How to use TikTok ads for subscription apps?

TikTok is everywhere. Big brands, indie developers — everyone’s talking about it. And it’s not just hype. The demand for TikTok ads and organic growth keeps growing, and for a good reason.

We’ve seen apps pull in millions of users. And you don’t need a massive following to make it happen. TikTok doesn’t care how many subscribers you have. Its algorithm and native ad formats can push even your first video into the spotlight, sometimes on day one.

More installs, more engaged users, and a real shot at going global — that’s what makes TikTok so appealing to app developers.

So, let’s break it down. How do you make it work? Let’s dive in.

Why TikTok ads?copy link

Ever seen someone post their first video and wake up to thousands of views? It’s really TikTok doing its thing. Here’s why this platform is so good for app growth:

1. Insane growth potential

TikTok reached 100 million users in just nine months. Meta took almost five years to do the same. Today, the platform has 1.7 billion monthly active users, and another 200 million join every quarter. Your future users are probably downloading the app as you read.

2. Engagement like no other

TikTok isn’t one of those platforms where people just scroll mindlessly. Users like, comment, share, and duet at crazy high rates. More engagement means more reach. More reach=more installs.

3. Not just for teens anymore

Nope, it’s not all teens lip-syncing to Doja Cat. Over 75% of TikTok users are 24 or older, which means they have jobs, disposable income, and money to spend on subscriptions.

4. An algorithm that works in your favor

TikTok’s algorithm is designed to push content, not just reward big accounts. Even a brand-new video can get traction if it performs well with a small test audience. No need for a massive follower count to start seeing traction.

TikTok	Instagram
Likes when you post 3 times a day	Likes when you post once a day
Doesn’t care about stories	Loves stories
Boosts new accounts to test content with new people	Boosts content to followers first to test engagement
Prefers simple, easy-to-make videos	Prefers high-quality, polished videos
Harder to go super viral, but views are more relevant	Easier to go viral, but views are less targeted
Audience has lower purchasing power	Audience has higher purchasing power
Comments are usually positive – great for promoting apps	Comments can be more negative and critical
People are more important than brands	People are more important than brands

5. Ads that don’t feel like ads

TikTok ads blend right into the feed. Nobody wants to sit through a generic ad, but a funny, relatable video? That works. If you get the content right, people engage without even realizing it’s a promotion.

A few things to keep in mind

TikTok has its quirks, so here’s what to watch out for:

• Strict content moderation. If your app is in health, finance, or dating, be extra clear with your messaging. TikTok’s filters can be unpredictable.
• Fluctuating performance. Some days, your CTR is 5%. Other days, it’s 0.3%. TikTok constantly experiments, so be ready to test new creatives.
• Fast-moving platform. New features roll out all the time. Staying up to date is key to making the most of them.
• SDK growing pains. The TikTok Ads SDK is still evolving, so developers may run into occasional issues with integration.

Even with these challenges, TikTok remains one of the most effective platforms for app marketing. Many apps have gone from unknown to viral success here, and it’s still one of the best places to reach new users.

Choosing your TikTok ads strategycopy link

TikTok ads might feel overwhelming at first, but you’re not alone. Whether you’re launching a brand-new app or trying to breathe life into an existing one, TikTok gives you plenty of ways to reach the right audience. The key is finding an approach that fits your goals (and your style). Here are 5 strategies to consider:

1. All-in on organic. This is the “let’s see what happens” method. You focus solely on organic content, relying on TikTok’s algorithm to serve your videos to the right people. It’s a slow burn but can build a loyal community without spending a lot of money.
2. TikTok ads only. Perfect if you’ve already nailed your creatives elsewhere (like Meta) and want quick installs. With TikTok Ads Manager, you can target your ideal audience, track performance, and optimize your campaigns.
3. The power combo: organic + paid ads. Post organically, see what resonates, and then boost the best videos with Spark Ads. It’s the sweet spot between reach and cost-efficiency.
4. Collaborate with influencers. They know their audience better than anyone. Partner with them to tap into their audiences and grow faster.
5. Creator-generated content + ads. Hire small creators to make content, then run it as paid ads. Authentic, scalable, and usually cheaper than influencer marketing.

Strategy	Cost	Speed of results	Best for
Organic only	Free (time investment)	Slow	Building a community from scratch
Paid ads only	Medium-high	Fast	Quick reach and installs
Organic + paid ads	Medium	Medium-Fast	Balanced growth & engagement
Influencers	Medium-High	Medium	Building trust and app credibility
Creators + paid ads	High	Fast	Rapid growth with trust factor

No matter which strategy you go for, TikTok is all about creativity, fun, and authenticity. Let’s break down each one and find what works best for you.

