TikTok Creative Center: How to Download and Save TikTok Video Ads

Starting in 2019, TikTok began allowing companies to self-serve ads on their platform. With TikTok spreading like wildfire, it has quickly become the fastest-growing ad platform, carving its way with its unique ad style. With over 1.5 billion monthly users, TikTok features an extensive user base that can be easily reached using targeted advertising, 

Although TikTok’s ad platform is yet to be as mature as Facebook’s, it is quickly adding new features such as the TikTok Creative Center or “TikTok Ad Library” which is its own version of the Facebook Ad Library. The main purpose of the TikTok Creative Center is to discover high-performing advertising creatives to use as inspiration.

The TikTok Creative Center will show you top ads and then allows you to filter by region, industry, campaign objective, source, duration and format. However, unlike the Facebook Ad Library, you can not search by keywords or brand name, making it difficult for eCommerce stores advertising on TikTok to keep track of their competitors' ads. 

Either way, it is a great source of TikTok ad inspiration, and any advertiser should be using it. However, another drawback is that if you use the TikTok Creative Center / Ad Library, you can’t save any video ads as inspiration to recall later or share with your team.

Users of the TikTok Ad Library face two major issues: not being able to search by brand or keyword and not being able to save ads. However, there are tools that can help on both fronts, with Discovery and Swipe File from Foreplay being at the forefront. Keep reading to find out how to download and save TikTok video ads with as little effort as possible. 

What is the TikTok Creative Center?

The TikTok Creative Center is a comprehensive digital marketing resource designed to assist businesses, marketers, and content creators in developing effective TikTok ads. 

This platform offers a range of features, including access to top-performing ads, trending hashtags, and popular songs, enabling users to gain insights into successful marketing strategies. With tools for video editing, customizable templates, and an extensive music library, the Creative Center streamlines the ad creation process.

Additionally, the Creative Center provides analytic insights that help users monitor ad performance and understand audience engagement. Marketers can refine their campaigns by analyzing competitor ads and current trends to align with what resonates most with TikTok's dynamic user base. 

Overall, the TikTok Creative Center serves as a valuable hub for enhancing creativity and optimizing advertising efforts on the platform. However, users still face issues such as not being able to search by keywords or brands and not being able to save ads. With Foreplay’s suite of tools, these issues can be easily overcome.  

Let’s move on and look at some examples of ads in the TikTok creative center, particularly some of the specific ad types that users can search. 

Examples of ads in the TikTok Creative Center

One of the standout features of the TikTok Creative Center is that it allows users to find ads according to various categories, with “Top Ads by Industry” and “Successful Ad Formats” being two of the most useful. 

Top Ads by Industry

The TikTok Creative Center showcases Top Ads by Industry, highlighting successful campaigns across various sectors such as beauty, fashion, food, and technology. 

These ads serve as benchmarks for marketers, illustrating effective strategies and creative approaches tailored to specific audiences. 

The example below shows a captivating Sephora advertisement promoting the MAKE UP FOR EVER Foundation. This video is within the beauty industry niche. This is just one example of how ads in the TikTok Creative Center can be categorized. 

▶️ View Full Video Ad

Successful ad formats

Within the Creative Center, users can explore Successful Ad Formats that have proven effective on the platform. Key formats include In-Feed ads, Brand Takeover ads, TopView ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges, and Ads with Branded Effects. 

Understanding these formats allows marketers to choose the best campaign approach, maximizing engagement and reach.

For instance, the following example is an in-feed ad by ESPN+ promoting their streaming services to watch the NHL all season.

▶️ View Full Video Ad

These are the two main methods users can use to search for ads within the TikTok Ad Library. However, it is also important to know that TikTok ads feature a variety of creative elements that drive performance, such as those below. 

Creative elements that drive performance

The Creative Center emphasizes different creative elements, showcasing how specific components like music, text overlays, visual effects, and interactive features can enhance ad effectiveness. 

For instance, ads that incorporate trending music capture attention and create an emotional connection with viewers. Moreover, strategic text overlays can highlight key messages or calls to action, while engaging visual effects can make ads more memorable. 

