How to Leverage TikTok Search Ads for BFCM Success

As BFCM approaches, TikTok is set to be a game-changer in reaching this digitally-savvy demographic.

TikTok has rapidly become one of the most effective platforms for engaging Gen Z shoppers, particularly during high-stakes events like Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM). With 61% of Gen Z using TikTok regularly—outpacing both Instagram (56%) and Facebook (33%)—it’s clear that TikTok’s video-first format and discovery-driven algorithm offer brands a unique advantage to capture this high-intent, ready-to-spend audience. Here’s what you need to know about Gen Z’s buying habits this holiday season:

Gen Z’s global purchasing power this year is estimated at $450 billion
Gen Z is outpacing other groups in increasing their holiday budgets, with 35% planning to spend more
Gen Z also reports they are more likely to start their holiday shopping early, with 32% beginning before BFCM (hint, hint on campaign timing)
Gen Z allocates 37% of their holiday budget to personal purchases, compared to 32% for all consumers.
Although digital savvy Gen Z is breathing new life into physical retail, with 21% making an event out of their shopping trips and reacting positively to exclusive brick and mortar deals.

This year, TikTok’s new Search Ads are in the knick of time for BFCM to give brands the power to target high-intent users right when they’re searching for products, providing an opportunity to drive seamless, sometimes in-app sales.

Introducing The Power of TikTok Search Ads

With the launch of TikTok’s new Search Ads, brands now have a powerful tool to capture users when they’re actively searching for products—just in time for BFCM. TikTok users conduct over 3 billion searches annually, and Search Ads allow businesses to appear at the top of relevant search results, similar to Google but embedded within TikTok’s discovery-driven environment.

This feature leverages TikTok’s already advanced recommendation algorithm, combining discovery with intent-based targeting. For example, a skincare brand could target users searching for “best moisturizers for dry skin,” placing their ad directly in front of a ready-to-buy audience. This level of precision ensures that brands are reaching consumers at the most crucial moments of their shopping journey, which is particularly valuable as holiday shopping heats up.go

TikToks Killer Combo: Search Ads and TikTok Shop

One of the most compelling advantages of TikTok Search Ads is their seamless integration with TikTok Shop, which allows brands to create a fully immersive shopping experience within the app. Unlike ads that direct users to external websites, TikTok prioritizes ads that keep users in the platform—placing TikTok Shop Ads higher in search results than ads that lead to external sites.

This strategy boosts visibility for brands offering in-app purchases and reduces friction in the user journey, minimizing cart abandonment, which is especially critical during the high-traffic BFCM period.

Additionally, the shop integration ensures that brands can capture high-intent users at the moment they’re ready to buy, driving more efficient conversions. By keeping the entire shopping experience within TikTok, brands benefit from more accurate tracking and performance measurement, optimizing their overall return on ad spend (ROAS).

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get exclusive strategies and insider insights to boost your influence.

Knowing Your Campaign Timing for BFCM

To ensure your TikTok Search Ads are fully optimized for Black Friday/Cyber Monday, it’s critical to account for TikTok’s learning phase, which typically lasts around 7 days. By launching your campaign at least 2-3 weeks in advance, you’ll give the algorithm enough time to optimize ad delivery, ensuring maximum performance when BFCM traffic surges.

Here’s a timeline to guide your campaign launch.

Recommended Timeline for BFCM TikTok Search Ads Campaign

Task	Recommended Timing
Campaign Setup and Creative Development	Early November
Launch Campaign	2-3 weeks before BFCM
Exit Learning Phase	~7 days post-launch
Performance Monitoring & Adjustments	Continuous
BFCM Sales Peak	Black Friday

Optimizing TikTok Search Ads: Best Practices

To ensure your TikTok Search Ads perform at their best, it’s important to follow some key optimization strategies. These tactics align with how TikTok’s algorithm processes and displays content to users:

Keyword Research: Use TikTok’s Audience Insights tool to discover high-performing keywords that resonate with your target audience.
Integrate Keywords: Add keywords to both video captions and voiceovers to help the algorithm understand and prioritize your content.
Use Negative Keywords: Implement negative keyword lists to prevent your ads from appearing in irrelevant search results.
Engage Quickly: Craft short, engaging videos that capture attention within the first 2-3 seconds, as TikTok rewards quick hooks and engagement.

By focusing on these strategies, along with continuously monitoring performance, you can maximize both visibility and conversions, particularly during high-traffic times like BFCM. Combining strong targeting with engaging content will ensure your ads stand out.

The Guide To Creating Engaging TikTok Search Ads

Search Ads Leave it to the platform – With TikTok’s data-backed recommendations, your ads will increase resonance with your audience, especially during competitive periods like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Here’s a checklist to guide you through optimizing your TikTok Search Ads for success:

Hook your audience immediately (Duh): The first few seconds of your ad are critical—using a high-energy hook or even better, a curiosity gap within the first 3-6 seconds will significantly increase engagement.
Leverage Spark Ads: Use user-generated content or organic posts to build trust and engagement.
Incorporate trending audio: 93% of top-performing TikTok ads use music or voiceovers.
Add captions and on-screen text: Ads with captions see a 55.7% lift in impressions
Utilize vertical, full-screen format (9:16): This format boosts impressions by 60.5%.
Use Automated Creative Optimization (ACO): TikTok likes when you give it the reigns! Let TikTok’s AI test multiple creative variations.
Balance entertainment with soft selling: On TikTok 50% or more of your content strategy should focus on soft-selling – Engage with fun, trend-based content, while subtly promoting your product.

To truly maximize the effectiveness of your TikTok Search Ads, it’s important to go beyond the bare minimum of evergreen strategies and implement research-backed, campaign-specific strategies. Consider testing additional formats including Spark Ads which boost authentic, organic content, which tends to outperform more polished, traditional ads while maintaining the original engagement (likes, comments, and shares).

TikTok’s Role in Future E-Commerce

TikTok’s e-commerce tools are just the beginning, igniting a shift in how brands connect with audiences and drive results. Bottom line: TikTok is positioned to become a power player in shaping the future of e-commerce. With features like Search Ads and TikTok Shop, the platform offers brands an all-in-one solution for capturing high-intent shoppers and guiding them through a seamless purchase journey. During peak sales periods like #BFCM, TikTok’s ability to merge discovery, entertainment, and intent-driven advertising makes it an indispensable platform for D2C brands.