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TikTok Spark Ads in Motion

Learn what TikTok Spark Ads features are supported in Motion and understand the platform limitations.

Joel Charboneau avatar
Written by Joel Charboneau
Updated this week

What are Spark Ads?

Spark Ads are a TikTok advertising format that lets you promote existing organic posts as paid ads. Unlike traditional ads, Spark Ads use posts that are already live on TikTok, either from your own account or from creators who have authorized their content.

Common uses for Spark Ads:

  • Amplifying influencer content while giving creators full credit

  • Promoting high-performing user-generated content

  • Boosting your own organic TikTok posts

  • Running branded partnership content


What Motion supports for Spark Ads

Motion provides support for TikTok Spark Ads with some limitations based on TikTok's API restrictions.

Supported features

Standard Spark Ads: Motion fully supports single video Spark Ads. You can view previews, analyze performance, and include them in reports.

Performance metrics: You can track standard metrics including:

  • Spend

  • CPA (Cost Per Action)

  • CTR (Click-Through Rate)

  • Conversions

  • Other standard advertising metrics

Spark Ads can be included in Top performing reports and Comparative analysis reports.

Unsupported features

  • Carousel Spark Ads: Motion does not support TikTok Spark Ads in carousel format. This is due to TikTok's API limitations, specifically the lack of unique IDs for carousel cards within Spark Ads.

  • Shop and Live Spark Ads: Performance data for these ads pulls into Motion, but previews are not available. You'll see metrics but not creative previews.

  • Video drop-off analysis: The Video Analysis report within Creative Insights is not available for Spark Ads. TikTok does not provide video drop-off data for Spark Ad formats through their API.

  • Filtering by Spark Ads: Motion does not currently support filtering ads specifically by Spark Ads status. You'll need to use naming conventions or cross-reference with TikTok Ads Manager.

  • GMX Max campaigns: These campaigns are not supported due to TikTok API limitations.


How to identify Spark Ads in Motion

Since Motion doesn't have a built-in Spark Ads filter, use these methods:

  • Naming conventions: Include "Spark" in your ad names when setting them up in TikTok Ads Manager. You can then search for these names in Motion.

  • Cross-reference with TikTok Ads Manager: In TikTok Ads Manager, click "+Filters", select "Ad Settings", and choose "TikTok Account" under Identity to see all Spark Ads. Use this list to identify them in Motion.

Data limitations

Due to TikTok's API restrictions, the following data is not available for Spark Ads in Motion:

  • Video drop-off rates

  • Audience retention metrics at specific video timestamps

  • Granular engagement data tied to specific video IDs

  • Preview support for carousel, Shop, and Live formats

All other standard performance data remains accessible.

User permissions

All users in your Motion workspace can view Spark Ads data, including those with collaborator-level permissions. Access is determined by TikTok Business Center authorizations, not Motion user roles.

If some users cannot view Spark Ads, the issue is typically with TikTok-side permissions rather than Motion access levels.

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