Sick of Meta & Google These Ad Networks Are Crushing It Right Now

TikTok Ads: Scroll-Stopping Creative, Surprisingly Low CPMs

TikTok's ad ecosystem feels like a party no one charged cover for: massive attention, consistently low CPMs, and an appetite for anything that behaves like native content. The catch? Ads that act like TikToks win. If your feed-first creative looks like a polished banner, it won't slay. Lean into raw, swipable, and slightly imperfect — marketers who move fast win fast.

So why are CPMs so kind? Supply and algorithm. Short-form inventory is huge, auction competition in many niches is still lighter than on Meta/Google, and the For You feed rewards engagement with more inexpensive impressions. In plain terms: the platform can serve lots of eyes cheaply if the creative triggers watch, like, and share.

Here's a practical playbook: hook in the first 1–3 seconds with either a visual jolt or a memorable sound, shoot vertical 9:16, add captions, and prioritize UGC or talent-led clips that feel discoverable. Test 6s, 15s, and 30s cuts, rotate audio, and keep a clear CTA in the final 2 seconds. Use spark ads to boost winning organic posts instead of rebuilding assets from scratch.

Scale like a scientist: start broad so the algorithm can find cheap wins, then tighten audiences once CPA stabilizes. Track CPM alongside CPA and ROAS — low CPMs are seductive but worthless if conversion costs spike. If you're tired of paying the Meta tax, TikTok offers a cheaper dance floor; just come with better choreography and relentless creative velocity.

Reddit Ads: High-Intent Communities, Honest Feedback, Real Conversions

Reddit is where people arrive with intent: they ask, compare, and crowdsource solutions for real problems. That means niche subreddits for hobbies, software, finance, and gaming often act like miniature marketplaces. A thoughtful presence in a community will reach users who are actually researching and ready to convert, not just passively scrolling.

Forget generic banner copy. Use sponsored posts that mimic the conversation style of the subreddit, host AMAs to build credibility, and pay attention to comments as product feedback and micro focus groups. Honest answers and visible engagement turn skeptics into advocates, and community-targeted creative reduces wasted spend far more than broad demographic targeting.

If you want to diversify away from the big ad platforms and move quickly across channels, partner playbooks help. For platform-specific scaling tools and quick experiments, check boost Instagram to see one example of how to spread learnings and traffic beyond the usual suspects.

Track the full funnel: use UTMs, fire the Reddit conversion pixel or your own event tracking, and optimize for actions that indicate intent (comment activity, signup completion, first purchase). Use short, contextual landing flows with screenshots of relevant threads as social proof, then retarget engaged commenters with tailored offers to increase close rate.

Start with a simple test plan: one subreddit, two creative approaches (authentic post + sponsored creative), and a one to two week budget to gather signals. Measure comments, clickthroughs, and conversion lift; when something resonates, amplify with promoted posts and additional subreddits. Reddit rewards authenticity, so converse first and sell second.

LinkedIn Ads: Laser-Targeted B2B With Wallet-Ready Decision Makers

Think of LinkedIn as the conference room where actual purchase decisions happen: the platform lets you slice audiences by company, job title, seniority, skills, groups and even specific company names, so you deliver messages to people who can actually sign the checks. Swap broad reach for surgical precision and you get fewer clicks but way higher quality leads—Sponsored Content, Message Ads, Conversation Ads and Lead Gen Forms are the formats that convert specialists into prospects.

Start like a scientist: import a target account list, create matched audiences from CRM data, exclude recruiters and job hunters, and narrow by seniority and function. Run small tests with CPC to validate messaging, then flip to automated bidding or target CPA when you see reliable conversion signals. Account-based campaigns plus sequential messaging outperform scattershot blasts every time.

On creative, lead with outcome not jargon. Use a one-line value prop, a short case study quote with a concrete metric, and a bold CTA such as Book a Demo or Get Pricing. Keep videos under 30 seconds, use Lead Gen Forms to remove friction, and A/B test headlines and images relentlessly. Personalize Message Ads by referencing the recipient company or a mutual group for a dramatic open-rate lift.

Measure like a hawk: push conversions back to CRM, track pipeline and deal velocity, and retarget website visitors and video engagers for nurture sequences. When a creative-audience pair performs, scale by expanding similar accounts and using lookalike-style matched audiences. LinkedIn is not cheap, but when you talk to wallet-ready buyers with the right playbook, the ROI is unmistakable.

Amazon Ads: Bottom-of-Funnel Buyers Without the Ad Fatigue

Amazon Ads puts you in front of people who mean business — shoppers on a mission, not endless scrollers. Instead of battling creative fatigue in feeds, you show up where purchase intent is explicit: search results, product detail pages, and checkout. Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display turn consideration into cart actions, so focus on conversion-driving assets rather than splashy awareness plays.

Be tactical: bid around intent signals like high-converting search terms, use ASIN targeting to steal consideration from competitors, and add negative keywords to cut wasted spend. Layer dynamic bidding and dayparting for your best-selling SKUs, and prioritize inventory with proven margins. Small bid shifts on a winner often beat big experiments on a loser.

Don’t skimp on creative — crisp product photos, short demo clips, and review highlights shrink friction fast. Use Sponsored Display to recapture cart abandoners and DSP to scale once you know what converts. Track ACOS, 7–14 day conversion windows, and incremental ROAS; when those metrics look healthy, raise share of voice instead of chasing vanity KPIs.

Finally, think cross-channel but funnel-focused: run lightweight top-of-funnel tests off-Amazon, then funnel audiences to product pages where Amazon closes the deal. If you need quick places to iterate short-form video concepts before scaling on the marketplace, check a YouTube boosting site for creative ideas and rapid validation.

Pinterest & Snapchat: Visual Discovery Channels You're Overlooking

Think of Pinterest and Snapchat as the visual search engines where people actually want to be inspired — not interrupted. Pinterest captures intent: users come with discovery and purchase in mind. Snapchat captures immediacy: young, engaged viewers who react to AR and bite-sized storytelling. Together they let you reach purchase-minded audiences without duking it out on Meta or Google, with creative that sells.

Start with formats that match behavior. On Pinterest, swap static product shots for lifestyle pins, Idea Pins and shoppable carousels; test keyword-rich pin descriptions and vertical ratios. On Snapchat, prioritize short, snappy Story Ads, Snap Ads, and AR lenses that invite interaction. Keep branding early, use bold text overlays for silent autoplay, and design each creative to stop the thumb within two seconds.

Target smarter: use Pinterest's intent signals (searches, boards, browses) to layer interest and keyword bids, while Snapchat's audience graphs excel at cohort and event-based targeting. Bring your own data via pixel and app-event audiences to find lookalikes. Bid conservatively for testing, then scale winners with automated bidding once your CPA bands are stable.

Measure differently. Instead of relying only on last-click, surface middle-funnel metrics that matter for discovery channels: saves, close-ups, swipe-ups, completion rate and post-view lifts. Run creative A/Bs every week and retire underperformers fast — discovery feeds reward fresh eye candy, not the same ad on repeat.

Allocate a small, dedicated test budget, run three creatives per audience, and treat each platform like its own creative lab. If you're tired of the same duopoly auctions, these visual channels give you cleaner feeds, engaged intent audiences and cheaper creative experiments. Start small, measure fast, and you'll find pockets of low-competition ROAS that scale.