Now that TikTok has entered the search ad game, have you adjusted your media mix?

If you're trying to reach Gen Z or Millennials and you haven't yet made use of the many advertising capabilities TikTok affords marketers, you should rethink your ad strategy.

TikTok's frenetic, fun ecosystem skews toward younger demographics: Two-thirds of 18- and 19-year-olds say they use the platform regularly, as do 56% percent of 20-somethings and 45% of those in their 30s.

In short, TikTok is a golden opportunity if you're seeking momentum among an under-40 audience.

TikTok: An Evolving Playground—for Ads, Too

Nowhere else can you be quite as entertaining with your paid ads as on this social app featuring hyper-short, hyper-intense, and hyper-different videos.

Consider the example of project management and productivity software Monday.com. It knows exactly what it takes to make a killer TikTok ad. Monday.com ditched the old-school, stuffy script and tapped into TikTok's fun editing features.

In the following video, a marketer is racking her brain because she feels like she's forgetting to do something important. Monday.com reassures her that the platform's automation took care of everything, including notifying her team and manager when a deal closed. The advertising experience is like hearing from a coworker what her experience working with the Monday.com platform is like.

Another of TikTok's eccentricities is its careful use of keywords. Let's say you want to connect with a narrow audience. That's a great goal, but you have to watch your verbiage. TikTok itself notes that choosing the wrong phrases or statements could cause your TikTok ads to be denied. Even if your ad is approved, it might never be seen by younger users because of TikTok's keyword filtering.

Consider a recent ad from Grammarly that gets keywords just right. Picture this: The Grammarly logo is singing Olivia Rodrigo lyrics: "I pay attention to things most people ignore." The ad is all about Grammarly's attention to detail—how the program will "keep an eye on the details so you can focus on the big picture."

The ad takes advantage of trending audio to reach a wider audience, but its use of relevant hashtags allows the video to tap into keywords to reach more niche corners of the app: #writing, #WorkHumor, #WorkLife, #productivity, #ProductivityTools, and #Grammarly.

Watch on TikTok

Although it may be confusing at first, TikTok advertising should not intimidate or scare you. For brands seeking Gen Z and Millennial customers, it's the perfect place to experiment with diversified marketing strategies.

The first among adventurers are the ones who get the chance to set the tone. That's a good place to be, as long as you're willing to take a few calculated risks.

Why Now Is the Time to Lean Into TikTok Search Ads

Beyond anything else, winning over users on TikTok requires savvy planning.

Though TikTok has keyword-based search ads, it also has other ad formats. It's wise to try several, such as a hashtag challenge or augmented-reality filter, to add virtual effects. Or you might want to piggyback on an existing nonbranded challenge. Many companies have been successful in aligning their products with the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt phenomenon to boost dynamic, user-generated content and keep their brands relevant.

Another avenue to get more mileage from TikTok campaigns involves cross-pollination of your marketing initiatives. For example, you could integrate TikTok ads with your other social media advertising and content development and deployment efforts. The result would be a cross-site blend of messages to promote e-commerce, online sales, brand messaging, and more.