---
title: "How to run TikTok ads: an ecommerce setup guide"
author: "Performetic Ekibi"
url: "https://www.performetic.com/en/blog/how-to-run-tiktok-ads-ecommerce"
published: "2026-10-28T06:00:00.000Z"
updated: "2026-10-28T06:00:15.234Z"
---

# How to run TikTok ads: an ecommerce setup guide

> To run TikTok ads, open an Ads Manager account, install the TikTok Pixel and Events API on your store and verify the purchase event. Then create a Sales campaign with Website as the destination and optimise for purchases. Use vertical videos that show the product in the first seconds, and treat the first two weeks as learning.

## How do you run TikTok ads for an ecommerce store?

To run TikTok ads, open a TikTok Ads Manager account and install the TikTok Pixel on your store, ideally with the Events API. Then create a Sales campaign with Website as the destination, optimise for purchases, set budget and audience, and upload vertical video creatives. Don't put budget behind it until tracking works.

We covered whether TikTok works for ecommerce in [a separate post](/en/blog/do-tiktok-ads-work-for-ecommerce). This one is for brands that have already decided: how to set up the account from scratch, how to structure the first campaign and what to watch in the first few weeks.

## What do you need before running TikTok ads?

Have these ready before you launch:

- **A TikTok Ads Manager account:** with company details, billing and a payment method. Open it in your company's name; if you work with an agency, give it access rather than handing the account over.
- **TikTok Pixel and Events API:** TikTok's help page recommends setting up both together. The Pixel sends data from the browser, the Events API from the server.
- **A product catalog (optional but recommended):** for catalog ads and product-level campaigns.
- **Vertical video creatives:** at least three or four videos from different angles that show the product in the first seconds.
- **A fast, mobile-friendly site:** TikTok traffic is almost entirely mobile.

## How do you set up the TikTok Pixel and Events API?

According to TikTok's help page, setup starts in Ads Manager under Tools, then Events Manager. Choose Connect Data Source, select Web, enter your site URL and pick one of two paths: a partner integration or manual setup.

On Shopify, the partner path is fastest. TikTok's Shopify guide says to install the TikTok app from the Shopify App Store and connect your Ads Manager account; setting the app's data sharing level to "Enhanced" or "Maximum" runs the Pixel and Events API together, and your product catalog syncs automatically. On other platforms, use the platform's own TikTok integration or Google Tag Manager.

Then verify. Use the TikTok Pixel Helper Chrome extension to check for errors, place a test order with the Test Events feature in Events Manager and review the Diagnostics tab. If the purchase event doesn't pass order value and currency correctly, your ROAS data is meaningless.

Don't skip the Events API. The server side catches purchases the Pixel misses because of browser blockers and cookie consent, so the algorithm learns from more complete data.

## How do you set up your first ecommerce campaign on TikTok?

TikTok's help page describes the website campaign flow like this:

1. In Ads Manager, click Create ad.
2. Choose **Sales** as the objective.
3. Choose **Website** as the sales destination and pick a campaign type: Manual, Smart+ or Search.
4. Set the campaign budget and settings; at ad group level, choose purchase as the optimisation event.
5. Set placements, audience and budget in the ad group.
6. At ad level, add your videos, copy and call to action; if you use a catalog, select the products.
7. Before publishing, confirm once more that the Pixel is receiving purchase events.

The difference between Manual and Smart+ matters. According to TikTok, only Manual campaigns let you attach a catalog and choose products while creating ads. Smart+ automates placements, targeting and other settings.

| Campaign type | When it fits | Advantage | Drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual | First test period, brands using a catalog | Full control over audience, placement and creative | Takes more management time |
| Smart+ | Accounts with enough purchase data in the Pixel | Automation, faster scaling | Harder to see what is working |
| Search | When people search TikTok for your product type | Reaches high-intent users | Volume can be limited by category |

For new accounts we usually suggest starting with Manual, collecting creative and audience learnings, and then testing Smart+.

## How much budget do TikTok ads need?

TikTok's budget page lists minimums in US dollars: a daily budget above $50 at campaign level and above $20 at ad group level. For a lifetime budget, the ad group minimum is the number of days multiplied by the daily minimum. Your account currency equivalent shows in the dashboard. You also can't switch between daily and lifetime budget once a campaign or ad group is live.