By effectively utilizing these creative elements, brands can significantly boost user engagement and overall campaign performance. In the following example, Oreo promotes its limited edition BLACKPINK x OREO cookies using captivating visuals, text, and upbeat music, demonstrating how all three elements come together to create a successful TikTok ad. 

▶️ View Full Video Ad

If you’re wondering what the TikTok Creative Center offers, keep reading to learn its main features. 

TikTok Creative Center main features

The TikTok Creative Center offers a variety of features that improve creativity and optimize performance. 

Users can access tools for inspiration, trend analysis, and creative development, making crafting engaging content tailored to TikTok's unique audience easier. 

The analytics integration allows for real-time performance tracking, ensuring that campaigns can be adjusted based on data-driven insights. Here are just some of the standout features of the TikTok Creative Center. 

Here are the most important aspects of the TikTok Creative Center. 

Inspiration tools

The Inspiration Tools section of the TikTok Creative Center is essential for generating innovative ad ideas. It includes several key features, such as the Top Ads Dashboard, Keyword Insights, and Creative Insights. 

Here’s how TikTok helps inspire your ad campaigns:

Top Ads Dashboard

The Top Ads Dashboard showcases high-performing ads from various industries, allowing users to analyze successful strategies and creative approaches. By viewing these examples, marketers can gain valuable insights into what resonates with audiences and apply this knowledge to their own campaigns.

Keyword Insights

Keyword Insights provides data on trending keywords and popular search terms within the TikTok ecosystem. This feature helps users identify relevant topics and optimize their content for better visibility and engagement using the most searched words and terms, ensuring their ads align with current user interests.

Creative Insights

The Creative Insights tool offers analytics on ad performance metrics such as engagement rates and audience demographics. By understanding which elements of their ads are effective, marketers can refine their strategies and increase their campaigns' overall impact and reach. 

Top Products

The Top Products section highlights trending items on TikTok, complete with popularity and engagement metrics statistics. This feature is invaluable for brands looking to align their advertising efforts with products currently capturing consumer attention. It is also ideal for those looking to sell physical goods and products on TikTok.

Remember that Foreplay can help you easily find, download, save, and organize the best TikTok ads for a streamlined ad campaign workflow. 

Aside from inspirational tools, the TikTok Creative Center also features a Trends section, another invaluable resource. 

Trends

The Trends section informs users about the latest hashtags, songs, and content creators gaining traction on TikTok. By staying updated on these trends, marketers can create relevant content that taps into the current cultural conversation, increasing the likelihood of engagement and virality.

The Trends section highlights popular content and provides insights into emerging themes and audience preferences. Marketers can identify patterns that resonate with specific demographics by analyzing trending hashtags and songs, allowing for more targeted and effective ad campaigns. 

This data-driven approach helps brands align their messaging with users' engagement, fostering a deeper connection with their audience.

Furthermore, the Trends section encourages experimentation and creativity. Marketers can take advantage of trending challenges or viral formats to create fresh and up-to-date content. 

By participating in these challenges and conversations, brands can enhance their visibility on the platform and position themselves as relevant players within the TikTok community. This proactive engagement boosts brand awareness and cultivates a loyal following as users appreciate brands that stay in tune with the latest trends.

The third set of features of the TikTok Creative Center worth examining are the creative tools, as seen below. 

Creative Tools

The Creative Tools section available in the TikTok Creative Center empowers users to produce high-quality ads easily, with video generators, symphony assistants, and a large music library standing out.

Here are just some of TikTok’s creative tools to be familiar with: 

Video Generator

The Video Generator allows users to create videos quickly using customizable templates. This feature simplifies the video creation process by providing pre-designed layouts that can be tailored to fit specific marketing goals or brand aesthetics, allowing marketers to start running effective ads sooner. 

Symphony Assistant 

The Symphony Assistant is an AI-driven tool that helps users craft compelling scripts for their ads. By inputting basic information about the product or service, marketers receive structured script suggestions that include engaging hooks and calls to action, streamlining the content creation process. 

Commercial Music Library

The Commercial Music Library offers an extensive selection of licensed tracks suitable for use in ads. Users can browse through a nearly endless catalog of music options, ensuring they find the perfect soundtrack to maximize their video's appeal while complying with copyright regulations.

