Understanding TikTok Ads
TikTok offers a variety of ad formats for brands and advertisers. Some of the main types of TikTok ads include:
- In-feed ads: These appear in between regular videos in a user’s feed. They can be either images, videos or a combination.
- Brand takeovers: These short, full-screen video ads appear when the app is first opened. They help brands make a big visual impact.
- Branded effects: These are interactive filters and lenses that users can apply to their own videos. This helps brands get creatively involved in content.
- Branded hashtags: Advertisers can promote hashtag challenges to encourage user-generated content.
- Spark ads: These are customizable and optimized for conversion events like app installs or sales.
- TopView ads: These appear when users first launch the app and help brands get noticed.
In addition to these main ad types, TikTok also provides options like brand takeovers, 3D photo effects, branded lenses and more. The wide range of ad formats allows brands to get creative and engage TikTok’s audience in different ways.
Sources:
[1] https://www.adroll.com/blog/get-to-know-all-the-different-types-of-tiktok-ads
[2] https://leadsbridge.com/blog/tiktok-advertising/
Why Ads Appear
TikTok relies heavily on advertising as its main source of revenue. The platform allows brands to purchase ad placements that target specific user demographics and interests. According to Bloomberg, TikTok’s most lucrative ad accounts are from brands looking to build awareness rather than drive direct sales.
There are several ad formats available on TikTok including in-feed video ads, brand takeovers, branded lenses/filters, and more. TikTok uses the data it collects about users like interests, watch time, and device details to serve tailored ads to each individual. As noted by Feedough, this targeted advertising model allows brands to reach massive audiences in a more engaging format compared to traditional social media ads.
Limit Ad Personalization
One way to reduce irrelevant ads on TikTok is to limit ad personalization. When ad personalization is enabled, TikTok uses data like your interests, liked videos, location, and browsing history to serve you ads that may be more relevant. While this can be useful, it can also lead to repetitive or inappropriate ads.
To limit ad personalization on TikTok:
- Open the TikTok app and go to your profile page.
- Tap the menu icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings and Privacy.”
- Tap “Ads.”
- Toggle “Personalized ads” off.
With personalized ads disabled, you’ll see more generic ads that aren’t tailored specifically to your interests and activity. This can cut down on excessive ads for certain products or services. Keep in mind you may still see some targeted ads based on context like keywords in a video you’re watching. But opting out prevents TikTok from using extensive off-platform data to target you.
You can also choose to see “Less ads that may be inappropriate” in your ad settings. This further restricts ads that TikTok deems potentially objectionable or irrelevant.
Report Irrelevant Ads
If you receive ads on TikTok that seem irrelevant or inappropriate, you can report them to help improve your ad experience. Here’s how to report irrelevant ads on TikTok:
1. Tap on the ad you want to report. This will open the ad details page.
2. Tap on the “Report” button in the bottom right corner.
3. Select “Irrelevant to me” as the reason for reporting.
4. You’ll have the option to provide more details on why the ad is irrelevant.
5. Tap “Submit” to send the report to TikTok.
Reporting irrelevant ads helps TikTok improve their ad targeting algorithms over time. The more precise reports you can provide, the more it assists TikTok in serving you better, more relevant ads moving forward. You can also manage your ad preferences directly in your account settings.
Source: https://support.tiktok.com/en/safety-hc/report-a-problem/report-a-video
Use Ad Blockers
A popular way to limit ads while using TikTok is to install an ad blocking extension or app. Some ad blockers that are compatible with TikTok include:
- AdGuard – This ad blocker works across multiple browsers and devices. It can block banner ads, popups, and video ads on TikTok. More info: https://adguard.com/en/welcome.html
- Adblock Plus – Available as an extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and more. It blocks intrusive ads on TikTok and many other sites. More info: https://adblockplus.org
- uBlock Origin – An open source ad blocker that works for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Safari. It’s customizable to block different ad types. More info: https://www.ublock.org
Ad blockers work by filtering out ads as pages load on TikTok and other sites. Install one to limit advertisements while browsing. Be aware ad blockers may sometimes block legitimate content too. Adjust settings if needed.