The minimum isn't the same as enough budget to learn. Use simple math for your own account. Example: if your target cost per order is 400 TL and you want an ad group to see at least a few dozen purchases a week, the weekly budget has to support that number. With too little budget the algorithm can't learn and results swing at random. When planning how much of your total marketing budget goes to TikTok, decide it alongside your other channels.

## Which creatives sell on TikTok?

On TikTok, creative matters more than targeting. TikTok's Shopify guide is direct about it: show the product in action within the first three seconds, match the platform's casual, authentic style and add a clear call to action. Use on-screen text and captions for people watching without sound.

Formats that tend to work: creator videos of someone using the product, before and after shots, "why I bought this" stories and short videos answering a common question. Polished studio spots usually get scrolled past. If you want to turn well-performing organic videos into ads, see our [Spark Ads guide](/en/blog/what-are-tiktok-spark-ads).

Upload three to five creatives per ad group and replace the weakest ones every week. In a fast short-video feed the same creative can wear out quickly, so plan regular refreshes.

## Which metrics should you watch in the first weeks?

The first two weeks are for learning, not for verdicts. Check things in this order:

- **Pixel health:** are purchase events arriving with the right value?
- **Creative metrics:** view rate and how well the video holds attention in the first seconds. A creative that fails here won't sell either.
- **Click-through rate and cost per click:** shows how well creative and audience fit.
- **Add to cart and purchase:** can your site convert TikTok traffic?
- **Real ROAS:** compare TikTok's reported ROAS with GA4 and your store data.

Changing settings every day in the first weeks resets learning. Make budget and targeting changes weekly.

## What are the most common TikTok ads mistakes?

The mistakes we see most often: installing the Pixel with only a page view event and forgetting purchase, uploading square images made for Meta, splitting budget across too many small ad groups and judging results after three days. Another one is opening the account under an agency's or freelancer's personal login, which can cost you the data and account history later.

If you want TikTok, Google and Meta managed in one plan, see our [performance marketing](/en/services/performance-marketing) service. To check whether your current setup is ready for TikTok, you can request a [free growth audit](/en/contact) from Performetic.

## Key takeaways

- TikTok ads need an Ads Manager account, Pixel plus Events API, and vertical video creatives.
- For the first campaign, choose Sales, Website and purchase optimisation; Manual gives you control.
- Budget minimums are set in US dollars, and learning needs more than the minimum.
- Creative beats targeting on TikTok; show the product in the first seconds.
- Treat the first two weeks as learning, change things weekly and check ROAS against store data.

## FAQ

### What is the minimum budget for TikTok ads?

According to TikTok's budget page, a daily budget must exceed $50 at campaign level and $20 at ad group level. The equivalent in your account currency shows in the dashboard. These are only technical minimums; for the algorithm to learn, plan a budget that lets each ad group see enough purchases every week.

### Can I run TikTok ads without the Pixel?

You can technically run traffic or reach campaigns, but a Sales campaign to your website needs a measurement solution such as the Pixel, the Events API or a partner integration. Without tracking, TikTok can't learn which users buy and your budget is spent at random. Set up tracking first, then spend.

### Should I choose Smart+ or a Manual campaign?

For new accounts, Manual is usually the healthier start: it gives you control over audience, placement and creative, and according to TikTok only Manual campaigns let you pick catalog products during ad creation. Once the Pixel has enough purchase data and winning creatives are clear, test Smart+ for automation.

### How do I connect TikTok ads to Shopify?

Install the TikTok app from the Shopify App Store and connect your TikTok Ads Manager account. Setting the app's data sharing level to Enhanced or Maximum runs the Pixel and Events API together, and your product catalog syncs automatically. Afterwards, place a test order to confirm the purchase event arrives correctly.

## Sources

- [TikTok Ads Help: How to set up a website campaign](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/how-to-set-up-a-website-campaign?lang=en)
- [TikTok Ads Help: Get started with the TikTok Pixel](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/get-started-pixel?lang=en)
- [TikTok Ads Help: About budgets in TikTok Ads Manager](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/budget?lang=en)
- [TikTok for Business: Complete guide to TikTok ads for Shopify merchants](https://ads.tiktok.com/business/en/guides/advertising-shopify-store-on-tiktok)