Is Smart+ the Future of TikTok Advertising?

We recently tested TikTok’s new Smart+ campaign type to compare its performance against our standard approach for product sales. Our original setup followed a typical structure: we ran both retargeting and prospecting campaigns using interest and Lookalike (LAL) targeting, supported by a variety of catalog ads.

What Is Smart+?

The test involved launching a Smart+ campaign, which is TikTok’s fully automated format designed to rival Meta’s Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns (ASC+). Smart+ promises to improve performance through automated targeting, placement selection, and campaign management – all driven by TikTok’s algorithms. For consistency, we promoted the same product set used in our previous campaigns. The creative assets included TikTok’s catalog ads and a general brand awareness video, both using dynamic ad copy to maximise relevance.

Results That Moved the Needle

Early performance from Smart+ was strong enough that we made the call to pause our original campaigns and shift the entire budget into the new format. That decision paid off quickly. Spend increased by 24% and clicks surged by over 180% driven by a 34% rise in CTR and a 55% drop in CPC. According to GA4 data, sales volume rose by 126% and revenue climbed by more than 124%. Most notably, the Cost of Sale (CoS) improved dramatically, coming in at 13.8% compared to our previous GA4 average of 25–30%.

Why It Matters

For brands aiming to scale efficiently, this test shows real promise. Smart+ didn’t just outperform our manual setup – it unlocked a whole new level of performance. And that’s a trend we’re excited to keep exploring. The automated targeting and creative optimisation features delivered a step-change in results, making Smart+ a strong contender for advertisers already seeing success with ASC+. It also reinforces a broader trend we’re seeing across platforms: AI-driven campaign setups are starting to consistently outperform manually managed ones, especially when paired with strong creative.

If you’re ready to unlock the full potential of AI in your performance strategy, we’re here to help you get started. Get in touch!