand or might be irrelevant. Here’s how to add them:

1. In TikTok Ads Manager, navigate to the specific campaign or ad group where you want to add negative keywords.

2. Look for the Keywords section and locate the Negative Keywords option.

3. Enter any keywords you don’t want your ads to be associated with. For example, if your brand sells premium products, you might want to add negative keywords like "cheap" or "discount."

4. Save your changes.

Using negative keywords can protect brand reputation and avoid wasting ad spend on irrelevant searches, improving ad targeting and relevance.

Maximizing Ad Visibility: Hashtags and Descriptions

To increase your ad’s visibility, strategically use hashtags and descriptions:

• Hashtags: Incorporate relevant, high-traffic hashtags in your ad’s description to help it surface in more searches. Combine trending hashtags with niche ones related to your brand or campaign.

• Descriptions: Write clear, engaging descriptions that include keywords your audience might search for. Descriptions should be concise but informative, addressing what the ad is about and why it’s relevant.

When these elements align with popular search terms, they improve your ad’s discoverability and reach in TikTok’s search results.

TikTok Search Ads Case Studies – In-Depth Analysis

TikTok Search Ads have proven highly effective for brands across different industries by capturing high-intent users right when they’re actively looking for solutions. Let’s break down how various sectors leverage this ad format and what we can learn from them.

Resume.co – Boosting Conversions by 25% with TikTok Search Ads

Objective:

Increase acquisition efficiency by reaching high-intent users and improving conversion performance for its freemium resume builder.

Strategy:

• Leveraged TikTok Search Ads with targeted keywords such as “resume template” and “job application help.”

• Applied manual bidding to control cost per acquisition (CPA).

• Used authentic user-generated content (UGC) from TikTok One to improve relevance and trust.

Results:

• Reduced CPC by 50%.

• Increased CTR by 300%.

• Achieved a 25% lift in conversions compared to standard campaigns.

Insights:

Search Ads allowed Resume.co to connect with users at the exact moment they needed a solution, making them more likely to convert. Combining awareness-driven in-feed ads with intent-capturing Search Ads created a seamless path from discovery to purchase. This demonstrates Search Ads’ potential as an efficient acquisition channel, particularly for freemium web products.

StriVectin – Increasing ROAS and Customer Acquisition with Search Ads

Objective:

Expand new customer acquisition, improve ROAS, and lower CPA while connecting with consumers actively searching for skincare solutions.

Strategy:

• Placed TikTok Search Ads at the core of a full-funnel campaign.

• Used Target CPA bidding to reach women aged 25+, focusing on benefit-driven keywords relevant to skincare.

• Increased budget allocation during promotional periods to maximize reach.

Results:

• 188% increase in new customers with only a 57% increase in spend.

• ROAS improved by 78%.

• CPA reduced by 46%.

• Incremental ROAS reached 1.7x, outperforming other platforms by 6%.

Insights:

Search Ads played a decisive role in the lower-funnel stage, reaching audiences who were ready to purchase. Combining demographic targeting with specific keyword intent ensured better budget efficiency and higher conversion rates. The performance data from Search Ads also helped optimize other campaign types.

TeeShoppen – Scaling Full-Funnel Performance with a TikTok-First Strategy and Smart+ Automation

Objective:

Expand reach and drive key actions such as “Add to Cart” and “Complete Payment” while maintaining strong campaign performance.

Strategy:

• Implemented TikTok’s recommended five-phase campaign structure, with each phase lasting 12 days.

• Designed a three-step funnel:

  1. Engagement-focused storytelling content with minimal product focus.

  2. Product-focused content to encourage exploration.

  3. Direct call-to-action content highlighting product name and price.

• Produced a high volume of creatives for each phase (42 → 39 → 33 → 30 assets), refining them in later stages.

• Combined retargeting with Smart Audiences, running In-Feed ad and Carousel Ads through auction buying for real-time optimization.

Results:

• Ad recall increased by 17.2 percentage points.

• Total orders rose by 588%, with new customer orders increasing by 511%.

• Average order value (AOV) increased by 10%.

• TikTok was the sole major paid channel during the campaign period.

Insights:

A clearly structured funnel aligned with the customer journey ensured smooth progression from awareness to purchase. The large creative pool and continuous testing allowed the brand to identify high-performing content quickly. 

Smart+ automation and retargeting improved real-time audience targeting, while the full-funnel approach proved effective for scaling performance in e-commerce.

Conclusion

Tiktok Search ad is creating opportunities for sellers to reach their target audience better. This helps both customers and sellers, sellers can minimize waste from advertising to the wrong target audience. And users will no longer feel annoyed with inappropriate ads.

Adding Tiktok search ads to your tiktok marketing strategy is a good idea for you to optimize your business's tiktok advertising costs. 

Luca agency with more than 8 years of experience and a dedicated support team will assist you with any problems you may encounter with TikTok Ads. Contact us now for advice and support 24/7