Facebook ads vs. TikTok ads. Although both platforms have a lot of interest, the most frequently asked question is: which platform is better for my business? Facebook and TikTok are two of the most popular platforms for running ad campaigns. Each platform has its own unique features and audience, making it important to understand the differences between the two.
In this blog post, everything is about Facebook ads vs. TikTok ads. We’ll start by talking about the basic differences between Facebook and TikTok ads. As we go deeper into our analysis, we’ll show you the cost and performance comparison.
As we said before it’s crucial to understand the key differences between Facebook and TikTok ads. Let’s begin with exploring formats and ad targeting and help you decide which one is the best fit for your business.
Ad Formats
When it comes to ad formats, both Facebook and TikTok offer a wide range of options to choose from.
Facebook offers a variety of ad formats such as photo ads, video ads, carousel ads, slideshow ads, collection ads and more. These ad formats are designed to fit different business objectives and target different audiences. For example, photo ads are great for showcasing products, while video ads are great for telling a brand story. Carousel ads are great for showcasing multiple products in a single ad and slideshow ads are great for creating short videos with minimal effort. Collection ads allow businesses to show a group of products in a single ad and can be used to create a cohesive shopping experience.

TikTok also offers a variety of ad formats such as Native ads, Branded content, and TopView ads. TikTok’s “Spark ads” are similar to Facebook’s “Engagement ads” in that they are designed to encourage users to engage with the ad by swiping up or commenting. TikTok also offers campaigns optimized for purchase with “Complete Payment” campaign type, this type of campaign allows businesses to drive conversion by adding a ‘Shop Now’ button to their ads, which directs users to a landing page where they can complete a purchase. This is a great approach for e-commerce merchants looking to drive sales.
Both platforms offer a wide range of ad formats to choose from, so it’s important to consider your business objectives and target audience when choosing the right ad format. With the right ad format, you can effectively reach and engage your target audience, and drive conversions.
Ad Targeting
Both Facebook and TikTok offer a wide range of targeting options to help businesses reach their desired audience.
Facebook has one of the most advanced targeting options, businesses can target users based on their demographics, location, interests, behaviors, and connections. Also, Facebook allows businesses to create Custom Audiences using customer data and retargeting options, without relying on a custom QR code. With Facebook’s Lookalike Audiences feature, businesses can also target users who are similar to their existing customers.
TikTok’s targeting options are not as advanced as Facebook’s, but it still allows businesses to target users based on their demographics, location, interests, and device type. TikTok also allows businesses to create Custom Audiences using customer data and retargeting options. TikTok also offers Interest Targeting which allows businesses to reach users based on their interests.
Both platforms allow businesses to target a specific audience by using their data, interests and behaviours, which is key for improving ad performance. However, Facebook offers more advanced targeting options and a broader range of audience data and analytics.
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Facebook ads vs. TikTok ads: Cost and Performance Comparison
Now, let’s dive deep into the comparison of the cost and performance of Facebook and TikTok ads. We will take a look at the costs associated with each platform, as well as the performance metrics that can be used to measure the effectiveness of your ads. By the end of this blog post, you will have a better understanding of the pros and cons of each platform and be able to make an informed decision about which one is right for your business.
Ad costs - CPM comparison
Advertising on Facebook and TikTok can vary greatly in terms of costs. To give a comparison, we’ll analyze ad costs for a business that is spending between $10,000 and $140,000 on advertising, targets a US audience, follows advertising best practices and optimizes for purchase (Facebook) or Complete payment (TikTok) events.
Facebook allows businesses to set their own budget for their ad campaigns, and costs can vary depending on the targeting options, ad format, and ad placement. The average cost per click (CPC) on Facebook is around $1.84, while the average cost per thousand impressions (CPM) is around $14.20.

TikTok’s advertising costs are generally lower than Facebook’s, but they also vary depending on the targeting options, ad format, and ad placement. The average cost per click (CPC) on TikTok (in the conditions given above) is around $1.63, while the average cost per thousand impressions (CPM) is around $10.5.
It’s important to note that while TikTok’s advertising costs may be lower, the platform also has a smaller user base, which may limit the reach of your ads.

While considering the cost of advertising on Facebook or TikTok, and which platform to start with, it’s important for businesses to also take into account their overall marketing budget and goals. This is where Lebesgue: Marketing & LTV comes in, as it provides businesses with objective and truthful suggestions on how to tackle their marketing efforts, taking into account their competitors’ activities and overall marketing trends. It also provides businesses with benchmarks for Facebook, Google and TikTok ads that adjust, in real time, to their advertising budget and average order value. By using this app, businesses can make informed decisions, optimize their ad spend and improve their return on investment (ROI).
In conclusion, while TikTok’s advertising costs may be lower, businesses should consider their overall marketing goals and budget, as well as the size of the platform’s user base when deciding which platform to advertise on. With Lebesgue: Marketing & LTV, businesses can make informed decisions about their advertising budget and optimize their ad campaigns for maximum ROI.
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Ad performance - CTR comparison
Facebook, on average, has a higher link CTR of 0.76% compared to TikTok’s average of around 0.50%. This means that users are more likely to click on a link in a Facebook ad than a TikTok ad. This can be attributed to the fact that Facebook has been around longer and users are more familiar with the platform, making them more likely to trust and engage with the ads. Additionally, it’s relatively easier to achieve a high CTR on Facebook through ad copy optimization – its not impossible to get CTR to over 2% just with optimizing your copy.

However, TikTok tends to keep more of its audience within the platform, which can be beneficial for businesses looking to drive engagement and increase brand awareness. TikTok’s focus on video content also means that users are more likely to engage with the ad for a longer period of time, increasing the chances of them taking action.
While Facebook’s higher CTR can be attributed to ad copy optimization, on TikTok, businesses need to work on creating engaging and visually appealing video content to drive higher CTR. With the right creative and targeting, businesses can achieve a high CTR on TikTok.
Summary
To summarize this post, here is a table for equivalent functionalities on Facebook and TikTok, with different naming conventions.

And here is a table with key metric comparison – taking into the account US market market, ad spent between $10k and $150k and, and product AOV between $50 and $200.

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