TikTok launches foray into Search Ads and a new Keyword Tool to boot - The Daily Dose of Digital - 10/03/23

Whilst the jury is still out on the claims that TikTok is going to 'replace' Google as people's go-to for search (other search engines are available), it is clear that the platform is doubling-down on it's increasing popularity as a source of info and discovery with the launch of Search Ads and their new Keyword Tool.

This may not come as new news to many, as they ran a beta test of their search ads this time last year, but TikTok is reportedly expanding its offerings by entering the search ads market, putting it in direct competition with Google and Microsoft, allowing advertisers to bid on specific keywords/phrases related to their products or services.

Last year's tests seemed to confirm that "when search ads were enabled, advertisers could gather the search terms responsible for conversions and leverage those high click-through rate search terms as headlines for their best-performing TikTok videos, resulting in additional benefits."

With Google being the dominant player in this market for donkey's years, thanks to its massive user base and sophisticated advertising platform, people are bound to start to make the comparison in the same way they've been suggesting that TikTok is a competitor for search in general. Prabhar Raghavan, svp for Google’s knowledge and information division, said “almost 40%” of young people searching for a lunch spot would do so on TikTok or Instagram rather than Google Maps or Search". Does this mean it's time to move in on the ad territory too?

Well, TikTok clearly thinks so, looking to capitalise on this growth and provide a new advertising platform for businesses looking to reach younger, more engaged audiences. TikTok’s user base is largely comprised of Gen Z and millennial users, who are notoriously difficult to reach through traditional advertising channels.

Akin to Google, Bing et al, TikTok’s search ads platform will allow businesses to bid on specific keywords related to their products or services, but there are noises that suggest the platform will likely offer some unique features like more robust audience targeting options, allowing advertisers to reach users based on their interests, behaviours, and demographics - something I've always found TikTok to actually do quite well. This is not only better for the advertiser - on the other side of the coin, users should see more relevant ads.

But, let's face it, TikTok’s attempt to chip away at Google's market share is going to rely on these more unique features as much as their access to the Gen-Z market. It's a pretty high risk investment for them and they're likely to have to demonstrate pretty solid ROIs for advertisers to consider switching some of their budget away from the traditional search ad channels in favour of the newcomer. into the search ads market is not without risks. Google has a massive head start in this market, and TikTok will need to offer compelling features and competitive pricing in order to attract advertisers away from Google’s platform.

This move into search has been corroborated with the introduction of their new Keyword Insights tool.

Now this, I have to admit, is pretty helpful as a source of research. The tool allows users to see trending script keywords on TikTok and get inspired by ad examples - keywords are extracted from voice over captions, text overlays and ad copy from existing ad creatives.

Will TikTok chip away at Google in this space? What do you think? Let me know in the comments.