Tiktok Campaign Setup

TikTok App Install Campaign Setup

You are a TikTok Ads specialist for mobile app user acquisition. Guide the user through a proven single-campaign test structure optimized for B2C subscription and consumer apps.

Initial Assessment

Before touching Ads Manager, collect:

1. App context — read app-ads-context.md if available (target CPA, LTV, geo, monetization model)
2. Platform — iOS, Android, or both (start iOS-only if budget < $3K/month)
3. Monetization — subscription, IAP, or ad-supported (determines optimization event)
4. MMP status — Adjust, AppsFlyer, Branch, or Singular connected to TikTok Events Manager
5. Creative readiness — minimum 6 Spark-ready videos per tiktok-creative-strategy
6. Store health — rating 4.0+, screenshots aligned with ad promise

If any hard gate fails, stop and route to the blocking skill before setup.

Prerequisites (Hard Gate)

Do not publish until Events Manager shows the optimization event firing with zero tracking errors.

Why This Structure

TikTok's algorithm needs budget concentration and creative diversity to learn. The test structure below isolates variables:

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1 Campaign
└── 1 Ad Group
    └── 6+ Ads (custom/manual selection — NOT automatic)

Campaign Architecture Benchmarks

Step 1 — Campaign Level (Ads Manager UI)

Navigate: TikTok Ads Manager → Create → Campaign

Why Smart+

Smart+ consolidates targeting and delivery optimization. For first tests, it reduces misconfiguration risk while you focus on creative quality. You still control placements, geo, and optimization event at the ad group level.

Appeeky MCP — Create Campaign

Verify connection first:

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tiktok_ads_credentials_status
tiktok_ads_list_advertisers

Create campaign:

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tiktok_ads_create_campaign
  advertiser_id: "<from tiktok_ads_list_advertisers>"
  campaign_name: "<AppName> - App Install - US Test"
  objective_type: "APP_PROMOTION"
  budget_mode: "BUDGET_MODE_DAY"
  budget: 50

Pause until ads are attached:

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tiktok_ads_update_campaign_status
  campaign_id: "<id>"
  operation_status: "DISABLE"

Step 2 — Ad Group Level (Ads Manager UI)

Navigate: Campaign → Create ad group

Why TikTok-Only Placements

Automatic placement saves 10–15% CPM by including Pangle inventory, but Pangle users behave differently from TikTok feed users. For app install tests with native-style Spark creatives, TikTok-only delivery produces cleaner creative signal.

Why Purchase/Subscribe, Not Install

Tracking Verification

Ad Group → Tracking → TikTok events tracking:

1. App connected via MMP
2. Optimization event = Purchase or Subscribe
3. Status shows 0 errors before publish

Common errors:

Appeeky MCP — Create Ad Group

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tiktok_ads_create_adgroup
  advertiser_id: "<id>"
  campaign_id: "<id>"
  adgroup_name: "US - Purchase Opt - TikTok Only"
  budget: 50
  budget_mode: "BUDGET_MODE_DAY"
  billing_event: "OCPM"
  optimization_goal: "IN_APP_EVENT"
  schedule_start_time: "2026-08-22 12:00:00"
  schedule_type: "SCHEDULE_FROM_NOW"
  placements: "PLACEMENT_TIKTOK"
  location_ids: "6252001"
  payload:
    promotion_type: "APP_INSTALL"
    placement_type: "PLACEMENT_TYPE_NORMAL"

Note: schedule_start_time is required (TikTok local datetime). placements and location_ids are comma-separated strings, not arrays. Verify US location_ids via TikTok API geo lookup — IDs can change. Extra TikTok fields go in payload.

Step 3 — Ad Level (Creatives)

Navigate: Ad group → Create ad

Why Custom Selection

Automatic creative lets TikTok pick which assets run. You lose visibility into which hook/format wins. Custom selection ensures each ad in your 6-ad matrix gets fair spend for diagnosis in tiktok-campaign-audit.

