Short answer: a TikTok Ads client report should lead with the same business results as any other platform (spend, conversions, cost per result and, for ecommerce, revenue and ROAS), then add a small set of video metrics that explain why: how many people kept watching past the first seconds, how far they watched, and which creatives did it best. Leave vanity engagement at the bottom.
Start with the objective
TikTok campaigns are built around an objective, and the report should follow it. A report that shows video views for a sales campaign, or purchases for an awareness campaign, confuses everyone.
| Campaign goal | Lead with | Supporting metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Sales (website or shop) | Purchases, cost per purchase, purchase value, ROAS | CTR, CPC, add to cart, checkout started |
| Leads | Leads, cost per lead, lead quality from the CRM | CTR, form or landing page conversion rate |
| Traffic | Landing page views, cost per landing page view | CTR, CPC, on-site engagement from analytics |
| Awareness and reach | Reach, frequency, CPM | Video watch metrics, profile visits, follows |
| Video views | Video views, cost per view | Watch-through rates, average watch time |
The video metrics worth showing
TikTok is a video-first platform, so a creative that does not hold attention rarely converts. These metrics help explain results:
- 2-second and 6-second video views. TikTok reports both. They show how many people stopped scrolling and how many stayed.
- Video views at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Where people drop off. A steep fall before 25% usually means the opening needs work; a fall near the end matters less if the call to action is early.
- Average watch time per view. Useful for comparing creatives of similar length.
Many agencies also calculate two ratios that are not native TikTok columns, so define them in the report if you use them:
- Hook rate = 2-second views ÷ impressions. How often the first moment stops the scroll.
- Hold rate = 6-second views ÷ 2-second views (some teams use completed views instead). How often the story keeps people after the hook.
These two numbers make creative discussions concrete. "The new hook doubled the hook rate but people left by second four" is far more useful to a client than "engagement was strong".
Metrics to keep in the background
Likes, comments, shares, profile visits and follows are worth tracking, and for awareness or brand campaigns they can be meaningful. For performance campaigns, put them in a small "engagement" line at the bottom. They can rise while sales fall, and a client who sees a big like count at the top of the report will judge the month on it.
Paid likes and follows are also mixed with organic activity on Spark Ads (ads run from an existing organic post), so be careful about presenting them as purely paid results.
Attribution: say what you are counting
TikTok lets advertisers choose click-through and view-through attribution windows, and the defaults have changed over time. Before reporting conversions, check the attribution setting on the ad groups and state it in the report. If you compare TikTok with Meta side by side, make sure the windows match, or note that they do not. View-through conversions on a video platform can be a large share of the total, and they are the part clients question most.
Tracking quality matters even more. Setting up the TikTok Pixel together with the Events API (server-side events) makes conversion data more complete. If the client's TikTok results look weak next to other platforms, check Events Manager before blaming the campaign.
Creative reporting is the heart of it
On TikTok, creatives tire quickly and the gap between the best and worst video is often large. A useful creative section shows, for each ad:
- a thumbnail, so the client recognises it;
- spend and the main result (purchases, leads or views);
- cost per result against the account average;
- hook rate and hold rate;
- a clear call: scale, keep or cut.
Then add one line about what the winners have in common (a face in the first second, a question on screen, user-generated style). That line turns the report into a creative brief for next month. See how to spot creative fatigue for when to replace a winner.
A simple TikTok section layout
TikTok Ads, October
Spend $X · Purchases X · Cost per purchase $X (vs $X last month) · ROAS X
Best creative: "[name]", hook rate X%, cost per purchase $X. Scaling.
Cut: two videos with hook rate under the account average after a fair test.
Next: test three new openings based on the winner.
Adsorra pulls TikTok Ads data through TikTok's official login alongside Meta, Google and four other platforms, and ranks every creative with a scale, keep or cut call. See TikTok Ads reporting.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good CTR on TikTok Ads?
It varies by industry, format and objective, so compare against the account's own history rather than a published average. Track whether CTR is rising or falling for each creative over time.
Should I report likes and comments to clients?
Only as supporting detail, or when the goal is awareness or community. For sales and lead campaigns, lead with results and cost per result.
Why are TikTok conversions lower than Meta's for the same budget?
Often it is tracking (pixel and Events API setup), attribution settings, or audience intent. Check setup first, then compare cost per result over a long enough period.