Over recent years, TikTok has been refining its Search product to rival Google, and has now escalated its efforts by introducing a feature that lets advertisers target ads directly on its search results page. Announced on a recent Tuesday, the "TikTok Search Ads Campaign" is a new initiative that integrates keyword-targeted ads into search results, enhancing visibility for brands.

Previously, TikTok included ads on its search results page, but now, brands can fully control how their ads are presented, capitalising on TikTok’s strong influence on consumer shopping behaviours. This strategic move is particularly impactful as it challenges Google, noting that younger demographics increasingly prefer social platforms like TikTok over traditional search engines for finding information.

TikTok's internal data supports this strategic direction, indicating that 57% of its users engage with its search function and nearly a quarter begin searching within seconds of opening the app. This behaviour illustrates the app's evolution into a primary search tool for its users.

With this enhanced capability, TikTok aims to enable advertisers to effectively target users who are actively engaged in searching for specific content. The platform suggests that aligning ads with user search behaviours can significantly increase ad impact.

Early tests by TikTok reveal promising results: brands using both Search Ads and In-Feed Ads experience an average 20% boost in conversions. Moreover, Search Ads appear to have a stronger potential for conversion compared to In-Feed Ads, with 18% of users interacting with Search Ads after not engaging with an In-Feed Ad.

David Kaufman, TikTok’s Global Head of Monetisation Products and Solutions, expressed enthusiasm about this advancement, highlighting it as just the beginning of TikTok's exploration into search-focused advertising. This initiative is seen as a step towards harnessing the platform's unique user engagement to offer more value to advertisers.