Organic TikTok growth strategiescopy link

Growing organically on TikTok starts long before you post your first video. Before you even create an account, you need to set yourself up for success.

1. Set your target audience from day one

TikTok’s algorithm doesn’t just rely on your content. It looks at your phone settings, SIM card, IP address, and even your App Store region to decide which audience sees your videos. If you’re targeting users in the U.S., but you create an account from another country, your content will be pushed to the wrong audience from the start.

Here’s how to do it right:

• Use a phone without a SIM card. Avoid linking your account to a local phone number that could affect TikTok’s targeting.
• Set up a VPN. Connect to the region you want to target before opening TikTok.
• Change your region settings. Update your phone’s location, App Store/Google Play region, and even your language preferences to match your target audience.
• Always log in with a VPN. If you switch back to your local IP, TikTok might start pushing your content to the wrong region.

Skipping this step makes it much harder to reach the right audience organically later on.

2. Nail your niche from day one

Once your account is set up correctly, it’s time to train the algorithm. Before posting anything, engage with content in your niche. Like, comment, save, and share videos that your ideal users would enjoy.

For example, if you have a pet app, interact with #PetTok content until your For You Page is filled with animal videos. This signals to TikTok that your content should be shown to pet lovers.

3. Post like it’s your job (because it kind of is)

3–5 posts per day sounds intense, but that’s the sweet spot. TikTok’s algorithm needs volume to figure out what works. Don’t stress about perfection. Focus on testing different content styles and topics.

4. Hook ’em in 3 seconds

TikTok users scroll faster than you can say “algorithm.” Start strong with a surprising fact, bold statement, or funny observation.

5. Reuse what works

If a video blows up, post it again. Change the caption, swap the audio, or tweak the edit. It might take off a second (or third) time.

The Coconote.ai team reused the same video footage multiple times and still scored thousands of views. If something works once, it’ll likely work again.

5. Scale your content production

Think of TikTok as a content factory. You’re constantly testing ideas, discovering what works, and then doubling down on the winners. For small teams, this can be overwhelming. Even bigger teams struggle to keep up.

The solution can be to hire small creators to produce content for you. They’re TikTok natives, they know what works, and they typically charge less than established influencers. More content, lower costs, and a better shot at cracking the algorithm.

There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for organic TikTok success. Stay flexible, test new features, and don’t overthink production quality. Viral content is often the most simple, relatable, and authentic.

TikTok ads onlycopy link

TikTok ads can drive a huge number of installs if you approach them the right way. But it’s not always the best idea to start here if you haven’t tested any creatives elsewhere. Once you get a feel for what resonates, TikTok ads can bring in a ton of installs with surprisingly good CPIs.

Just remember: TikTok isn’t Meta. What works there won’t always work here. Different vibe, different rules.

Where to start

Your ad setup depends on your app’s size and revenue:

Small apps

• Start with TikTok’s self-serve ad platform. It’s easy to use, and you can get started without any special connections.
• Run a few small tests, see which creatives perform best, then double down on what works.

Big apps with solid MRR

• If your app already generates strong revenue, TikTok might reach out to you directly. They offer managed accounts, extra support, and early access to new tools.
• If TikTok hasn’t contacted you yet, you can still apply for a managed account or start with self-serve ads and scale up.

Understanding TikTok’s ad structure

TikTok’s ad setup is similar to Meta and Google Ads, with three key levels:

Campaign level

• Choose your main objective: Traffic, App Installs, or Conversions.
• If you’re just getting started, go with App Installs. It’s the easiest way to see if your creative is good to test.
• Enable iOS 14 tracking. Without it, your attribution data will be unreliable due to SKAdNetwork limitations.

Ad Group level

Budget:

One of the biggest advantages of TikTok ads is that you don’t need a huge budget to start testing. TikTok allows for small-budget experiments that can still drive meaningful results.

Here’s a general guideline:

• Absolute minimum. $50–100 per day to test different creatives and audience targeting.
• For more structured testing. $300–500 per day is ideal to gather enough data and identify winning ads faster.
• Scaling phase. Once you find a high-performing creative, gradually increase the budget by 20–30% every few days to maintain efficiency without triggering performance drops.

