TikTok Introduces AI-Driven Smart+ Suite to Rival Meta's Ad Dominance

On October 7, TikTok launched the Smart+ suite, a new AI-powered ad solution aimed at automating ad performance through AI-driven targeting, creative selection, and bidding. These new tools, introduced during Advertising Week, are designed to attract marketers by offering faster results, despite concerns over the platform’s ability to deliver quick ROI.

How Smart+ Works

The Smart+ suite uses TikTok’s Symphony AI to manage performance advertising. Advertisers provide their assets, budgets, and goals, and the AI selects the best-performing creative and identifies the ideal audience to target. This suite includes four key campaign objectives:

• Web Campaigns: Designed to drive traffic and sales to advertiser websites.

• Catalog Ads: Offers relevant product recommendations based on user interests by driving lower funnel outcomes.

• App Campaigns: Aimed at increasing app installs and conversions.

• Lead Generation Campaigns: Converts engaged audiences into high-value customers.

This flexibility allows marketers to either manage campaigns themselves or let the AI handle the process, optimizing results while reducing oversight.

GMV Max for TikTok Shop

For merchants using TikTok Shop, the GMV Max tool automates campaign creation, including audience targeting and bidding. GMV Max optimizes traffic across organic content, paid ads, and affiliate posts, driving higher gross merchandise value (GMV). Initial tests show merchants using GMV Max experienced a 30% uplift in GMV.

Conversion Lift Studies and Measurement Enhancements

TikTok has introduced Conversion Lift Studies (CLS) for businesses of all sizes. CLS evaluates the full impact of TikTok ads, measuring sales that wouldn’t have occurred without ad exposure. Studies show advertisers on TikTok see a conversion lift of at least 25% compared to users not exposed to ads. This tool is TikTok's "gold standard" in ad performance measurement, providing more comprehensive insights beyond the last click.

Out of Phone: Retail

TikTok’s new Out of Phone: Retail feature allows brands to showcase organic and branded content in physical retail locations. This bridges the gap between digital engagement and in-store purchasing decisions, creating a seamless experience between online discovery and real-world shopping.

Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs)

To strengthen data privacy, TikTok announced the integration of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs), allowing advertisers to unlock valuable insights using first-party data while maintaining privacy standards. PETs provide advertisers with enhanced privacy options for measuring Conversion Lift, utilizing solutions like clean rooms and trusted execution environments to protect data. Solutions include clean rooms and secure multi-party computation from trusted third-party providers like AWS Clean Rooms and LiveRamp Clean Rooms.

What This Means

With these AI-driven innovations, TikTok aims to become a critical partner in shaping the future of digital advertising. The Smart+ suite, alongside GMV Max and Conversion Lift Studies, is set to empower brands of all sizes to drive meaningful business results, all while providing advanced privacy solutions. TikTok is positioning itself as a major competitor to Meta, Google, and others in the ad tech space, targeting businesses eager for performance-driven results.