TikTok Ad Creation Checklist: How to Set Up Your First Campaign
TikTok has quickly become one of the most powerful advertising platforms for businesses of all sizes. With its highly engaged audience and user-friendly ad manager, TikTok makes it possible for brands to create campaigns that capture attention and drive real results.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a practical TikTok Ad Creation Checklist. Follow these steps and you’ll have your first campaign up and running in no time.
Why TikTok Ads?
TikTok isn’t just about trending dances and viral challenges. It’s a platform where consumers are actively discovering new brands and products. The best part is that you don’t need a massive budget to start. While premium formats like Branded Hashtags and Brand Takeovers are generally reserved for larger brands, In-feed Ads are accessible to smaller businesses and are highly effective when set up correctly.
TikTok Campaign Structure
- Before diving into the checklist, it helps to understand how TikTok ads are organised:
- Campaigns – Where you choose your objective and name your campaign.
- Ad Groups – Where you set placements, targeting, budgets, and schedules.
- Ads – The actual creative content your audience will see.
- Think of it as a tree: one campaign can have multiple ad groups, and each ad group can contain multiple ads.
TikTok Advertising Checklist
1. Account Setup
✔️ Sign up for a TikTok for Business Ads account
✔️ Install your TikTok Pixel (under Assets > Events) to track conversions and build audiences
2. Campaign Setup
✔️ Create a new campaign
✔️ Choose an advertising objective (e.g. website conversions, website traffic, app installs, or lead generation)
✔️ Give your campaign a clear, identifiable name
3. Ad Group Setup
✔️ Name your ad group
✔️ Select your optimisation event under TikTok Pixel (for conversions)
✔️ Choose automatic or manual placements
✔️ Pick the geographic locations you want to target
✔️ Define demographics (gender, age, and language)
✔️ Choose targeting by interest or behaviour
✔️ Select relevant interests, behaviours, and action timeframes
✔️ Apply device targeting if needed (OS, connection type, etc.)
✔️ Set your daily or lifetime budget
✔️ Schedule your ads to run continuously or within a set timeframe
✔️ Choose an optimisation goal and bidding strategy (if applicable)
4. Ad Setup
✔️ Name your ad
✔️ Select your ad format (video, carousel, collection, etc.)
✔️ Upload or create your images, videos, and audio
✔️ Enter your display name and description text
✔️ Select a call-to-action (e.g. Learn More, Shop Now, Book Now)
✔️ Upload your profile image
✔️ Click Publish
Pro Tips for TikTok Ads
Keep it short: TikTok recommends ads between 5–60 seconds, but the sweet spot is usually 15–30 seconds.
Design for mobile: Use vertical (9:16) formats for the best experience.
Use TikTok’s creative tools: Templates and the Automated Creative Optimisation tool can help test and improve ad performance quickly.
Stay on trend: Use trending sounds, captions, and styles that feel native to TikTok.
Closing Thoughts
TikTok advertising may feel overwhelming at first, but once you understand the campaign structure and follow this checklist, you’ll find it surprisingly straightforward. Start small, experiment with creative variations, and track your results through the TikTok Pixel to refine your campaigns over time.
Looking for expert guidance on TikTok ads or broader digital marketing strategies? Lustosa Marketing can help you get the most out of your advertising spend and create campaigns that truly connect with your audience.
Sources: Sprout Box Marketing Research 2024, Sprinklr Business Intelligence 2025, Hootsuite Social Trends Research 2025
