Initial Campaign Launch on Facebook Ads

When the campaign first launched, we focused on targeting the client’s audience on platforms with large active user bases, specifically Facebook and Instagram, paired with search-driven ads on Google and Apple Search. This multi-platform strategy was intended to increase visibility and attract a broad audience through both video and static ad formats, ensuring the content was diverse and engaging.

Results

• Cost Per Download (CPD): Averaged between $7 - $10 per download on Facebook Ads
• KPI Review: The CPD was higher than our desired range, which underscored the challenge of reaching the target demographic cost-effectively on traditional social media. While Google and Apple Search did drive some downloads due to high user intent, overall performance on these search-based platforms and on other display networks like Snapchat and Google Video remained below expectations, both in volume and cost-effectiveness.

Our analysis of these results revealed that Facebook and Instagram’s ad inventory costs had risen, and reaching our specific user base—primarily young adults and college students—required high levels of investment that weren’t yielding the desired CP

Pivot to TikTok

Early on we identified TikTok as a high-potential platform for driving cost-effective downloads, particularly given its popularity among our core demographic of college students and young adults. TikTok’s unique content style, favoring quick, relatable, and “meme-style” content, aligned well with our new strategy to engage users through short-form, entertaining content. To tailor the ads to TikTok’s distinct audience, we partnered with local college students to produce original, humorous, and meme-inspired videos that would resonate well on the platform.

Results

• Cost Per Download (CPD): Reduced to $1.45/download within the first month
• Budget Allocation: As TikTok consistently outperformed all other channels, it quickly became the primary channel, capturing 80% of the total ad spend
• KPI Performance: TikTok not only met but exceeded our initial KPIs, performing 2x better than projected with a consistent CPD well below the target range.

This shift allowed us to achieve significant growth in app downloads while maintaining a highly favorable CPD, validating our pivot to TikTok as the primary driver for user acquisition. The platform’s lower competition for ad inventory and engagement-driven algorithm contributed to maintaining an impressive CPD over time, even as budget allocations increased. This allowed the client to scale efficiently without diminishing returns or increased CPD.

Conclusion
TikTok emerged as the optimal platform for achieving cost-effective downloads, outperforming more saturated social and search channels. This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of adapting content to fit a platform’s style and demographic—especially one with fewer advertisers like TikTok, where unique, platform-specific content can stand out and generate meaningful user engagement. By embracing the casual, fast-paced content style TikTok users expect, we were able to consistently attract a high-quality audience at a CPD that was over 50% lower than projections, positioning TikTok as an ideal platform for brands targeting younger demographics with scalable growth goals.