TikTok Intensifies Focus on Search Ads Amid Sluggish E-commerce Growth

TikTok is ramping up its search advertising efforts just as it faces challenges with its e-commerce expansion. In a recent LinkedIn announcement, Nathan Barbagallo, TikTok’s senior product strategy lead, revealed a newly created sales leadership position in New York that is dedicated exclusively to search ads. This move signals that search is becoming a vital component of TikTok’s advertising strategy.

Key Highlights:

• Open Positions: There are currently 122 job openings related to TikTok Search across various teams, including sales, engineering, and product.
• Salary Insights: The new sales lead role offers a base salary ranging from $146,700 to $256,500.
• Client Adoption: At Tinuiti, about 50% of clients are utilizing TikTok’s search functionality, as noted by Jack Johnston, the company’s senior social innovation director.
• Advertiser Engagement: According to Courtney Shaw, VP of social media solutions at Basis Technologies, 20% of TikTok advertisers have started employing search ads.

One success story highlights a specific account that experienced a 25% increase in clicks, along with 38% lower cost-per-click (CPC) and 23% lower cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM).

Why This Matters

TikTok is establishing itself as a formidable player within the search advertising landscape, where user intent typically results in better conversion rates. As search behaviors shift from traditional engines like Google toward platforms like TikTok, advertisers have a unique opportunity to connect with users in a moment of discovery.

Aaron Goldman, CMO at Mediaocean, pointed out that “people are re-examining their search budgets across the board,” which is providing a boost to TikTok’s advertising efforts.

Rising Adoption Rates

The interest in TikTok search is climbing, with brands increasingly viewing it as a complement to conventional search methods rather than a replacement. As Johnston notes, “Cut TikTok search spend, and you might see Google performance drop.”

Industry Perspectives

Clients who excel in paid search are recognizing TikTok as a natural extension of their marketing strategies. Shaw mentioned, “It’s still a mixed bag. Some clients are winning, others not so much,” according to Shamsul Chowdhury, EVP at Jellyfish.

However, some advertisers remain hesitant due to fluctuating campaign results, uncertainties in the economy as of Q1, and the looming risk of a potential TikTok ban in the U.S. TikTok executives are taking a careful approach, with Adolf Fernandez, global head of commerce product strategy, stating, “These are very early days… but the traction has been phenomenal.”

Final Thoughts

While the efficacy of search on TikTok is not yet fully validated, the platform is actively building a solid foundation, hiring aggressively, and actively courting advertisers seeking new ways to engage intent-driven users.