How to Master TikTok Events API for Better Tracking

In recent years, marketers have been facing a huge challenge in navigating privacy regulations, cookie phase-outs and tracking limitations. That’s where the TikTok Events API comes in. It allows advertisers to send first-party data back to TikTok. 

In this guide, we’ll explain what the TikTok Events API is, its core benefits for advertisers, and how you can easily set it up using ClickFlare.

What Is the TikTok Events API and Why Does It Matter for Campaign Tracking?

TikTok Events API is a server-side tracking solution by TikTok that allows advertisers to share marketing data directly with the ad platform. This includes events such as page views, purchases, sign-ups and more. 

With the TikTok Events API, advertisers can track and attribute conversions more effectively, understand user behavior better, and optimize their TikTok campaigns with more accurate data.

How TikTok Events API Works: An Overview of Server-Side Tracking

Unlike traditional tracking methods that rely on browser cookies, the Events API is not affected by cookie restrictions, browser privacy settings, or ad blockers. This is what makes it more accurate and reliable for data tracking. 

Each time a user takes an action on your website, like filling out a form or making a purchase, first-party data, such as email addresses, IP locations, value, more, is recorded. Through TikTok’s Events API, this information is sent directly to TikTok. They use this data to improve ad targeting, optimize campaign performance, and provide better insights. 

Top Benefits of TikTok Events API for Accurate Ad Optimization

1. Robust and Reliable Tracking

As the advertising world adapts to new privacy rules and fewer third-party tracking options, the Events API provides a robust solution. By using it alongside TikTok’s Pixel, your tracking will remain accurate and reliable. 

2. Improved Ad Delivery and Targeting

TikTok’s Events API helps you capture more conversion data that may be missed when using the Pixel alone. Issues like browser restrictions or connectivity problems can result in incomplete data. With the Events API, these missed conversions are reported accurately, allowing TikTok to optimize your ads better and deliver them to the right audience, improving overall campaign performance. 

3. Streamlined Data Sharing

The TikTok Events API simplifies how you share event data by combining everything into one system. Whether the data comes from your website, mobile apps, or another channel, it will all be sent to TikTok through a single API. This makes managing your data much easier and saves you time and effort. 

4. Granular Control Over Shared Data

With the TikTok Events API, you have full control over what data you send to TikTok. You only have to share what is needed for your campaigns, which gives you more flexibility. 

What Can You Track with the TikTok Events API?

The TikTok Events API allows you to track a wide range of user actions, including website events like purchases, add-to-cart, page views, and button clicks, as well as mobile app events such as app installs and purchases. 

You can also track offline events like in-store purchases to get a full picture. 

Additionally, the API supports custom events which you can create in line with your specific needs. 

TikTok Events API vs TikTok Pixel: Which Tracking Method Is Best?

The TikTok Pixel is a browser-based tracking tool that captures user actions directly from your website, while the TikTok Events API is a server-to-server tracking solution that sends data directly from your server to TikTok. 

As explained above, the Pixel may miss events due to privacy settings and cookie limitations, whereas the Events API ensures more reliable tracking, independent of these limitations.

While each has its strengths, they work best together, offering a tracking solution that combines the real-time flexibility of the Pixel with the accuracy of the Events API.

How to Set Up TikTok Events API with ClickFlare: A Step-by-Step Guide

Most advertisers use ad tracking software to collect data and post it back to TikTok via the Events API. ClickFlare has one of the most advanced Conversion APIs in the industry, and in this guide we will show you how to integrate it easily with TikTok. 

First, you’ll need to set up the TikTok Pixel. For this, you need to go to TikTok Ads Manager and then to Tools. You need to click on Events to be directed to TikTok Events Manager.

After clicking on Get Started, a new window will open where you’ll choose between managing App or Website events. For this example, we’ll select Web Events. 

Next, you need to select between the two different data connection methods. To connect TikTok to ClickFlare, you need to choose the manual setup. 

Next, you need to indicate that you will be using the TikTok Pixel and Events API in combination. 

If you don’t have a pixel yet, you need to create one. You will need to name the pixel, inject the base code onto your website, and verify your setup. TikTok has a full guide on how to create a pixel. 

Once you have created the pixel, you simply need to go to Settings and Generate Access Token. Copy the pixel ID and the access token. You will need these to finalize the setup on ClickFlare. 

Now, it’s time to log into your ClickFlare account. Once you’re in, you need to click on Settings and then Integrations. You will see a few different integration types here – the one we’re looking for is Conversion API Integrations.

Here you will see a list of all available integrations. You need to select TikTok.  

You can give the integration a name of your choosing and then click on Add a New Pixel in order to connect the pixel we set up in the previous step. You will need to add here the pixel name, pixel ID and access token you copied from TikTok.

The Event Type Mapping is the most important part, because here you will determine which tracked ClickFlare events you will send back to TikTok, and how. ClickFlare is one of the only trackers that gives you the freedom to do this. You can also pass multiple events. After all, the more data you send to TikTok, the better they can optimize your campaigns. In this example, we are sending ClickFlare Conversions as Complete Registration to TikTok, and Payment Completed as Complete Payment. 

Finally, under Event Data Configuration you need to set up the parameters you want to send to TikTok and assign a ClickFlare token to populate each one. Keep in mind that some parameters are mandatory and cannot be modified or removed. 

After you click on Next, your TikTok integration will be finalized. From that point onwards, ClickFlare will continuously post the selected events to TikTok to enrich the ad pixel and improve your campaign performance. 

If you are advertising on Facebook, you can also integrate the Facebook Conversion API directly with ClickFlare.

Conclusion

The TikTok Events API is an essential tool for advertisers looking to optimize their campaigns with accurate, reliable data. By directly integrating the TikTok Event API, you can track more events, improve ad targeting, and centralize data sharing across multiple channels. With tools like ClickFlare, setting up and leveraging the TikTok Events API has never been easier, ensuring your campaigns are set up for success.