With businesses stretching their marketing budgets across multiple channels, is TikTok worth the investment? In this episode, Matt Courtoy, Associate Director of Performance Media at Upswell Marketing, explains five key reasons why TikTok may not be the best platform for your ad dollars—and it has nothing to do with the app’s legal troubles. Five Reasons to Avoid TikTok Advertising 1. TikTok’s Audience Skews Young A majority of TikTok users are Gen Z, making it less effective for businesses targeting older demographics. If your audience is younger, it may be a fit, but for many businesses, it’s not ideal. 2. TikTok Requires Heavy Creative Output Unlike other platforms where you can reuse assets, TikTok demands fresh, engaging, and trendy content at a rapid pace. While Meta campaigns may need three to four assets per month, TikTok can burn through two to three assets every few days—a challenge for brands without strong creative teams. 3. High Competition & Expensive Ads With its massive popularity, brands are fiercely competing for user attention, often targeting the same audiences. To stand out, you either need exceptional creative, a large ad budget, or both. 4. Limited Targeting Options Compared to platforms like Meta and Google, TikTok’s targeting features are less sophisticated, making it harder to refine your audience and ensure your ads reach the right people. 5. Low ROI for Many Businesses While TikTok is great for brand awareness, it hasn’t proven itself as a strong platform for lead generation or high-converting campaigns. If your business relies on new prospects and direct ROI, TikTok may not be the best investment. What’s Next for TikTok Advertising? With uncertainty around TikTok’s future and advertisers cutting back, some businesses could find new opportunities to break through. However, for now, TikTok’s time as a top-tier ad platform may be running out. Visit Upswell Marketing for expert advice on digital ad strategies. Follow on Instagram: @upswellmktg for daily marketing insights. Subscribe to Passionately Curious for five-minute episodes throughout January, packed with actionable marketing strategies!