Now that we know the main features of the TikTok Creative Center, let’s find out how to access it. 

How to access the TikTok Creative Center

To access the TikTok Creative Center, visit the official website at creativecenter.tiktok.com. Then, log in using your TikTok account credentials, which may include your email, phone number, or Google account. 

If you don’t have a TikTok account yet, you must create one to access the platform's features.

While anyone can explore some basic sections of the Creative Center, such as trending hashtags and sounds, a TikTok Business account is required to unlock advanced tools like the Top Ads Dashboard and Audio Library, an issue that many face. 

However, with Foreplay, you don’t need a TikTok account to view ads. This tool allows you to access and analyze ads directly through the Discovery feature without a TikTok account. To create and publish ads on TikTok, though, you will still need a Business account. 

Once logged in, you'll be directed to the Creative Center homepage, where you can start exploring various resources and tools tailored for marketers and content creators. On that note, let’s discuss how to use the TikTok Creative Center. 

How to use the TikTok Creative Center

The TikTok Creative Center offers a comprehensive suite of tools to help advertisers and creators elevate their content. 

This platform provides everything needed to create engaging, high-performing TikTok ads, from discovering inspiration in top-performing ads to taking advantage of trend data and optimizing your creative strategy. 

Here’s how to use the TikTok Creative Center effectively, starting with finding some inspiration:

Explore the Inspiration section

Start browsing Top Ads in the Inspiration section to see high-performing content across various industries and regions. Use the Keyword Insights feature to explore trending phrases and language that resonate with audiences. 

Once you know what resonates with audiences, use Creative Insights to see which video styles, visual elements, and formats drive engagement. This section is essential for sparking fresh ideas and understanding what works on TikTok. If you’re having trouble finding ads, the filters below can help. 

Use filters to find relevant ads

Using filters in the TikTok Creative Center can significantly streamline finding relevant ads that align with your campaign goals and industry. 

Instead of manually sifting through countless ads, you can easily use various filters to narrow your search effectively. Key filters include:

• Country: Explore ads from competitors in specific regions.
• Industry: Focus on ads relevant to your niche.
• Objective: Refine your search based on desired campaign outcomes, such as conversions or app installs.
• Duration: Select ads within a specific time range to ensure quick viewer engagement.
• Time frame: Focus on the most recent ads to keep insights up-to-date with current trends.

By utilizing these filters, marketers can efficiently identify high-performing ads that can inspire their own campaigns. However, using trend data is another essential way to optimize ads on TikTok. 

Leverage trend data

Aligning your campaigns with the latest trends is important to staying relevant on TikTok. Use the information provided within the Trends section about trending hashtags, songs, creators, and videos based on your region and industry. Integrate these popular cultural elements into your ads, ensuring your content feels timely and engaging.

Once you know what ads, hashtags, and formats work best for your industry, you can start putting together your TikTok ads using creative tools. 

Create or edit ads with Creative Tools

TikTok Creative Center provides a suite of creative tools that simplify video ad creation, which we covered in great detail in the above section. Use the Video Editor to customize your content with TikTok-styled elements like music, text overlays, and filters. 

If you're short on time, the Video Templates allow you to quickly create professional ads by uploading existing assets. With these tools, even beginners can produce high-quality ads that align with TikTok's style and audience expectations. Then, the Commercial Music Library can help you find the best audio for your video content.

Use the Commercial Music Library

Music is a key component of TikTok content, and the Commercial Music Library offers a searchable collection of audio tracks cleared for use in ads. 

You can filter by genre, mood, or theme to find the perfect background music for your campaign. 

This library, with access to popular and royalty-free tracks, helps ensure your ad stands out and is compliant with licensing regulations. Choose audio that resonates best with your audience and your company’s theme or product. 

With your ad created, you can use various tools to optimize your creative strategy. 

Optimize your creative strategy

The Creative Tips Finder and Creative Strategies hubs provide valuable insights and playbooks to refine your ad campaigns. Learn from TikTok’s best practices, including creative principles that maximize engagement. 

You can explore playbooks designed for your industry and even take advantage of Creative Expert Courses to develop your skills in creating TikTok content. 