Pro tip: If your goal is app installs, don’t just track CPI. Look at retention, conversion rates, and LTV. A lower CPI doesn’t always mean a better users. Some cheap installs won’t translate into paying customers.

Another thing to consider: Unlike Meta, where you can often just increase the budget on a good ad, TikTok requires continuous creative refreshes. Even a strong ad can burn out quickly, so plan for at least 5–7 fresh creatives per month if you want consistent performance.

Placements

When you’re just starting, stick with TikTok placements. TikTok’s native placements help your ads blend into the feed, increasing engagement.

Once you get more comfortable, you can experiment with placements like Pangle or Global App Bundle (if you’re confident they’re okay).

Leave comments and shares enabled. TikTok’s magic lies in conversations. If your ad sparks curiosity, let people engage. The more interactions, the more the algorithm pushes your content.

Targeting

TikTok algorithm is smart, really smart. So, when you start broad, you’re giving TikTok the freedom to do what it does best: learn, adapt, and deliver your content to the right people.

That said, starting too broad for too long can lead to wasted ad spend. Begin with broad targeting but set clear demographic boundaries like age, gender, and location if you already have some insights about your core audience. This lets TikTok work its magic while gently steering it toward the right audience.

Broad targeting works well when you’re testing new creatives or entering new markets. But as soon as you spot patterns, like certain age groups or regions converting better, it’s time to get more specific.

Ad formats

TikTok offers several ad format:

• In-feed ads
• Spark ads
• TopView ads
• Branded hashtag challenge
• Branded effects

→ Learn more about TikTok ad formats

Create TikTok ads that feel like TikToks and not commercials creatives

If you’ve ever scrolled through TikTok, you know how easy it is to swipe past anything that screams ad. The platform thrives on authenticity, creativity, and fun. In fact, the approach here isn’t much different from crafting organic content.

Here’s how to make sure your ads resonate instead of getting skipped:

Hook them in the first 3 seconds

TikTok is a battlefield for attention. If you don’t capture interest within the first 3 seconds, you’ve lost the war. Start with a strong hook, something relatable, surprising, or visually engaging. You can use the same hooks as for organic growth.

Speak TikTok’s language

TikTok has its own culture, slang, and humor. Text overlays, trending sounds, and familiar formats like “day in the life,” “POV,” or “things I wish I knew earlier” will help you blend in.

Make your app the hero

Show your app in action, but make sure it feels like part of the story. Instead of a dull walkthrough, show how it solves a real-life problem. Ideally, showcase the app within the first 3-5 seconds, preferably on a phone in someone’s hand to create a more relatable, tangible experience.

Use trends

TikTok trends move fast, but hopping on the right one can grow your reach. Keep an eye on TikTok Creative Center to track trending sounds, formats, and memes. Just don’t force it – authenticity beats trend-chasing every time.

Test, learn, and iterate

TikTok’s algorithm rewards experimentation. Test different hooks, visuals, and messages to find what resonates best.

Final tip: Use custom landing pages

Even the best TikTok ad won’t work if your landing page kills the conversion.

Once you’ve tested different ad concepts and identified winning creatives, it’s time to optimize the rest of the funnel. TikTok ads drive traffic, but what happens after the click matters just as much.

• If your ads are getting high CTRs but low conversions, the issue might not be with the ad. It could be the store page.
• Once you’ve validated your top-performing creatives, test custom landing pages tailored to each campaign. This helps you see how users move through the funnel and where drop-offs happen.

The power combo: organic + paid adscopy link

We’ve all seen those success stories: someone launches a TikTok account, posts a couple of videos, and.. millions of views and explosive growth. But let’s be honest, that’s not how it works for most apps. Especially when you have a small team that can’t churn out content 24/7 or when collaborations with creators don’t go as planned. And that’s totally okay.

That’s where combining organic content with paid ads can be a good strategy for you.

1. Start by posting videos organically to test different formats, hooks, and messages.
2. Identify the best-performing videos.
3. Use Spark Ads to boost those top videos, giving them a broader reach and helping your account grow faster.

Paid ads help push content beyond your current audience, increasing installs while simultaneously boosting organic growth.

Collaborate with influencerscopy link

It’s not just about paying someone with a big following to talk about your product. For apps, influencer marketing often works better for brand awareness than for direct installs.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Expect higher costs. Good influencers can have high rates.
• Influencer hesitation is normal. Big names are often wary of promoting unknown apps. Don’t take it personally.
• Brand ambassadors can help. Instead of one-off posts, work with creators who align with your app’s mission.

