A Comparison between Spark Ads and Non-Spark Ads

1. What is Spark Ads?

Spark Ads is an innovative native ad format on TikTok that allows brands to amplify organic content—either from their own account or from authorized creators—by turning it into paid advertising. Unlike traditional in-feed ads, Spark Ads leverages the engagement and credibility of organic posts, making them feel more authentic while benefiting from the platform’s advanced ad targeting capabilities.

With Spark Ads, marketers can:

• Promote posts from their own TikTok account, maintaining all engagement metrics like likes, shares, and comments.

• Boost organic content from other creators, with proper authorization, ensuring the ad retains its original engagement and authenticity.

This format is particularly effective for businesses looking to enhance their brand storytelling, improve engagement rates, and drive conversions—all while maintaining a native, user-friendly experience on TikTok’s highly dynamic platform.

2. What is Non-Spark Ads?

What Are Non-Spark Ads on TikTok?

Non-Spark Ads are traditional in-feed ads on TikTok that operate separately from organic content. Unlike Spark Ads, which leverage existing posts, Non-Spark Ads are created and published solely through TikTok’s Ads Manager without being linked to any organic TikTok account. These ads function as standard paid advertisements, ensuring full control over creative assets, landing pages, and call-to-action elements.

Different from Spark Ads, Non-Spark Ads allow marketers to:

• Launch completely custom ad creatives, independent of any existing TikTok posts.

• Direct traffic to external websites, app downloads, or lead generation forms without requiring a TikTok profile.

• Leverage precise targeting based on audience demographics, interests, and behaviors to drive conversions.

While Non-Spark Ads offer greater flexibility and creative freedom, they typically lack the built-in social proof and organic engagement advantages of Spark Ads. However, they remain a powerful tool for performance-driven campaigns, enabling brands to reach and convert their target audience effectively within TikTok’s immersive, full-screen ad environment.

Categories	Spark Ads	Non-Spark Ads
Ad type	Organic videos sourced from any TikTok account, repurposed as ads	Uploaded ad creative to the TikTok Business Center
Posting Type	Utilizes existing user-generated content (UGC) or organic posts	Customer-designed video ads created specifically for advertising campaigns
Creative Restrictions	- No restrictions on Video Ratio/ Video Resolution/ File Type/ Video Duration/ Bitrate/ File Size - Ad captions can be left blank - Account tagging, emojis, and hashtags are allowed in Spark Ads caption - Maximum video lengths: 3 minutes (ideal for storytelling)	- File size should not exceed 500MB - Video duration runs from 5-60 seconds, with an ideal duration of 21-34 seconds - Specific resolution requirements (e.g., 1080 x 1920 px for vertical ads) - No blank captions allowed, must include branded messaging
Targeting Options	- Leverages the original video’s audience insights for targeting - Broad reach based on organic engagement (e.g., likes, shares, comments) - Limited manual targeting adjustments	- Advanced targeting options including demographics (age, gender, location), interests, behaviors, and lookalike audiences - Custom audience uploads (e.g., CRM data) supported - Keyword and hashtag targeting available
User Interaction to Landing Page/ Instant Page	- Click CTA buttons and ad captions go to the advertising landing page (if any) - Click photo, nickname, swipe left, and go to the video owner’s profile page - Click “+” sign on the profile photo to follow the account	- Click Call-to-Action (CTA), profile photo, nickname, ad caption, swipe left to landing page/ app install page - Direct deep linking to specific product pages or app store URLs - No follow option, focus is on conversion rather than account growth
Budget and Bidding	- Minimum campaign budget: $50 - Automatic bidding based on organic performance - Cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CRM) options	- Minimum campaign budget: $500 - Manual bidding options (CPC, CPM, oCPM) - Daily budget caps and bid adjustments available
Ad Placement	- Appears in the For You feed, following feed, and Live streams - Integrated seamlessly with organic content	- Appears in For You feed, in-feed ads, and branded hashtag challenge placements - Option for TopView or Brand Takeover ads (additional cost)
Performance Metrics	- Tracks views, engagement rate, profile visits, and follow growth - Limited conversion tracking unless linked to external tools	- Tracks views, click-through rate (CTR), conversions, app installs, and ROI - Detailed analytics via TikTok Ads Manager
Approval Process	- Faster approval (typically within 24 hours) due to organic content use - Minimal content moderation if compliant with TikTok policies	- Standard approval process (48-72 hours) with strict content and compliance checks - Requires pre-approval for branded elements or sensitive topics
Cost Efficiency	- Generally lower cost-per-engagement due to leveraging existing content - Ideal for small businesses or organic growth strategies	- Higher initial investment but scalable for large campaigns - Better suited for brands with specific ROI goals