Should I Transition from Facebook Ads to TikTok?
The advertising world has evolved over the past few years. Facebook Ads, the traditional social media advertising stalwart, now faces the rapidly emerging platform of TikTok. For UK businesses, that is a key question: do you need to make the switch?
The answer is not so straightforward. Each site has its own advantages and disadvantages that can make or break your advertising campaign. Let’s find out what each site can provide.
Understanding Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads are still a power player for UK advertisers wanting to reach older audiences. It performs best at engaging with 25-54-year-olds, who have greater disposable incomes and well-developed purchasing behaviours.
The targeting opportunities are Facebook’s strongest asset. You can target people based on location, interests, behaviours, and even life events. Such specificity makes Facebook ideal for local Manchester, London, or Edinburgh businesses who would like to target specific locations.
Yet Facebook has serious problems too. The cost of advertising has risen exponentially, with some UK companies paying 40-50% more cost per click than they were two years ago. On top of this, iOS privacy changes have made it harder to track conversions, especially for e-commerce companies.
Understanding TikTok Ads
TikTok represents the new social ad frontier. The platform’s algorithm is so good at getting users to spend hours there. This offers the potential for brands to achieve organic reach that Facebook simply cannot offer anymore.
The strength of TikTok lies in its younger audience. If you have a millennial or Gen Z audience, TikTok offers access like nothing else. The platform’s format also lends itself to less intrusive, entertainment-based ads that feel more natural.
The catch is that TikTok’s ads feature is still in development. The platform lacks Facebook’s advanced targeting and detailed analytics. If UK businesses are used to Facebook’s detailed reporting, TikTok can be limiting.
Making the Decision
The choice to change depends on several significant factors specific to your business.
Consider your target market first. If you are selling retirement planning or high-end home furnishings, Facebook’s older demographic might be a better fit for you. TikTok’s younger demographic might be more attractive for fashion companies or technology businesses, however. The analysis of marketing experts such as King Kong can be useful here.
Budget flexibility is also important. TikTok tends to demand more initial creative outlay. You’ll need to generate compelling video content frequently, which can put pressure on smaller marketing budgets typical of UK SMEs.
Your business category matters too. B2B companies perform well on Facebook, where companies congregate searching for answers. B2C companies with entertainment, beauty, or lifestyle niches perform well with TikTok.
Finding Your Way Forward
Rather than turning this into an either-or situation, adopt a step-by-step approach. Allocate 20-30% of your social ad budget to TikTok while you still keep your Facebook presence active.
Test TikTok by running a small campaign focused on your base audience. Monitor engagement rates, cost per acquisition, and total ROI against your Facebook benchmarks. This will inform your long-term strategy.
Remember that platform success is often a matter of quality of execution. A properly crafted Facebook campaign can outperform a poorly crafted TikTok campaign, even considering platform strengths.
The key is to match your business goals with platform strengths. Facebook is ideal to provide immediate conversions and reach specific groups of individuals. TikTok builds brand recognition and resonates with young consumers based on creative content.
Your advertising success is less about choosing the “right” platform and more about understanding how each platform operates to meet your specific business objectives.
