How to Make a TikTok Ad Video: Specs, Hook, Caption, Upload
To make a TikTok ad video, build a vertical 9:16 clip of at least 540x960 pixels, open with a hook in the first 3 to 5 seconds, and keep text and logos inside the safe zone. Export an MP4 under 500 MB, write an ad caption of about 100 characters or less, and upload it in TikTok Ads Manager, or promote an organic post as a Spark Ad.
Checked October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
A TikTok ad is a short vertical video that plays in the For You feed between organic posts, so it has to look and sound like it belongs there. The work splits into two parts: the creative (the hook, the scenes, the on-screen words and the call to action) and the technical fit (shape, file size, caption length and the safe zone that the app's buttons cover). This guide gives steps that work with a phone, any editor or an AI tool, using TikTok's own ad specs, then shows how to make the same video in Infinall AI, where Motion is open on the Free plan and the full Video composer is part of Pro.
| Setting | What TikTok accepts |
|---|---|
| Vertical (recommended) | 9:16, at least 540x960 px |
| Horizontal | 16:9, at least 960x540 px |
| Square | 1:1, at least 640x640 px |
| File types | .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp, .avi |
| File size | 500 MB or less |
| Length | Up to 10 minutes |
| Bitrate | 516 kbps or more |
| Ad caption | Keep within 100 characters; no links, @ or hashtags |
| Display name | One line, up to 20 characters |
How to Make a TikTok Ad Video: Specs, Hook, Caption, Upload
Choose one goal and one message
Decide what the viewer should do after watching: visit a page, install an app or buy a product. Write the single benefit the ad will show and the offer, if there is one. One ad should carry one idea, because a viewer gives a feed video only a few seconds.
Set the shape before you shoot or generate
TikTok recommends vertical 9:16 for auction in-feed ads, at least 540x960 pixels. Horizontal 16:9 (at least 960x540) and square 1:1 (at least 640x640) are accepted, but they leave empty space on a phone screen. Start in 9:16 so you never crop the product out later.
Write a hook for the first seconds
Open on the problem, the result or the product in use, not on a logo or a slow intro. A hook of 3 to 5 seconds is a good unit to plan around. Put the key line on screen as text so the ad still works with the sound off.
Plan the scenes and the call to action
Sketch three or four short scenes: hook, proof or demo, benefit, then the call to action. A length of around 15 seconds is a sensible first test for a feed ad, even though non-Spark in-feed videos can run up to 10 minutes. End on one clear action that matches the button you will pick in Ads Manager, such as Shop now or Learn more.
Keep text and logos inside the safe zone
The caption, the account name and the side buttons sit on top of your video. On TikTok's 720x1280 standard template, keep key text away from the top 160 pixels, the bottom 440 pixels and the right-hand column of buttons. Check a still frame against the safe zone before you export.
Export a file TikTok accepts
Non-Spark in-feed ads take .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .3gp or .avi files of 500 MB or less, with a bitrate of 516 kbps or more. MP4 is the safest choice. Watch the export once on a phone to catch cut-off text or audio that starts too late.
Write the ad caption and display name
Keep the caption within 100 characters so it is not covered by See more, and leave out links, @ mentions and hashtags, which non-Spark ad captions do not support. The display name shows one line of up to 20 characters. Avoid absolute claims and before-and-after comparisons, which TikTok's ad policies restrict.
Upload and launch, or promote a post
Upload the video in TikTok Ads Manager as a new ad, or use a post that is already on a TikTok account as a Spark Ad. Spark Ads keep the views, likes and follows on the organic post. Start with two or three versions that change only the hook, and keep the one that holds viewers longest.
How to make a TikTok ad video in Infinall AI
On the Free plan, use Motion. Pick your brand, choose a shape and a length from 10 to 60 seconds, and describe the scenes and on-screen words in the prompt. Motion makes a silent video unless your prompt asks for a voiceover or music. When the card says Video ready, press Export MP4. Exporting and downloading are free, and the video itself uses credits from the 1,000 you get every month.
On Pro, the Video composer adds more control. Open the plus menu, choose Platform preset and pick TikTok, which sets 9:16 and a usual length of 15 seconds. A video can be 1 to 180 seconds long, and under Outputs you can make 1 to 20 versions at once to test different hooks. Nothing renders until you press Approve & render, and you see the price before you confirm. Pro costs $10 for the first month, then $30 a month or $299 a year.
Running the ad from the Social Hub
Infinall does not buy media for you. Once you connect a TikTok ad account (connecting accounts is Pro only), the New ad composer in the Social Hub builds an ad in three steps: the ad, who sees it, and the money. Saving a draft or a paused ad is free, and a live ad uses 2 credits a month. TikTok charges the ad budget to your own ad account. If you prefer, download the MP4 and upload it in TikTok Ads Manager yourself; that path is just as good and gives you every TikTok targeting option.
Common mistakes
- Starting with a logo or a title card, so the first seconds give no reason to keep watching.
- Shooting or generating in 16:9 and cropping later, which cuts off the product or the text.
- Placing prices or the call to action at the bottom of the frame, where the caption and account name cover it.
- Writing a long caption with a link or hashtags: links are not supported in non-Spark ad captions, and text past about 100 characters hides behind See more.
- Using absolute claims, before-and-after comparisons or fake gestures such as "Swipe up to learn more", which TikTok's ad policies restrict.
Private, public and ads-only posts
If you plan to run an organic post as a Spark Ad, know how privacy works. TikTok says a private video becomes public once it is used in a campaign, and its privacy status cannot be changed during promotion. To keep a promoted post off your profile, the For You feed, search and playlists, turn on the Only show in ads setting. To use a creator's post, the creator generates a video code in the post's Ad settings and picks an authorization period of 7, 30, 60 or 365 days.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a TikTok ad video be?
Vertical 9:16 is recommended, at least 540x960 pixels. TikTok also accepts 16:9 at 960x540 or more and 1:1 at 640x640 or more, as files of 500 MB or less.
How long should a TikTok ad video be?
Non-Spark in-feed ads can run up to 10 minutes, but short ads are easier to test. The TikTok preset in Infinall's Video composer uses a usual length of 15 seconds.
How do I make a TikTok video public or private for an ad?
When a private video is used in a Spark Ads campaign it becomes public, and you cannot change its privacy while it is promoted. Use the Only show in ads setting if you want it to appear only as an ad.
Can I make a TikTok ad video for free?
Yes. You can shoot one on a phone, or use Motion in Infinall AI on the Free plan, which gives 1,000 credits every month with no card. Exporting the MP4 is free.
Sources and checks
Every price, rating and number on this page comes from the source pages below, checked October 2026. Prices and plans change often, so confirm on the vendor's own page before you buy.
- TikTok auction in-feed ads specs, checked October 2026
- TikTok reservation in-feed ads (captions and display name), checked October 2026
- TikTok ads policy: misleading and false content, checked October 2026
- TikTok ads policy: ad format and functionality, checked October 2026
- About Spark Ads, checked October 2026
- Spark Ads in Video Shopping Ads, checked October 2026
- How to create Spark Ads for Smart+ Campaigns, checked October 2026
- Infinall AI: length, shape, quality and versions
- Infinall AI: make a motion video
- Infinall AI: paid ads from the Social Hub
- Infinall AI plans and prices