TikTok Ads Library: How do I use the TikTok ad library?

In 2021, TikTok launched its advertising library, an essential resource in the world of marketing. Recently, this valuable resource has been updated, especially on targeting information, in an effort to comply with European Union standards.

This rich catalog, open to all, like Meta's advertising library, is a key tool for advertisers looking to be inspired by best TikTok ads in order to refine their strategies on the platform. Its improved version offers a wealth of information: targeting details, geographic reach, number of ad views, and more.

So, are you wondering what accurate information you can get from TikTok Ads Library and how can you easily access it? Let us guide you in this article where we reveal all the secrets behind this revitalized ad library.

What is TikTok Ads Library?

Every day, all TikTok users are confronted with a multitude of ads on the platform, in various formats and presented in multiple ways.

TikTok Ads Library is a response to the need forgreater transparency, allowing anyone to access real information from TikTok ads. This directory gives you the possibility to Browse all the ads shown by a brand on TikTok, active or not, over a specific period since October 1, 2022.

In addition to accessing advertising content, this library provides a range of detailed ad metrics, including:

• The start and end dates of the broadcast
• The number of unique user views
• Targeting (age, gender, geographic area, etc.)

This tool is intuitive and can be extremely useful for boosting your performance and creating creative intelligence for your campaigns.

→ Check out the TikTok Ads Library.

TikTok improves transparency on its advertising practices

This recent TikTok update is part ofan effort to comply with European Union standards. It thus illustrates the respect of the platform for The law on digital services (DSA), which is aimed in particular at “very large” online platforms (or VLOPs for Very Large Online Plateforme). They are required to comply with additional requirements, primarily in terms of algorithmic transparency and accountability.

In addition to the “TikTok Ads Library” advertising library, the app's spokesperson announced that the search API will be available to researchers across Europe, and not only to internal EU institutions. Thus, academics will be able to access this data to publish studies on a variety of topics, such as consumer trends, misinformation, and mental health.

Beyond EU legal requirements, TikTok also takes into account the concerns of advertisers and users of its platform. Indeed, a Mozilla report published in 2021 had revealed shortcomings in monitoring influencer marketing campaigns and the risk that some political ads could be perceived as organic content.

Thanks to its new public database, TikTok now offers all its users the possibility to search for ads broadcast on the platform by country, publication date or keyword. The tool also includes metadata for other commercial content, such as posts marked as promotional (for example, partnerships between brands and influencers).

How do I search and view the TikTok ad library?

Anyone can access the TikTok Ads Library, no matter where you are in the world, it is accessible to everyone without the need to create an account. However, only European data are currently available.

The ad library

The main tab in the Ads Library is called “Ad library”, where you can view all the advertisers' advertising videos. To search effectively on the TikTok Ads Library, start by:

• Select the target country of the ad
• Choose an ad type (to date, only the “All ad types” option is available)
• Add a publication date
• Enter the name of the advertiser or a keyword in the search bar

The details of the ad

For each ad in the ad library, a comprehensive summary with key figures on targeting and audience is available by clicking on the ad thumbnail:

• The number of unique views generated by the video, as well as the potential audience that matches the criteria of the ad
• A summary of targeting, including estimated target audience size, genres, age groups, geography, interests, and audience interactions
• An announcer summary : his full name, the amount he paid to run the ad, his geographic area, and a link to all his other campaigns

Paid partnerships

The tab “Other commercial content” includes all paid partnerships between brands and designers.

It shows information such as the date of publication and the average number of views generated by each video, without however revealing the name of the brand associated with these partnerships.

This tool offers significant advantages because it offers brands the opportunity to consult the previous partnerships set up by creators before offering them a collaboration. At the same time, creators can use this tool as a source of inspiration, by discovering the collaborations that have been successful among their counterparts.

The report on all ads

The tab “Announcement Report” is an overall summary of advertising content on the TikTok platform.

It contains the ranking of the countries that publish the most ads. France ranks 3rd in the distribution of ads on TikTok with a market share of 6%.

A chart also shows how many ads are posted each day.

Note: all of this data can be downloaded via a CSV file.

Use TikTok Ads Library to refine your next ads

To summarize, The TikTok Ads Library is not a novelty in itself. However, it has become even more refined and precise, providing more ad performance data and on the companies behind each advertising campaign.

Accessible in a few clicks and completely free of charge, the TikTok Ads Library is a valuable tool for optimize your marketing strategy on TikTok. It allows you to refine your future advertising campaigns, monitor recent ads from your competitors, or those that target an audience similar to yours.

Based on their performance, including the number of views, you can take inspiration from their targeting settings for your own campaigns. Whether you are a brand looking for concrete data or a creator looking to be inspired by successful collaborations, this catalog offers a wealth of relevant information.

Need help getting started on TikTok Ads?

Do not hesitate to call on our team of experts who will be happy to assist you both in the creative part and in the management of your advertising campaigns. So, with the help of the TikTok Ads Library and our expertise, you'll be fully equipped to get the most out of your future TikTok ad campaigns.