These resources help you stay ahead of the curve and create impactful ads by providing the in-depth knowledge you need to stay ahead of the competition. Once you’ve optimized your ads, you can launch them. The only thing left is to monitor and refine them as time goes on. 

Monitor and refine your ads

Once your ads are live, use the TikTok Creative Center to monitor their performance and gather insights. Creative Insights and Top Ads provide the data needed to understand what’s working and what’s not. Track key metrics such as engagement and conversions to identify areas for improvement. 

Furthermore, managing your budget effectively is crucial. TikTok allows you to set daily or lifetime spending limits, ensuring you stay within your financial goals while maximizing ad performance. 

By continually refining your ads based on performance data and budget considerations, you can enhance future campaigns and achieve better results. Let’s now find out how to download videos from the TikTok Creative Center using a simple yet effective tool, Foreplay. 

How to download videos from the TikTok Creative Center using Foreplay

Downloading videos from the TikTok Creative Center using Foreplay is fast and easy. It involves just a few simple steps, as detailed below.

Step 1: Find the ads you want to save from TikTok Creative Center

Using your browser, go to https://ads.tiktok.com/business/creativecenter/inspiration/topads/ and find an ad that you want to save. 

For example, we’re going to filter the TikTok Ad Library to display TikTok Ads targeted to the United States, in the apparel & accessories industry, 10 to 20 seconds long, with the objective of conversions to find great ads selling tapestries.

Perfect, we love the transition showing the way the product arrives in the mail, to how it looks when it is being used. 

Now it is time to save and download the video ad from TikTok Creative Center so we can share it with a TikTok creator. It is important to note here that unfortunately, TikTok Comments or other native engagement metrics are not displayed in the TikTok Ad Library.

Step 2: Use the Foreplay Chrome Extension to save TikTok ads

Using the Foreplay Chrome Extension, you can easily save a TikTok video ad so you can analyze it whenever you see fit. 

Here’s how to save a TikTok ad using the Foreplay Chrome Extension: 

Using the Foreplay Chrome Extension

Using our Chrome Extension makes saving TikTok ads for future analysis simple and straightforward. First, you have to download the Foreplay Chrome Extension. 

Once you download the Foreplay Chrome Extension, ad pages in the TikTok Creative Center will now have a "Save to Foreplay" button that will allow you to instantly send ads straight to your Foreplay boards.

Just select the board and click “Save to Foreplay”. 

Just like that your TikTok Ad inspiration is saved. To make your life creating TikTok ad campaigns even easier, Foreplay will also save the following from TikTok:

• TikTok Ad Copy
• Display Format (Vertical or Horizontal)
• TikTok Campaign Objective
• Advertising Industry

With Foreplay, you can download the TikTok video directly to your computer.

Step 3 (optional): Share your saved TikTok ads

Foreplay doesn’t stop there, as this ad spy tool is built from the ground up for collaboration. You can share boards with clients or colleagues quickly and easily. Just hit the “Share” button in the top right corner to do it. 

This will create a unique link to your board that you can share. When you share your Foreplay boards, the person you’re sharing with does not need a Foreplay account, allowing for an even more streamlined operation.

Foreplay not only provides an easy way to download and save ads from TikTok Creative Center but also allows you to Save Ads From Facebook Ad Library, making Foreplay the perfect place to gather Ad inspiration and ideas and collaborate with your creative team. Give it a try!

Before we wrap things up, let’s look at some TikTok Creative Center use cases.

TikTok Creative Center use cases

The TikTok Creative Center can be used in many ways, from campaign planning and creative inspiration to content creation and trend-based marketing.

Here are the most effective ways to use the TikTok Creative Center: 

Campaign planning and creative inspiration

The TikTok Creative Center is an excellent resource for campaign planning and creative inspiration. It provides marketers with access to a wealth of information, including trending ads, popular hashtags, and successful content strategies. 

By exploring the Top Ads Dashboard, users can analyze high-performing campaigns across various industries, gaining insights into effective messaging and creative elements. This allows brands to develop innovative concepts that resonate with their target audience and align with current trends.

Furthermore, the Creative Center fosters creativity by offering tools that encourage experimentation. Marketers can use features like keyword insights and creative templates to brainstorm new ideas and refine their campaigns. 

