How to Sell More with TikTok Ads: A Guide for Your E-Commerce

TikTok is no longer just about dances and viral trends. If you have an e-commerce business and you're still not investing in TikTok Ads, spoiler alert: you're missing out. The most downloaded app in the world is no longer just entertaining: it sells, influences, converts, and builds loyalty. On it, users discover brands, compare products, get recommendations from creators, interact in real time… and buy. All without leaving the feed. Literally, scrolling has become checkout.

In this post, we’ll show you how to create TikTok Ads campaigns that truly convert, with an up-to-date guide based on real experience (yes, ours at Adsmurai).

We’ll also reveal how to create campaigns that drive results, with real-life examples from brands like HP, Mango or Desigual, and the latest in social commerce: Live Shopping, in-app checkout, and artificial intelligence. Plus, we’ll share our most valuable resources (eBooks, webinars, and success stories) to make it even easier for you.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Why is TikTok a good option for your e-commerce?

TikTok now exceeds 1 billion active users. Its algorithm doesn't care about followers, but about relevant content, allowing small (and large) brands to reach massive audiences without spending a fortune.

And it's not just us saying it: TikTok has proven to be key in client campaigns like Stradivarius, gaining over 12,000 new followers thanks to a well-executed strategy.

Moreover, TikTok enables Full Funnel solutions (discovery, research, and purchase) within the platform, making it an essential part of marketing strategies for major events and shopping moments.

👉 Real example: HP bet on TikTok to expand its reach in Spain. With a creative In-Feed Ads strategy, they connected with a young techie audience and boosted awareness of the HP Envy lineup. HP achieved:

• +12M impressions
• 1.10% CTR
• A competitive CPC that outperformed industry benchmarks

A clear example of how TikTok works far beyond just fashion.

Basic structure of a campaign in TikTok Ads Manager

Before you get creative, you need to understand how a campaign is structured in TikTok:

1. Campaign: Set your objective (conversion, traffic, reach…) and total budget.
2. Ad Group: Define who you’re targeting, when, and where.
3. Ads: The creative assets that will be displayed (videos, images, text).

This structure allows you to test quickly and optimize on the go, which is vital in e-commerce.

💡 Recommended resource: Download the eBook: The definitive guide to your TikTok Ads strategy

 

 

 

 

Which campaign objective should you choose?

This depends on the funnel stage:

• Awareness: Ideal if you’re just starting or launching a new product.
• Consideration: To drive traffic or app installs.
• Conversion: If selling is your goal, this is your playground.

Our recommendation? Start with conversions, but don’t forget to invest a bit in awareness to feed the funnel.

👉 Real example: Desigual + Nathy Peluso. The brand went all-in on awareness with a disruptive spot featuring the artist. Through TopView and In-Feed Ads, they achieved +11.3M impressions, a 1.63% CTR, and incredible engagement thanks to the “stop scroll” effect of their audiovisual content.

How much should you invest? (And how not to waste it)

The campaign budget is the amount you’re going to spend. Setting it properly will help your marketing team control ad delivery, measure performance, and leverage your marketing analytics to achieve a better ROAS. TikTok offers three budget options for your campaign:

• Daily budget: All ads in the campaign are capped by a maximum amount you can spend per day.
• Lifetime budget: All ads in the campaign are capped by a maximum amount you can spend over the entire duration of the campaign.
• No limit: Unlimited budget, no restrictions on ad delivery. Offers full flexibility to test and optimize.

Once the campaign is configured, it's time to create an ad group to define your TikTok campaign objective.

💡 Adsmurai Pro Tip: set budget limits for A/B testing. That way you control costs and learn faster.

How to segment to reach the ones who actually buy

TikTok offers one of the most precise targeting systems in the market:

• By age, gender, location
• By interests and behavior
• Even by device type and network

Choosing the right audience can significantly boost your ad performance. There are two main targeting approaches on TikTok:

• Refined targeting: You can narrow down your audience using demographics, interests, and device options.

TikTok also lets you create a Custom Audience by finding people who have already interacted with your brand. This is a powerful tool for remarketing or lookalike audiences. If you want to use_

How to segment to reach the ones who actually buy

TikTok offers one of the most precise targeting systems in the market:

• By age, gender, location
• By interests and behavior
• Even by device type and network

Choosing the right audience can significantly boost your ad performance. There are two main targeting approaches on TikTok:

• Refined targeting: You can narrow down your audience using demographics, interests, and device options.

TikTok also lets you create a Custom Audience by finding people who have already interacted with your brand. This is a powerful tool for remarketing or lookalike audiences. If you want to use this retargeting option, make sure you have TikTok Pixel installed before launching your campaign.

• Broad targeting: The app will find the best users without any preset parameters.

See how Nina Ricci used TikTok to reach a younger audience in Spain. Before moving forward, make sure to set your budget and schedule. Also consider bid and optimization settings for your TikTok ads.

And if you have first-party data (CRM, client lists, etc.), you can upload it to create custom or lookalike audiences. This greatly improves ROAS.

In this step, you'll also choose ad placements, fill in details, and define audience, budget, schedule, bidding method, and delivery type.

Let’s start with placements and location. It's time to define where your ads will appear, in which apps (placements), and in which countries/markets (location). Not all placements are available everywhere, here’s a list of placements and locations.

Creativity is EVERYTHING on TikTok (here’s the formula)

If your ad looks like an ad... you’re done. TikTok rewards authenticity. Here are some key tips:

• Real, unpolished content
• Leverage trending topics
• Use popular music and effects
• Collaborate with creators who speak your audience’s language

📈 Real example: campaigns with UGC-style content have generated over +30% engagement.

👉 Real example: Mango used this structure to launch their “Denim Capsule” collection on TikTok. With Creativ_, they developed native creatives tailored to different Ad Groups. The result: a 1.34% CTR and over 4.5M views. The combination of technical structure and tailored creativity was key.

TikTok Shop & Video Shopping Ads: the ultimate combo

With TikTok Shop, users can buy without leaving the app. Imagine having a native storefront inside the social platform where your users already are? That’s exactly what it is.

And with Video Shopping Ads, you can tag products directly within the video. Result: less friction, more conversions.

This experience is designed for brands to combine entertainment and conversion. Literally, one purchase after another at the pace of a scroll.

👉 Mango comes back to the spotlight: creative dynamics with influencers allowed them to connect with a Gen Z audience without forcing the message. Creatives that felt like regular feed content—not ads—made the difference.

Track the performance of your TikTok campaigns

Install the TikTok Pixel or use the Events API to:

• Measure conversions
• Optimize toward valuable events
• Build audiences based on real behavior

👉 In HP’s case, this tracking allowed them to adjust CPC in real time and optimize performance by demographics, increasing the efficiency of their investment on key campaign days.

And don’t forget to analyze. TikTok provides its own performance and attribution metrics. Need a quick guide? We’ve got you covered 😉

📽️ We’ve got another great webinar for you: Creativity + Measurement = The winning combo

Several clients have successfully scaled their campaigns using our personalized solutions. From creative dynamics with Creativ_ to technical optimizations through our One Tag, every part of our stack is built to boost performance on TikTok.

And with tools like Feeds for TikTok, you can dynamically power your campaigns with up-to-date products and tailored messaging.

If you sell online, TikTok is no longer optional

TikTok has changed the rules of the game. With a solid strategy, aligned creativity, and strong tech support, your e-commerce can scale exponentially on this platform.

Need help taking the leap? At Adsmurai, we work hand in hand with you to make TikTok the channel that sells, not just the one that entertains.