Ever set up a TikTok ad campaign only to find your budget untouched? You allocated $50, but TikTok only spent $0.1 – or nothing. Frustrating, right? You’re not alone. Many advertisers face this TikTok ads not spending issue, where ads are active but not delivering. The good news? There are clear reasons behind it and solutions to fix it. In this guide, Mainn Media will dive into 8 common reasons why TikTok ads are active but not spending money and how to troubleshoot them effectively.
Why Are Your TikTok Ads Not Spending Money?
There are several reasons behind this issue, but here are the top 8 common ones, along with actionable solutions to fix them.
1. Insufficient budget
One of the primary reasons why TikTok ads are active but not spending is an inadequate budget. TikTok enforces minimum budget requirements to ensure your ads can compete effectively. The minimum daily budget is:
$50 per day for campaign-level budgets
$20 per day for ad group-level budgets
If your budget is set below these thresholds, your ad delivery will be restricted.
Solution:
Ensure your ad group budget is at least $20 per day.
For optimal results, start with a budget that’s 50 times your target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition).
Gradually increase your budget if your ads still don’t spend, allowing the algorithm to adjust.
2. Ad scheduling issues
At times, TikTok ads may not spend due to the scheduling settings you’ve selected. If you’ve limited ad delivery to specific hours, your ads will only run during those designated periods. This could lead to missed opportunities, especially if your target audience is more active at different times.
Solution:
Set your ad scheduling to “All Day” to maximize delivery and impressions.
If you must use time slots, analyze your audience’s most active hours using TikTok’s Analytics and schedule accordingly.
Experiment with different time slots and observe spending patterns.
3. Ad creatives and quality
TikTok ad not spending? Poor ad quality, disapproved creatives, or low engagement rates might be the cause.
The effectiveness of your TikTok ads depends heavily on their quality. If your content lacks engagement, relevance, or visual appeal, it will struggle to capture attention, reducing user interaction.
Solution:
Use high-resolution videos (720p or higher) with engaging visuals and clear messaging.
Follow TikTok’s Ad Guidelines to avoid rejections and approval delays.
A/B test different ad creatives to find the best-performing content.
Ensure ads have strong CTAs that encourage user interaction.
4. Targeting Issues
Targeting overlap
If multiple ad groups in your account target the same audience, TikTok may limit delivery to prevent self-competition.
Solution:
Avoid running multiple ad groups with overlapping audience settings.
Use Audience Exclusions to prevent the same users from being targeted by multiple campaigns.
Over-targeting
Overly narrow targeting can restrict your ad’s potential reach, resulting in low spending.
Solution:
Expand audience size by removing excessive targeting filters.
Use Broad Targeting and allow the TikTok algorithm to optimize delivery.
Test different interest groups and lookalike audiences to improve performance.
5. Fierce competition in ad auctions
TikTok’s advertising space is highly competitive, meaning other advertisers may be bidding aggressively for the same audience. When competition is intense, your ads may struggle to win placements, making it harder for them to spend effectively.
Or, if you’re running ads during peak hours, the bid prices may be too high, preventing your ads from spending.
Solution:
Increase your bid cap or switch to Maximum Delivery mode to let TikTok optimize your bid.
Run ads during off-peak hours when CPMs (Cost Per Mille) are lower.
Target alternative locations where competition is less intense but still relevant.
6. Learning phase
No matter the platform, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat, your ad campaigns won’t immediately start spending their full budget right away. TikTok follows the same pattern, and there’s a valid reason for this.
Like other digital advertising platforms, TikTok has an “ad learning phase”, during which TikTok gathers data to optimize delivery for newly launched campaigns. If your TikTok ads are not spending money, they may still be in this stage.
Solution:
Allow your ad to run for at least 3-5 days before making major changes.
Avoid frequent edits to your ad settings, as this can reset the learning phase.
7. Ad approval delays
If your TikTok ads are active but not spending, they might still be under review or stuck due to policy violations. TikTok’s review process can take anywhere from a few hours to 24 hours or more.
Solution:
Double-check your ad copy, creatives, and landing page to ensure compliance with TikTok’s policies.
If your ad remains in review for over 24 hours, contact TikTok support for a manual review.
Submit multiple ad variations to avoid delays affecting your entire campaign.
8. Ad formats and placement issues
Certain ad formats or placements may not perform well, resulting in low spending or no spending at all.
Solution:
Use Automatic Placements to let TikTok distribute your ads across different placements.
Test different formats like In-Feed Ads, Spark Ads, and Carousel Ads to see which performs best.
If using Spark Ads, ensure that the organic post it’s linked to has high engagement to boost delivery.
3 Tips to Stay Away from TikTok Ads Not Spending Issue
1. Objective realignment for better spending
If your TikTok ads are active but not spending, your campaign objective might be too restrictive for TikTok’s algorithm to optimize. Many advertisers set their objective to “Purchase Conversions”, but if your campaign lacks sufficient data, TikTok may struggle to allocate your budget effectively.
Solution:
Instead of using “Purchase” as your primary objective, temporarily switch to “Add to Cart” or “Initiate Checkout”. This approach helps TikTok’s algorithm gather more data and optimize spending before moving to lower-funnel conversions.
Once your campaign starts spending efficiently, you can shift back to “Purchase Conversions” for better results.
2. Placement optimization for maximum impact
A common reason for TikTok ads not spending money is ineffective placement selection. TikTok Ads Manager offers multiple placements, but not all of them are suitable for every campaign.
By default, TikTok provides options like:
TikTok (For You Page & In-Feed Ads)
Pangle (third-party partner apps)
BuzzVideo (external video-sharing platforms)
While multi-platform advertising can sometimes work, it may also dilute your budget by spending on placements that don’t align with your campaign’s goals.
Solution:
Disable unrelated placements to make sure your ads appear exclusively on TikTok.
Keep placements streamlined to TikTok to maximize engagement and ensure users have a seamless experience.
Regularly review your placement performance to refine your strategy.
3. TikTok ad agency account usage
If you’ve tried multiple fixes and still experience TikTok ads not spending, using a TikTok Agency Account from Mainn Media can be a game-changer. These accounts provide exclusive benefits that help overcome budget limitations and optimize performance:
Better budget utilization: Agency accounts prevent spending restrictions and ensure smoother ad delivery.
Advanced targeting: Access broader geo-targeting options, allowing campaigns to reach multiple regions effectively.
Exclusive insights & tools: Gain data-driven insights to refine your bidding and targeting strategies.
Priority ad approval: Reduce review delays and policy rejections, ensuring faster campaign launches.
To access a TikTok Agency Account, partner with Mainn Media to unlock exclusive benefits, upgrade to a TikTok Business Ads Manager account through an authorized partner, and leverage expert campaign management services for seamless ad spending.
Wrap-up
Fixing TikTok ads not spending money requires a strategic approach, from adjusting budgets and bids to optimizing targeting and placements. By applying the right solutions, you can ensure your ads start delivering and drive the results you expect. If you found this guide helpful, don’t forget to share this post and follow us for more expert tips on running successful TikTok ad campaigns!
