> Quick answer: In TikTok Ads Manager, select App Promotion as your campaign objective. Then choose App Install as the promotion type. Pick your optimization method, set your audience and budget, upload your creative, and publish.
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What is the TikTok App Promotion Objective?
Per TikTok's Ads Manager documentation, App Promotion is the dedicated objective for driving app installs and in-app conversions.
How the App Promotion objective works
Pick App Promotion and TikTok sends users directly to the Google Play or Apple App Store. The algorithm targets people most likely to download. TikTok previously offered separate "App Install" and "App Conversion" campaign types. Both are now consolidated under the single App Promotion objective.
App Install vs. App Retargeting use cases
App Promotion supports two promotion types. App Install targets new users who have never installed your app. App Retargeting re-engages people who already have it. For a standard user acquisition campaign, choose App Install.
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Step-by-Step: How to Set TikTok Ads Objective for App Installs
Follow these five steps in TikTok Ads Manager. Each one builds on the last.
Step 1: Log into TikTok Ads Manager
Go to ads.tiktok.com and sign in. Confirm your account is active and your app is already registered in your account before continuing.
Step 2: Click Create and select App Promotion objective
Click the Campaigns tab at the top of your dashboard. Then click Create. TikTok groups objectives into three buckets: Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion. Select App Promotion. It sits under the Conversion bucket.
Step 3: Choose App Install as your promotion type
After selecting App Promotion, you'll see two promotion type options. Select App Install. This tells TikTok to optimize for new downloads, not re-engagement with existing users.
Step 4: Select your optimization method (Click, Install, or In-app event)
Choose your optimization goal at the ad group level. Your choice tells TikTok what signal to bid against. Each option targets a different stage of the install funnel. See the next section for a full breakdown of each one.
Step 5: Complete audience, budget, and creative setup
Define your target audience by age, gender, location, interests, and device type. Set a daily or lifetime budget. Upload your ad creative. Review all settings. Then hit Publish.
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Optimization Options: Click vs. Install vs. In-App Event
Per TikTok's App Promotion help documentation, four optimization goals are available: Click, Install, In-app event, and Value. Most campaigns start with one of the first three.
Click optimization explained
TikTok targets users most likely to tap your call-to-action button. It's the broadest signal available. Best for new campaigns that have little to no install history to work from.
Install optimization explained
TikTok targets users most likely to complete the installation after clicking through to the app store. More precise than Click optimization. Needs some install volume before the algorithm performs at its best. A solid middle ground for growing campaigns.
In-app event optimization (AEO) explained
TikTok optimizes for users who complete a specific in-app action, like a sign-up or a first purchase. This is App Event Optimization (AEO). You need TikTok's Event Manager connected and sufficient event data to train the algorithm. Expect higher-quality users, typically at a higher cost per acquisition.
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What About Smart+ App Campaigns?
Smart+ is TikTok's automated campaign mode for app installs. It handles bidding, budget allocation, and audience targeting automatically.
When to use Smart+ for Android
Per TikTok's Smart+ documentation, Smart+ Android Cost Cap delivers stronger cost control at scale. It works best once your account has meaningful install volume. Use it to scale what is already performing, not to test from scratch.
How to toggle Smart+ on in your campaign
Select App Promotion. Choose App Install. Near the top of the campaign setup screen, find the Smart+ campaign toggle. Switch it on. TikTok's algorithm then takes over optimization. You still control your budget and your creative.
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Do You Need Event Tracking Setup?
Not always. It depends on which optimization method you choose.
Why Event Manager matters
TikTok's Event Manager tracks what users do inside your app after installing. Without it, TikTok cannot optimize for in-app actions. It's required for AEO and Value optimization campaigns to function properly.
When to set it up
Set it up before you launch an AEO campaign. Connect your app through the TikTok SDK or a mobile measurement partner (MMP). Let install data accumulate for a few days before switching to in-app event optimization. If you're starting from scratch, run Click or Install optimization first. Move to AEO once your data is strong enough.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What campaign objective should I choose for app installs on TikTok?
Select App Promotion. It's TikTok's dedicated objective for driving app downloads. After selecting it, choose App Install as the promotion type to target new users.
Do I need Event Manager to run a TikTok app install campaign?
Not for basic campaigns. Click and Install optimization work without Event Manager. You only need it for In-app event (AEO) or Value optimization, which require tracked in-app actions to train the algorithm.
What is Smart+ in TikTok Ads Manager for app campaigns?
Smart+ is TikTok's automated campaign mode. It handles bidding, audience selection, and budget automatically. It's available within the App Promotion objective and works best for accounts that already have meaningful install data.