Mix creator content with paid promotioncopy link

Influencers can be expensive, but you don’t have to go after the top-tier names. Creator content, when paired with paid promotion, offers a cost-effective alternative.

Here’s a structured approach to finding, negotiating, and collaborating with TikTok creators to maximize impact while keeping costs under control.

Finding the right creators

Not all TikTok creators are priced like Hollywood actors. The key is to focus on up-and-coming talent — creators who are already getting solid engagement but haven’t been scooped up by major brands yet.

So where do you find them?

• The TikTok Creator Marketplace. This is TikTok’s official tool, and while it’s not perfect, it’s improving. A great place to start.

• Manual search. Use niche hashtags, engage with videos in your space, and let TikTok’s algorithm start feeding you potential creators. The more you interact, the better it gets at showing you the right people.

The outreach method makes a significant difference in response rates. Email tends to be the most effective

And remember: don’t be afraid to negotiate. Most creators are open to discounts, especially if you offer them something valuable in return (more on that below).

How to pitch creators

You found the perfect creators — now what? Send an email while keeping these tips in mind:

• Use a professional email setup with a domain, signature, and profile image.
• Mention “Paid Collaboration” in the first message to ensure clarity.

Here’s a simple rule: no rates in the first message. Because you want creators to express interest first, not ghost you because they made an assumption about your budget.

Pricing

Instead of paying big bucks upfront, try a performance-based pricing model. It keeps your costs low while still motivating creators to make great content.

Want to sweeten the deal → offer to boost their content with Spark Ads. Many creators are just as excited about extra exposure as they are about a paycheck.

Another move → pay in content bundles. Instead of one-off deals, lock in a package like 8 videos per month. Creators love consistent work, and you get a better rate.

Once usage rights are secured, repurposing this content for both organic and paid campaigns across TikTok and other platforms adds even more value.

TikTok metrics to trackcopy link

Tracking the right metrics helps you understand what works, what doesn’t, and where to optimize. Here’s a breakdown for each area:

Organic content:

• Views → track reach and potential virality.
• Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares) → identify the most engaging content. You can also check the comment for the next creative idea.
• Watch time & retention → understand how long users stay engaged and identify time frames for improvement.
• Follower growth → monitor how your audience evolves over time.

Paid ads:

• Basic metrics like campaign cost, budget or overall spend
• Performance metrics like installs, conversions rates, etc that gives you a better understanding if your ads are driving actual results.
• Soft metrics like CPM, CPC to assess ad network performance. If costs spike or impressions stall, this section will show it.
• Creative metrics like retention, CTR, and engagement data to understand how your creative resonate with users. Video Retention Rate and Fatigue Index give you a clearer picture of how your ads perform over time.
• Cohort analysis to help you go beyond surface-level performance metrics to understand user behavior over time. You can track retention, LTV, and refund patterns based on acquisition channels, creative types, or campaign dates.

How Adapty makes cohort analysis easier

TikTok gives you a lot of useful data about your ad performance — like how many people clicked or installed your app. But it doesn’t tell you what happens after users download the app. Are they sticking around? Are they subscribing? Are they churning after the free trial?

That’s where Adapty’s advanced cohort analysis can help you. With Adapty, you can:

• See how TikTok campaigns affect retention and revenue over time. For example, if you run a campaign in July and notice that users from that month are more likely to subscribe, you can apply similar strategies in future campaigns.
• Compare subscription results from different ad creatives. Let’s say you test two videos: one shows how the app works, and the other uses a funny skit. Adapty helps you see which one attracted more paying users.
• Predict user LTV early. LTV tells you how much revenue you can expect from a user. Adapty lets you forecast this early, so you can decide if your TikTok ads are bringing in high-quality users.
• Spot refund patterns that hurt your revenue. If certain ads bring in users who ask for refunds more often, Adapty will help you identify that trend so you can adjust your targeting.

In short, Adapty helps you make sense of what happens after the install. So instead of guessing which ads lead to long-term success, you’ll have the data to make smart, informed decisions.

→ Talk to our team to learn how Adapty analytics can enhance your TikTok strategy.

The bottom linecopy link

TikTok Ads can transform your app’s growth trajectory. But only if you respect the platform’s unique dynamics. Authenticity, experimentation, and consistency are your best friends here.

Start small. Test everything. Stay curious.

And remember: TikTok rewards creativity over production. So, pick up your phone, hit record, and join the 21st-century gold rush.

Happy TikToking!