Subscribe to TikTok Premium
One way to eliminate ads on TikTok is by subscribing to TikTok Premium. TikTok Premium is a paid subscription that offers an ad-free viewing experience and other exclusive features.
According to TwilinsTok, some of the key benefits of a TikTok Premium subscription include:
- Ad-free viewing – No ads will interrupt your TikTok viewing
- Unlimited downloads – Download as many videos as you want
- Enhanced video quality – Upgrade video quality up to 1080p HD
- Exclusive effects and filters – Access new creative tools and options
- Early access to new features – Try out the latest TikTok features before others
The TikTok Premium subscription starts at $6.99 per month in the US, with discounts available for 3-month and 12-month plans. Subscribing to TikTok Premium provides the most complete ad-free experience and other useful features for avid TikTok users.
Adjust Account Settings
One of the easiest ways to limit personalized ads on TikTok is to adjust your account settings and disable personalized ads. Here’s how to do it:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap the menu icon in the top right corner and select “Settings and privacy”.
3. Under “Settings and privacy”, select “Ads”.
4. Toggle “Personalized ads” off. This will prevent TikTok from using your activity data to serve you targeted ads.
Disabling personalized ads means you’ll see more generic ads instead of ones tailored to your interests. Keep in mind ads can’t be fully removed from TikTok, but this setting limits ad personalization. You can also reset your advertising ID periodically for a similar effect.
For more information, visit TikTok’s support page on disabling personalized ads.
Limit Ad Tracking
You can limit ad tracking on both iOS and Android devices to reduce the amount of targeted ads you see. On iOS devices, go to Settings > Privacy > Advertising and toggle on “Limit Ad Tracking”. This prevents apps from accessing your advertising identifier, which is used to serve personalized ads (Eff.org, 2022).
For Android devices, go to Settings > Google > Ads > Opt out of ads personalization. You can also reset your advertising ID here. Resetting this regularly will reduce ad targeting. Additionally, go to Settings > Privacy > Ads and toggle on “Opt out of ads personalization” to limit targeted ads.
Why Ads Can’t Be Fully Removed
Due to the nature of TikTok’s business model, ads cannot be completely removed from the platform. TikTok relies on advertising revenue as its primary source of income, similar to other free social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Displaying ads is how TikTok is able to offer its services for free while continuing to develop new features and maintain its infrastructure.
TikTok states in its Ads Policy that “ads are an integral part of the TikTok experience, so you can’t opt out of seeing them completely.” While users have some control over limiting the ads they see through privacy settings, advertisers ultimately decide where their ads appear across TikTok. Completely removing ads would undermine TikTok’s ability to generate revenue and continue operating.
Users wishing to have a completely ad-free experience do have the option to subscribe to TikTok Premium, which removes most ads from videos and feeds. However, ads are so ingrained into TikTok’s business that they cannot be removed entirely even with a paid subscription.
Additional Tips
Here are some other ways you can try to minimize ads on TikTok:
Turn off personalized ads – Go to your account settings and toggle off “Personalized ads”. This means ads will be less targeted to your interests.
Don’t engage with ads – Try not to tap, comment, share or otherwise interact with ads. This signals to TikTok you are interested in those types of ads.
Adjust your interests – Go to account settings > privacy > ads and remove any interests you don’t want targeted. TikTok will have less profile data to serve personalized ads.
Pay for TikTok Premium – With a paid TikTok Premium subscription, you can enjoy an ad-free experience.
Spend less time on TikTok – The less you use the app, the fewer ads you will encounter. Consider taking breaks or cutting back TikTok time.
Unfortunately ads are how TikTok makes money, so they can’t be completely eliminated unless you go premium. But being selective about interests and reducing time on the app can help minimize ads.
