Skip to content TikTok is a social media giant with a staggering twenty-four million users in Nigeria. A significant 57% of its global users utilize the app’s search function, with 23% conducting searches within 30 seconds of opening the app. As a small business owner in Nigeria, I believe this presents a massive opportunity for growth. Your business can appear in keyword search results by leveraging TikTok search ads in Nigeria. You can tap into this vast audience and significantly boost your business.
For many Nigerians, social media platforms have become the top place to search for everything from breaking news to product recommendations. While search engines like Google and Bing used to be the go-to options, TikTok is now a popular choice, especially for Gen Z and millennial users.
What are TikTok search ads?
TikTok search ads are targeted posts that advertisers use to target people who search for specific topics or keywords. These ads can be videos or image carousels and appear alongside user-generated content (UGC) in search results. As an advertiser in Nigeria, you may choose the searches that will trigger your ads.
TikTok introduced the search ads feature in September 2024 to extend its earlier search ads toggle function. This newer version allows businesses to create content explicitly designed as search ads instead of repurposing existing in-feed ads.
For example, if you run a shoe store in Lagos, you could target the search term “where to find original leather shoes,” your ad would appear alongside other user-generated videos related to that topic.
Why should your business use TikTok search ads?
TikTok has one of the most engaged user bases among social media platforms, with a median engagement rate of 2.63%. It has also become a social commerce hub with its in-app TikTok Shop. Even if users don’t buy directly through the app, many in Nigeria use TikTok with shopping in mind.
There are several ways to benefit from TikTok’s active and shopping-oriented audience in Nigeria. You can create organic content, partner with influencers, and invest in TikTok ads. TikTok offers different ad types, like in-feed, TopView, and Spark ads. However, search ads let you target users directly through specific keywords, ensuring your content reaches people actively searching for what you offer.
How TikTok search ads work
1. Select your keywords
TikTok search ads work through keyword targeting. You select keywords or phrases related to your product or business in Nigeria. When users search for these keywords, your ads may appear in their search results.
2. Set your bid for the keywords
You participate in keyword bidding, setting budgets on keywords and ad groups (collections of ads with common goals) to compete for ad placement. TikTok ranks ads based on bid amounts and relevance to users. Higher bids can help you reach more people. TikTok offers two bidding strategies:
- Cost Cap: TikTok optimises delivery based on your defined cost per action.
- Maximum Delivery: Focuses on delivering maximum conversions within your budget.
TikTok recommends a budget-to-bid ratio of 20:1 to balance your campaign budget and individual bids for each ad impression.
3. Ads are shown based on keywords and your bid
TikTok’s algorithm is designed to show personalised content to each user. Even after selecting keywords, your search ads are placed according to the algorithm, which considers factors like performance metrics, user engagement, captions, hashtags, content diversity, and device and account settings.
How to get started with TikTok search ads
1. Select “Search Campaign” and set your objective
Start by using TikTok Ads Manager. Choose “Search Campaign” to set up either a web conversion or traffic campaign.
- Web Conversion Campaign: Aims to drive users to your website to complete actions like making purchases or signing up for newsletters.
- Traffic Campaign: Focuses on getting users to visit your website.
For example, if you have a new online electronics company targeting millennials and Gen Z users in Nigeria, you should increase brand awareness. In this case, you’d choose a traffic campaign. You might opt for a web conversion campaign if you’re an established electronics brand with a holiday sale.
2. Choose Your Keywords
Next, select the keywords you want to target in your campaign. Research TikTok trends to find impactful keywords and position your brand accordingly. You can also include negative keywords to prevent your ad from appearing in unrelated search results.
3. Determine target bids and budgets
Like Google ads, you need to participate in keyword bidding, setting a budget for each keyword in a pay-per-click (PPC) auction. TikTok uses bid amounts, quality scores, and ad rankings to place ads. Decide how much you will spend and allocate your budget based on demand and competition.
4. Create ad groups and upload your creative assets
With your keyword targets and budget set, it’s time to upload your creative assets. TikTok allows both video and image carousel ads. You can use a mix of both in ad groups, which are collections of posts sharing a theme and target audience.
Optimize performance by including keywords in video titles and captions. TikTok suggests using at least 20 keywords per ad group to fit with the ad creative. The platform allows up to 1,000 keywords and 10,000 negative keywords per ad group. Once your creative is ready, publish your ad group, and TikTok’s algorithm will share your posts with users who match your keyword searches.
5. Track progress and revise as needed
After launching your TikTok search ad campaign, use TikTok Ads Manager to monitor its performance by tracking impressions, clicks, and traffic. If your site traffic or sales increase, your ads are working. If not, consider deactivating underperforming keywords or experimenting with new ones.
Read also: How to Create Engaging Social Media Videos Like a Pro
Conclusion
TikTok search ads offer an exciting way for Nigerian businesses to connect with a growing, engaged audience. By understanding how these ads work and setting up effective campaigns, you can tap into TikTok’s vast user base in Nigeria to boost your business’s visibility and sales. Whether you’re a small business owner in Lagos or part of a larger company in Abuja, TikTok search ads could be your next big marketing move.