This combination of data-driven inspiration and creative tools empowers users to craft compelling narratives that stand out in the crowded TikTok landscape. When combined with Foreplay, the TikTok Creative Center is a fantastic tool for taking your campaigns to the next level. 

Content creation and optimization

The TikTok Creative Center provides essential tools that streamline the ad development process, allowing for simple ad creation and optimization. The platform offers a user-friendly video editor equipped with customizable templates, allowing marketers to produce professional-quality ads without extensive editing experience. 

These templates are designed to align with TikTok's unique style, ensuring that content feels authentic and engaging.

Moreover, the Creative Center enables users to optimize their content by analyzing performance metrics from previous campaigns. 

By reviewing engagement rates, viewer demographics, and other key indicators, marketers can make informed adjustments to their ads. This iterative approach ensures that content remains relevant and effective, maximizing its impact on the audience.

Trend-based marketing

Next, trend-based marketing is a powerful strategy that the TikTok Creative Center allows marketers to use. The platform provides real-time insights into trending hashtags, songs, and challenges, enabling marketers to create timely content that taps into popular culture. 

By aligning their campaigns with current trends, brands can enhance their visibility and engagement on the platform.

Moreover, participating in viral challenges or utilizing trending audio clips can significantly boost a brand's reach. 

The Creative Center encourages users to explore these trends actively, allowing them to craft ads that resonate with TikTok's vibrant community. 

Performance analysis and ad optimization

Performance analysis and ad optimization are critical components of any successful marketing strategy on TikTok. The Creative Center offers excellent analytics tools, allowing users to track ad performance in real time. 

Examining metrics such as impressions, click-through rates, and engagement levels can give marketers valuable insights into what works and what doesn't.

With this data at their fingertips, advertisers can refine their strategies by adjusting creative elements or targeting parameters based on audience feedback. Continuous monitoring and optimization ensure that campaigns remain effective over time, helping brands achieve their marketing goals while adapting to the ever-changing landscape of TikTok trends. 

This proactive approach enhances ad performance and maximizes marketing efforts' return on investment (ROI), which is, of course, the overall goal.

Using Foreplay to download ads from the TikTok Creative Center: Conclusion

The TikTok Creative Center is a valuable resource for marketers and businesses aiming to optimize their advertising efforts on TikTok. With tools for ad discovery, trend analysis, and creative development, the platform provides essential insights into top-performing ads, popular content, and current trends. 

Although it lacks certain features like the ability to save or search ads by keywords, third-party tools like Foreplay bridge these gaps, making it easier to organize, save, and collaborate on TikTok ads. By combining TikTok's creative elements with Foreplay’s efficiency, advertisers can streamline their workflow, craft engaging ads, and maximize campaign success. 

Whether you're planning campaigns, generating ad inspiration, or analyzing performance, the TikTok Creative Center, complemented by Foreplay, offers the comprehensive toolkit needed to excel in today’s competitive digital landscape.

Start your free trial with Foreplay today! 

Frequently asked questions

What features does the TikTok Creative Center provide?

The TikTok Creative Center offers a variety of tools, including access to Top Ads, Trends (hashtags, songs, creators), Creative Insights, Video Templates, Video Editor, and the Commercial Music Library. These resources help users create, analyze, and optimize TikTok ads, keeping their campaigns aligned with current trends and audience behaviors.

Is the TikTok Creative Center free to use?

Yes, the TikTok Creative Center is completely free to use. You can explore its features without logging in, but creating an account gives you access to additional personalized insights and tools.

Can you spy on competitor ads with TikTok Creative Center?

TikTok Creative Center lets you view high-performing ads across industries through the Top Ads feature, offering insights into successful campaigns. However, for more comprehensive competitor tracking, Foreplay’s Spyder Tool enables users to monitor competitor brands on autopilot, providing deeper insights into competitor strategies and performance trends.

How can users maximize their experience with the TikTok Creative Center?

Users can maximize their TikTok Creative Center experience by exploring trends, using creative tools, and tracking ad performance with insights. For an enhanced experience, Foreplay offers a suite of tools that streamline the ad inspiration process, including curated ads and seamless collaboration features, allowing marketers to optimize their creative workflow and stay ahead in their campaigns.