Anthony McGrath

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How to set up TikTok Ads

Live guide · Checked 26 October 2026 · Updated 26 October 2026 · Checked every week against TikTok Ads's own help pages

Create a TikTok Ads Manager account, install the TikTok pixel and launch a first campaign with creative that fits the platform.

Time
45 minutes
You will need
  • An email address or phone number for the account
  • Your website with a form or checkout
  • A payment card
  • At least 3 short vertical videos (9:16)
Stuck?
Troubleshooting or ask me a question

Step by step

  1. Create your account

    Go to https://ads.tiktok.com and sign up. Choose your country, time zone and currency carefully, as they cannot be changed later.

  2. Set up Business Center

    Create a TikTok Business Center to hold your ad accounts, pixels and team members in one place. Add your ad account to it.

  3. Add billing

    In Payments, add your card and choose automatic or manual payment.

  4. Create your pixel

    Open Tools > Events (Events Manager), click Connect data source > Web and create a pixel. Choose a partner integration such as Shopify if you can, or install with Google Tag Manager.

  5. Turn on Events API

    Set up the Events API alongside the pixel (built into most partner integrations). It sends events server to server, which makes tracking more reliable.

  6. Test your events

    Use Test events to check ViewContent, AddToCart, CompleteRegistration or Purchase fire on the right pages.

  7. Create a campaign

    In Ads Manager click Create, choose an objective (Website conversions or Lead generation) and pick the event you tested.

  8. Set targeting and budget

    Start broad with country and age and let the algorithm find buyers. Set a daily budget of at least 20 times your target cost per conversion if you can.

  9. Upload native-looking videos

    Use vertical videos of 9 to 30 seconds that look like normal TikTok content, with a hook in the first 2 seconds, captions and sound on. Spark Ads (boosting organic posts) often perform best.

  10. Launch and refresh creative

    Publish and give it 5 to 7 days to learn. TikTok creative tires quickly, so plan new videos every 1 to 2 weeks.

Tips from 22 years of doing this

  • Film on a phone: polished studio ads usually do worse.
  • Turn comments into new content ideas.

Troubleshooting: questions and answers

My ad account was suspended.

Open the notification in Ads Manager and submit an appeal. Make sure your website has clear contact details, a privacy policy and refund terms, and that the ads follow TikTok's policies.

The pixel is not tracking purchases.

Use the TikTok Pixel Helper Chrome extension on your checkout pages. Partner integrations such as Shopify usually fix this in one step: reconnect the TikTok app if events are missing.

I am getting cheap clicks but no sales.

Make sure the campaign is optimising for a purchase or lead event, not clicks or traffic. Give it at least a week and 50 conversions to learn.

Official help pages

Want this done for you?

I have set these up for over 500 businesses in 22 years. If you would rather spend your time on the business, I can set it up properly, check your tracking and get it working for you.

Get a free consultation

Still stuck, or have a question?

Tell me where you got to and what you see. I read every message and reply by email, usually the same working day.