How to Build a Winning TikTok Ad Strategy in Europe for Your US E-Commerce Brand

Now active in over 160 countries, 75 languages and an estimated 1.9 billion monthly active users worldwide, TikTok’s audience has grown far beyond Gen Z and adults aged 25-44 now form one of its fastest-growing user groups. But it’s highly competitive, and to succeed requires a deep understanding of the local market.

This article explores how to build a TikTok ad strategy that resonates with European audiences, turns views into sales and drives long-term brand growth, with support from the right fulfillment partner.

Jump to:

• Why TikTok Ads Work for E-Commerce
• Understanding the European Market
• Building Your TikTok Ad Strategy for Europe
• Things to Consider in Your European TikTok Ad Strategy
• Grow Your Brand with ILG

Why TikTok Ads Work for E-Commerce

If you’re still wondering whether TikTok belongs in your marketing strategy, it’s important to remember that TikTok is no longer just a platform for Gen Z trends, it’s a proven driver of product discovery and sales.

TikTok offers an end-to-end shopping experience, from product discovery to in-app purchase, the platform’s highly visual, short-form format is ideal for showcasing new products through demos, tutorials and ‘before-and-afters’. Meanwhile, its “For You” algorithm surfaces content beyond your existing audience, giving even lesser-known brands the chance to go viral. Add in viral trends, sharing features and creator partnerships – and TikTok becomes a powerful tool for visibility, engagement and long-term brand building.

Understanding the European Market

Since its European launch in March 2025, TikTok Shop now boasts 25.1 million users in France, 24.2 million in Germany and 22.8 million in Italy, and is a proven, powerful route for US-based brands wanting to break into the European e-commerce market.

However, marketing into Europe means engaging with dozens of distinct audiences and different shopping habits, payment methods and fulfillment expectations make localization essential.

UK consumers, for instance, often respond well to dry humor – but what is considered amusing there might fall flat in Germany, where audiences tend to prefer direct, information-rich content. Southern Europeans are all about warmth and expressiveness, so while a fast-paced, emotionally charged ad might resonate in Spain, it may be considered ‘over-the-top’ in the more northern Netherlands.

European Shoppers Expect More

It’s no surprise that fashion, beauty, home, gadgets, wellness and fitness are among the top-performing categories on TikTok Shop in Europe, lending themselves to short-form, engaging videos.

But it’s important that your strategy goes beyond visuals and considers some of the practical differences that will affect performance:

• Pricing should be displayed in local currencies
• Shipping times need to be competitive with local providers
• Transparency around duties and taxes is essential to build trust and reduce abandoned carts

Building Your TikTok Ad Strategy for Europe

1. How TikTok Ads Work

TikTok offers a variety of ad formats – video and carousel – marked as “Sponsored” or “Ad” and which appear in users’ feeds alongside organic content. Short-form ads appear in users’ feeds and can be targeted by demographics, interests or behaviors.

The right ad format, targeting strategy and creative approach depends largely on your goal, whether that’s launching in a new market, promoting a product line – or building long-term brand awareness. Just remember, TikTok users are savvy. They want content that feels natural, entertaining – genuinely helpful, and if they spot a ‘traditional’ ad, they’ll simply scroll past it.

2. Which Ad Formats Will Boost My Brand?

• In-Feed Ads are skippable videos which appear in the “For You” feed and feel like native content – perfect for casual, relatable storytelling
• Brand Takeover Ads these pop up as soon as users launch the app, so are best used for time-sensitive (flash) promos
• Top View Ads: like a Brand Takeover Ad, these full-screen ads are the first thing a user sees when opening the app and are ideally placed for major product launches or increasing brand awareness
• Branded Hashtag Challenges: these are designed for performance-driven e-commerce brands to build community and generate organic reach by encouraging users to participate and create content in line with your product
• Spark Ads: this is a native ad format which allows you to boost existing organic content and is especially useful when a post is already gaining traction
• TikTok Shop (e-commerce) Ads integrate directly with your storefront, enabling users to browse and shop without leaving TikTok

For e-commerce brands, Spark Ads and In-Feed Ads tend to offer the best blend of authenticity, reach and ROI.

3. TikTok Ads Pricing in Europe

TikTok ad pricing operates on a Cost Per Mille (CPM) model and starts around $10 CPM (€9), though costs vary by country: expect $27–32 (€25–30) in France and up to $37 (€35) in Germany.

TikTok also supports Cost Per Click (CPC) bidding, with average CPCs often ranging between $0.50–$1.00 (approx. €0.45–€0.90), depending on audience targeting, competition and campaign objectives.

With no setup fees, brands can launch their TikTok Shop with a modest daily budget of $50/day (around €46), making it straightforward to test different creatives, formats and audiences.

4. TikTok Ads Manager

TikTok’s Ads Manager gives you the tools to run highly targeted campaigns. By setting clear objectives from the start, you can keep your strategy focused. Here’s how it works:

• Create your TikTok Ads account
• Choose your campaign objective – eg. Reach, Traffic, Conversions, App Installs
• Build your ad group – set placements, budget, audience targeting and schedule
• Select your ad format – choose the type of TikTok ad that suits your goal
• Review and launch – double-check everything before going live
• Monitor and optimize – track performance and refine your campaign as it runs

Things To Consider in Your European TikTok Ad Strategy

• Localization Beyond Translation
  A European strategy is more than a simple case of ‘copy, paste, translate’. By working with a local content creator who understands the nuances of their audiences, you can bring your product into the conversation more naturally. They can also align your campaign with key local shopping events – France’s “soldes” (winter sales), Singles’ Day in Germany or summer holidays in Spain.
  
• The Power of The Influencer
  Influencer marketing in Europe is projected to exceed €20 billion by 2025, positioning itself as one of the fastest-growing digital marketing channels. Partnering with influencers to promote your products or services is one of the easiest ways to build trust, reach new audiences and drive sales without feeling like a hard sell.
  
• Fulfillment Makes or Breaks the Experience
  Once your orders start rolling in is where operational readiness matters. If delivery takes two weeks, customers feel frustrated. If duties aren’t clear at checkout, carts get abandoned and if returns are complex, repeat business will suffer.
  
  Holding stock locally,  providing a positive unboxing experience and ensuring quick delivery are non-negotiable.
  
  That’s where an experienced logistics partner, who understands the nuances of European fulfillment comes in.
  
• Compliance, Privacy and Trust
  European consumers and regulators alike are serious about data privacy. GDPR requires clear cookie notices, consent for data tracking and transparency about how personal information is used. To build trust with customers (and stay on the right side of the law), ensure your campaigns, partnerships and data practices are fully compliant.

Grow Your Brand with ILG

ILG specializes in helping US e-commerce brands scale confidently across Europe, delivering expert fulfillment, local warehousing, fast delivery and premium unboxing experiences that build loyalty and lifetime value.

From simplifying cross-border logistics and managing returns to ensuring every post-click moment feels local, we’re here to turn your TikTok clicks into happy European customers.

Get in touch to find out more.