TikTok Adds New Website Visitor Retargeting Options

Posted on July 31, 2025
Source: Social Media Today – Latest News by Andrew Hutchinson. Read the original article

TL;DR Summary of TikTok’s New User Tracking Option for Advertisers

TikTok is launching a new Engaged Session tracking feature that measures user activity outside the app without using tracking pixels. This tool helps advertisers target users who spend at least 10 seconds on a website after clicking an ad, providing better insights into engagement and purchase intent. While it offers improved metrics aligned with platforms like Google Analytics, it raises some privacy concerns given TikTok’s past tracking controversies. The feature will be available to selected advertisers starting July 31st.

Optimixed’s Overview: Enhancing Ad Performance with TikTok’s Innovative Engagement Tracking

Understanding TikTok’s Engaged Session Feature

TikTok’s new Engaged Session option is designed to help brands better understand how their TikTok ads drive meaningful user activity beyond the app. Instead of relying on traditional tracking pixels, this feature measures whether users spend at least 10 seconds on a website or retailer landing page after clicking an ad. This metric signals higher intent, allowing advertisers to retarget and optimize campaigns more effectively.

Key Benefits for Advertisers

  • Improved Targeting: Focus on users who demonstrate genuine interest by engaging with sites for a meaningful duration.
  • Insightful Metrics: Access to metrics like Total Engaged Sessions and Cost per Engaged Session that align with established analytics platforms such as Google and Adobe Analytics.
  • Broader Ad Placement: The feature will be available across all TikTok ad placements under the Traffic Objective, expanding targeting capabilities.

Privacy Considerations and Industry Context

While this enhancement provides valuable data for advertisers, it also comes amid ongoing concerns about TikTok’s extensive user tracking practices. Critics argue that TikTok collects more user data than many other apps, raising privacy questions. However, TikTok emphasizes that the Engaged Session tool only uses basic engagement information for retargeting purposes, aiming to balance advertiser needs with user privacy.

Availability and Implementation Timeline

According to communications with partners, TikTok plans to roll out the Engaged Session feature to selected advertisers starting on July 31st. This phased launch will allow brands to begin leveraging the new engagement insights to refine their advertising strategies on the platform.