Process Flow
Animated overview of the full workflow
TL;DR
TikTok retargeting uses Custom Audiences to show ads to people who already interacted with your brand. Pixel-based audiences target website visitors (all visitors, specific pages, cart abandoners). Engagement audiences target people who watched your videos, interacted with your ads, or visited your TikTok profile. Layer retargeting by recency: 0-7 days (highest intent, strongest CTA), 8-30 days (reminder messaging), 31-90 days (re-engagement with new offers). Exclude recent converters to avoid wasting budget.
Overview
TikTok retargeting uses Custom Audiences to show ads to people who already interacted with your brand. Pixel-based audiences target website visitors (all visitors, specific pages, cart abandoners). Engagement audiences target people who watched your videos, interacted with your ads, or visited your TikTok profile. Layer retargeting by recency: 0-7 days (highest intent, strongest CTA), 8-30 days (reminder messaging), 31-90 days (re-engagement with new offers). Exclude recent converters to avoid wasting budget.
Related Guides
See our complete guide library for detailed coverage of account setup, tracking, campaign creation, and optimisation strategies across all platforms.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these 2 steps to complete this guide
- 1
Best Practices
Start with the recommended default settings and optimise based on data. Review performance metrics regularly. Make incremental changes. Document your configuration for reference.
- 2
Common Issues and Solutions
Check the platform's help centre for the latest troubleshooting guidance. Allow 24-48 hours for tracking data to populate. Ensure you have the correct permissions. Verify all integrations are active.
Frequently asked
Questions & answers
How long does setup take?
Most configurations take 10-30 minutes. Full optimisation is ongoing.
What budget should I start with?
Start with enough to generate 50+ conversions per week for effective algorithm learning.
When should I expect results?
Allow 2-4 weeks for the initial learning phase before making strategic decisions.
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