Wavo Labs: This series shares the results of our music marketing experiments and how they inform artist media strategy.

What We Tested

In this study we compared the performance of boosted posts and dark ads on TikTok. Campaigns in this case study featured a View objective.

Dark ads refer to advertising that is visible only to the advertisement's audience and doesn't exist as content on a profile. Boosted posts refers to promoted content that also exists on a profile.

The Results

Our data revealed that boosted TikTok posts reach more users and drive more views than dark ads.

Boosted posts generate a cost per thousand impressions 21% lower than dark ads, and boosted posts on TikTok drive 6 second video views 48% more cost efficiently compared to dark ads.

We found that dark ads create 4.1x more link clicks per dollar compared to boosted posts. While boosted posts don’t drive clicks off-platform as effectively, they do have the added benefit of driving profile visits within the platform.

The Takeaway

We recommend boosted posts on TikTok for clients looking to reach a larger audience, maximize 6 second video views or drive actions within the app that may contribute to audience growth.

For clients looking to drive actions like streaming, which take place off-platform, we recommend dark ads.

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