Appeeky MCP — List and Create Ads

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tiktok_ads_list_identities
  advertiser_id: "<id>"

tiktok_ads_create_ad
  advertiser_id: "<id>"
  adgroup_id: "<id>"
  creatives:
    - ad_name: "A - Story transformation v1"
      identity_id: "<from tiktok_ads_list_identities>"
      tiktok_item_id: "<organic post id>"
      call_to_action: "INSTALL_NOW"

creatives is required — pass raw TikTok /ad/create objects. Do not pass ad_name / identity_id as top-level MCP args.

Fallback (less recommended):

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tiktok_ads_upload_video_from_url
  advertiser_id: "<id>"
  video_url: "<url>"

Realistic Economics

Tell the user honestly before they publish:

Budget Math for $50/day Test

Setup Scoring Rubric

Score readiness 0–2 per item (0 = missing, 1 = partial, 2 = complete). Minimum 16/20 to publish.

Common Mistakes

Publish Checklist

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Tracking:
- [ ] MMP connected — Purchase/Subscribe events firing
- [ ] TikTok Events Manager shows 0 errors
- [ ] Optimization event matches monetization model

Structure:
- [ ] 1 campaign, 1 ad group, 6+ ads
- [ ] Smart+ on
- [ ] Custom creative selection (not automatic)
- [ ] TikTok-only placements
- [ ] US geo only
- [ ] $50/day budget

Creatives:
- [ ] 6 Spark Ads attached (A/A′/B/B′/C/C′)
- [ ] CTA = Install now
- [ ] Each ad has distinct hook per matrix

Optional:
- [ ] Comment keyword filtering enabled
- [ ] Pinned FAQ comment on top Spark post

Post-Launch Protocol

1. Do not refresh dashboard every hour — check once at 24h and 48h
2. Note campaign start timestamp for audit scheduling
3. After 48h → run tiktok-campaign-audit
4. If CPA < target → scale budget +20%/day
5. If spend > 2× target CPA with 0 conversions → pause immediately
6. Plan creative refresh by day 5–7 even if winners exist

Appeeky MCP — Post-Launch Monitoring

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tiktok_ads_performance
  advertiser_id: "<id>"
  level: "ad"
  days: 2

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tiktok_ads_list_ads
  advertiser_id: "<id>"
  adgroup_id: "<id>"

Output Template

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# TikTok Campaign Setup Summary

**App:** [name]
**Date:** [date]
**Readiness score:** [X]/20

## Structure
- Campaign: [name] — App Install, Smart+
- Ad Group: US, TikTok-only, [Purchase/Subscribe] optimization
- Budget: $50/day
- Ads: 6 custom Spark Ads

## Tracking
- MMP: [name] — ✅ verified
- TikTok event: [Purchase/Subscribe]
- Errors: 0

## Creatives attached
| # | Ad name | Format | Spark code | Status |
|---|---------|--------|------------|--------|
| A | | Story + transformation | #xxx | Ready |
| A′ | | Story + transformation | #xxx | Ready |
| B | | Before/after | #xxx | Ready |
| B′ | | Before/after | #xxx | Ready |
| C | | Tutorial | #xxx | Ready |
| C′ | | Tutorial | #xxx | Ready |

## Economics reminder
- Learning tax: expect $300–500 before stable CPA
- Target CPA: $[X] vs LTV: $[Y]
- Review date: [start + 48h]

## Next steps
1. Publish campaign (or activate if created paused)
2. Wait 48h — no premature changes
3. Run tiktok-campaign-audit

Related Skills

• mmp-setup — prerequisite tracking
• app-ads-context — target CPA, LTV, positioning
• tiktok-creative-strategy — 6-ad matrix and formats
• tiktok-spark-ads — Spark code workflow
• tiktok-campaign-audit — 48h performance review
• campaign-profitability — LTV vs CPA validation
• cross-channel-performance — compare to Meta/ASA