TikTok has been building out its search products over the past few years to compete with Google, and now it's furthering its search ambitions by allowing advertisers to target its search results pages. On Tuesday, TikTok announced the launch of “TikTok Search Ad Campaigns,” a new keyword-based search solution that will allow brands to appear in search results.
Ads already appear on TikTok's search result pages, but brands will now have full control over how their content appears on those pages. Given TikTok's influence on users' shopping behavior, it makes sense for the company to offer brands a way to reach consumers who are actively searching for something.
The launch of the service will be a challenge for Google's search advertising business, especially given that younger users have admitted to turning to social media apps like TikTok and Instagram for their searches rather than Google.
TikTok's own research has shown that people are increasingly using the app as a search engine, with the company saying 57% of users use the search feature and 23% of users search for something within 30 seconds of opening the app.
TikTok said the new feature will enable brands to reach users when they are actively exploring content and looking for something specific. Brands will be able to tailor their ads to the different search behavior of TikTok users to maximize their advertising impact.
TikTok's tests found that advertisers who run search ads in addition to in-feed ads see an average 20% increase in conversions. The company also found that search ads are more likely to convert than in-feed ads, as 18% of users who saw but did not engage with an in-feed ad engaged after seeing the corresponding search ad.
“TikTok is a destination for discovery, where people come to search,” David Kaufman, TikTok's global head of monetization products and solutions, said in a blog post. “We're excited to offer advertisers new ways to tap into TikTok's multifaceted search behavior, where highly engaged users discover content intentionally or by chance. This is just the beginning of our search ads journey, and we look forward to learning, growing and building together with our community to help advertisers unlock added value.”
TikTok's search ad campaigns are currently available in the U.S. and are being tested in other markets.