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How to Build a TikTok Ads Funnel
Pick a play for your offer, use TikTok-native creative, match the landing page to the ad, follow up fast and retarget by engagement tier. Kronos generates the system below with labelled platform benchmarks.
The funnel architectures that convert on TikTok
UGC to Instant Form lead magnet
UGC video -> Instant Form (Lead Generation objective) -> CRM nurture -> booking
Fits: Lead magnets and low-friction lead generation · CPL $5–$15 typical for Instant Form lead gen (CLAIMED, LeadSync compilation)
UGC to webinar registration (website)
UGC video -> website webinar registration page -> webinar -> application/call
Fits: Webinar funnels needing higher-intent registrants than an in-app form · CPL $20–$80 in broader CPL compilations (CLAIMED, report §2.4 compilations); no verified webinar-specific TikTok CPL exists — see benchmarks.json gaps
Spark creator to VSL to application
Spark Ad (creator post) -> short VSL -> application -> call
Fits: High-ticket offers where creator trust carries the front end · CPM ~$4.20–$13 US range across compilations (CLAIMED, LeadSync / Hootsuite / Triple Whale compilations)
Search Ads to landing
TikTok Search Ads (keyword) -> landing page -> lead or booking
Fits: Capturing existing in-platform search intent · CPC $0.17–$2.00 range, typical quoted $0.50–$1.00 (CLAIMED, LeadSync compilation)
TikTok Shop impulse (Collection/VSA)
In-Feed / Video Shopping Ad / Collection -> TikTok Shop product page -> in-app purchase
Fits: Low-AOV ecommerce impulse purchases · CPM ~$4.20–$13 US range across compilations (CLAIMED, report §2.4 compilations)
Catalogue retargeting (DPA)
Catalogue / dynamic product ads -> product page -> purchase
Fits: Ecommerce retargeting of warm product interest · CPC $0.17–$2.00 range (CLAIMED, LeadSync compilation)
Smart+ lead gen
Smart+ automated campaign -> Instant Form, website conversion or DM -> CRM nurture
Fits: Lead generation where creative volume exists and manual structure is a bottleneck · Budget floors $50/day campaign level and $20/day ad-group level as compiled (VERIFIED platform rules as compiled, LeadSync; compilations disagree on the campaign minimum basis)
Video-view retargeting ladder
Cold video -> video-view audiences (25/50/75%) -> next-stage video or offer -> lead/booking
Fits: Warming cold audiences before asking for a lead or booking · CTR ~0.84% platform average (CLAIMED, WebFX/AdLibrary via SearchInfluence compilation)
DM / messaging lead gen
Ad -> DM / messaging conversation -> qualification -> booking
Fits: Offers sold through conversation, including Smart+ messaging routes · CPL $5–$15 typical for Instant Form lead gen is the nearest compiled range; messaging CPL is not separately verified — see benchmarks.json gaps (CLAIMED, LeadSync compilation)
Hook-testing sprint (3-5-3)
3 hooks x 5 angles x 3 CTAs test matrix -> winner scaled into a lead play
Fits: Finding a winning creative before scaling any TikTok funnel · Testing volume 3-5 variations per ad group minimum (CLAIMED, Improvado compilation of TikTok guidance)
Hammer-Them-style 72h retargeting
Booked call/webinar -> 30-50 short framing videos over ~72h -> show-up
Fits: Protecting show rates for booked calls and webinars (adapted from the Haynes/Meta dataset) · No TikTok-specific show-rate lift figure is published for this play — plan from the Haynes dataset floors, labelled CLAIMED there
TikTok live-shopping
Live shopping session -> TikTok Shop product -> in-app purchase
Fits: Ecommerce brands with a presenter able to sell live; evidence base is thinner than the other TikTok plays · CPM ~$4.20–$13 US range across compilations (CLAIMED, report §2.4 compilations)
Creative structures
UGC structure
Hook (first 3 seconds) → Creator delivery: talking head, phone-shot, raw → Product/problem framing → Proof (real, documented only) → Single CTA
Native/UGC outperforms polished brand creative in direction across agency compilations (CLAIMED); the often-quoted 30-50% figure is CLAIMED and is not shipped as a fact (report §2.2).
Hook-testing matrix (3-5-3)
3 hooks → 5 angles/propositions → 3 CTAs → 3-5 creatives per ad group in the auction
Structured hook x angle x CTA matrices (CLAIMED, Improvado compilation). Creative fatigue in 3-5 days on a winner is a CLAIMED operator pattern.
The numbers to plan against
| Subject | Metric | Value | Label | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All / platform | CPM | $4.20–$13 (US); most compilations cluster $5–$10 | CLAIMED | LeadSync compilation; Hootsuite compilation ($4–$7); Triple Whale via SearchInfluence ($9–$13) |
| All / platform | CPC | $0.17–$2.00; typical quoted $0.50–$1.00 | CLAIMED | LeadSync compilation; Hootsuite compilation |
| All / platform | CTR | ~0.84% platform average | CLAIMED | WebFX/AdLibrary via SearchInfluence compilation |
| Education / EdTech | CTR | ~0.89% | CLAIMED | WebFX/AdLibrary via SearchInfluence compilation |
| Lead generation (Instant Form) | CPL | $5–$15 typical for Instant Form lead gen | CLAIMED | LeadSync compilation |
| Lead generation (broader compilations) | CPL | $20–$80 in broader CPL compilations | CLAIMED | Lead-gen CPL compilations (report §2.4) |
| Home services | CPL | $22.50–$34 per lead (documented home-services campaigns) | CLAIMED | Owned and Operated via Valley Marketing (case data, report §2.4) |
| Budget floors | Minimum daily budget | $50/day campaign level; $20/day ad-group level (compilations disagree on the campaign minimum basis — verify in Ads Manager at build time) | VERIFIED | TikTok platform rules as compiled by LeadSync (report §2.4) |