TikTok Ads for eCommerce: Why It's Worth the Investment

“TikTok is just for kids and dance videos.”

That’s what we thought too. Until we saw the results:

• CPM €2-4 (vs €8-15 on Meta)
• CTR 2-4% (vs 0.8-1.5% on Meta)
• ROAS 3-6x for the right products

📌 What you’ll learn: Why TikTok works for eCommerce, which products perform well, and how to launch your first campaigns.

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🚀 Why TikTok works

1. Lower costs (for now)

TikTok is where Facebook was in 2016-2018.

Metric	TikTok	Meta	Google
CPM	€2-5	€8-15	€5-12
CPC	€0.15-0.40	€0.40-1.20	€0.50-2
CTR	1-3%	0.8-1.5%	2-5%

2. Organic engagement

The algorithm favours good content, not big accounts. A great video can go viral regardless of the account’s size.

3. A diverse audience

It’s no longer just Gen Z:

Age	% of users
18-24	35%
25-34	28%
35-44	18%
45+	19%

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🛍️ Which products work

✅ Excellent

• Beauty & skincare (tutorials, before/after)
• Fashion (try-ons, outfit inspiration)
• Home & kitchen (gadgets, organisation)
• Fitness (transformations, routines)
• Pet products (animals = viral)
• Gadgets (unboxing, demos)

⚠️ With some adaptation

• B2B (requires creativity)
• Luxury (price-sensitive audience)
• Local services (limited reach)

❌ Difficult

• Complicated products (long sales cycle)
• Very high AOV (>€500)
• Sensitive products (policy restrictions)

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📱 Ad formats

In-Feed Ads

The most common one. They appear in the “For You” feed.

Specification	Value
Length	15-30s (recommended)
Aspect ratio	9:16 (vertical)
Sound	Must be ON

Spark Ads

You promote organic posts (your own or creators’).

• ✓ Built-in social proof
• ✓ Authentic content
• ✓ Engagement stays on the post

Collection Ads

A product showcase with an integrated catalogue. Ideal for a large catalogue.

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🎯 Campaign structure

Campaign 1: Prospecting (50-70% of budget)
├── Ad Group 1: Broad (no targeting)
│   └── 3-5 creatives
├── Ad Group 2: Interest-based
│   └── 3-5 creatives
└── Budget: min. €30-50/day

Campaign 2: Retargeting (30-50% of budget)
├── ViewContent + AddToCart
└── Past Purchasers

Targeting	When to use it
Broad	Testing, scaling
Interest	Specific niches
Behaviour	Purchase intent
Custom Audience	Retargeting

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🎬 Creatives that work

Formula: HOOK + VALUE + CTA

First second (HOOK):

• A provocative question
• A surprising statement
• A captivating visual

Seconds 2-20 (VALUE):

• Product demo
• Benefits
• Social proof

End (CTA):

• “Order now”
• “Link in bio”

5 tested types

Type	Example
UGC style	”I found this product on TikTok and…”
Problem-solution	”Tired of [problem]?”
Trend integration	Use a trending sound
Unboxing	”My order arrived!”
Before/after	A creative transition

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⚠️ Common mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Creative too “polished”	Film it with your phone
Ignoring sound	Voiceover, trending music
Weak hook	Test 5 different hooks
Unclear CTA	Specific CTA: “Order - free delivery”
Budget too small	Min. €30-50/day

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📊 Metrics to track

Metric	Good target	Excellent
CTR	>1%	>2%
CVR	>1%	>2%
ROAS	>2x	>4x
CPA	<AOV×30%	<AOV×20%

Secondary:

• Watch time >50% = engaging video
• Profile visits = interest in the brand

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⚡ 4-week launch plan

Week 1: Setup

• Install the TikTok Pixel
• Connect your catalogue
• Create a Business Center

Week 2: Creative

• Film 5-10 UGC videos
• Collaborate with 2-3 micro-influencers
• Adapt organic content

Week 3: Launch

• Prospecting campaign
• Budget €50-100/day
• Let it run for 5-7 days

Week 4: Optimisation

• Identify the top 2 creatives
• Pause underperformers
• Add retargeting

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⚡ TL;DR

Aspect	Takeaway
Costs	CPMs are still low (€2-5)
Audience	No longer just Gen Z
Creative	Authenticity > production
Budget	Min. €30-50/day
The key	Native content, not TV ads

🎯 Conclusion: TikTok in 2025 is a genuine opportunity. The key: authentic content, not traditional ads.

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Want to test TikTok for your shop?

→ Book a free consultation and we’ll discuss whether TikTok is right for your products.