Spark Ads and Creator Content on TikTok
How to turn your own TikTok posts and creators' posts into ads, and what to agree with creators first.
Key Takeaways
- Spark Ads promote an existing organic TikTok post from your account or a creator's as an ad, and the likes, comments and shares stay with the post.
- To promote a creator's post, the creator generates an authorization code and shares it with you.
- Agree in writing how long you can promote the post and what you'll pay before you ask for the code.
- Creator content often outperforms brand-made ads on TikTok because it looks like the content people chose to watch.
On This Page
Spark Ads let you promote an existing TikTok post, either your own or a creator's, as an ad that keeps the original account name, likes and comments. They're often the strongest ad format on TikTok because they look like normal content. Promoting a creator's post needs an authorization code from that creator, so agree the fee, the promotion period and any exclusivity in writing before you ask for it.
How Spark Ads Work
A Spark Ad runs a real TikTok post as an ad. People who see it can tap through to the original account, and any engagement from the ad adds to the post's public counts. You can promote posts from your own business account or from creators who authorize you.
Getting Authorization From a Creator
- The creator opens the post's ad settings in TikTok and turns on ad authorization.
- They generate an authorization code and choose how long it lasts.
- They send you the code.
- You add the code in TikTok Ads Manager and create the Spark Ad from that post.
The creator can see the post is being promoted and can usually revoke authorization, which is why the written agreement matters.
Finding Creators
Look for creators whose audience matches your customers and who come across natural and clear on camera. If you're a local business, nearby creators with a modest following often make better ads than big accounts, since their videos feel like a recommendation from someone down the road. TikTok One, TikTok's creator marketplace, is one place to search.
Usage Terms to Agree
- Fee for the video and for the right to promote it
- How long you can run it as a Spark Ad
- Whether you can also download the video and run it as your own ad on TikTok or other platforms
- Whether the creator can work with competitors during the period
- Who approves the video before it posts
Brand Ads and Creator Ads Compared
| Brand-made ad | Creator Spark Ad | |
|---|---|---|
| Look and feel | Can feel like an advertisement | Looks like normal TikTok content |
| Account shown | Your business | The creator's account |
| Social proof | Starts from zero | Keeps the post's engagement |
| Control | Full | Shared with the creator |
Most accounts do best with a mix. Test several creators against your own videos and keep whichever produce the lowest cost per customer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Spark Ads authorization code?
A code a creator generates in TikTok that lets an advertiser promote one of their posts for a set period.
Can I run Spark Ads from my own account?
Yes. Business accounts can promote their own organic posts as Spark Ads.
Do Spark Ads work better than regular TikTok ads?
They often do, because they look like normal content and keep their engagement, though results vary by creator and by video.
Sources
- TikTok One, TikTok's creator marketplace techcrunch.com
Put Creator Content to Work
Request a free proposal and we'll plan your Spark Ads with you.