TikTok Ad Launch Workflow

A creative-first workflow for launching TikTok ads. The sequence is fixed: creative → placement → account scan → propose. Placement is decided second, immediately after the creative, because on TikTok the creative format dictates the placement and placement can never be changed after the ad group exists.

Tool behavior: the entire launch — campaign, ad group and ads — is proposed in ONE call to tiktok_propose_create_campaign_structure. Each entity gets its own operation_id. Through AI app connections TikTok changes can only be validated as a dry run: show the user the validated launch, then give them the steps to apply it in TikTok Ads Manager (see tiktok-ads). Where a live call is possible, it executes in dependency order (campaign → ad group → ads). Never thread IDs between slots — the server wires each new parent's ID into its children.

HARD RULE — Creation Failure Limit (strictly enforced)

If a launch call fails 2 or more times within the same workflow, STOP. Do not propose again, do not retry, do not attempt a workaround.

"I've attempted this step twice and it wasn't successful both times. This looks like it needs a change in TikTok Ads Manager or an account permission I can't resolve from here. I'd suggest reviewing the error above before trying again in a new conversation. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

A "failure" is a validation error (601), a platform error (403), or a thrown exception. A user rejecting a card is NOT a failure. Partial success is NOT a failure — re-propose only the failed children with adgroup_id.

Never keep varying one parameter to escape an error. If a create fails on targeting or placement, the fix is almost always a different field than the one you just changed. Guessing countries one at a time is the classic wrong loop.

Sub-Skill Index

Slot combinations (each parent is a config to create XOR an existing ID):

• campaign + adgroup + ads → full launch
• campaign_id + adgroup + ads → new ad group + ads under an existing campaign
• adgroup_id + ads → add ads to an existing ad group
• ONE ad group per call. More ad groups → one call each, passing campaign_id.

Phase 1 — Get the Creative

The creative comes first, always.

• Image, video or carousel attached → go to Phase 2.
• Referenced an existing ad → pull it and go to Phase 2.
• Nothing attached → ask exactly one question: "Share the creative, or point me to an existing ad to clone." No objective, budget or audience questions.

Exception — catalog / shop ads. If the user asks to promote a product feed or store rather than a specific creative ("run catalog ads", "promote my products", "GMV Max"), there is no creative to collect. Skip to the inventory check in Phase 3 instead, and pick the path from what actually exists:

Having a store does not imply having a catalog — most Shop accounts have a store and zero catalogs. Check before promising either path.

Phase 2 — Decide the Placement (TikTok-specific, do this early)

The creative format decides the placement, and the placement decides everything downstream. Get this wrong and the ad group must be rebuilt — it cannot be edited.

Three rules that cause most launch failures:

1. A single image ad cannot run on TikTok feed. Doc 1777633230937090 — image ads exist only on Pangle and Global App Bundle. On TikTok placement the create fails with Incorrect source field (40002), which names nothing.
2. The identity type must match the placement. Spark identities (BC_AUTH_TT, TT_USER) exist only on TikTok. Pangle and Global App Bundle take the advertiser's own CUSTOMIZED_USER identity. Mixing them gives the same Incorrect source field.
3. Pangle and Global App Bundle serve far fewer countries than TikTok, and the list depends on the ad account's registration market. Verify before proposing — see Phase 3.

If the user supplied a still image and wants US or UK delivery, say so plainly before proposing: image ads cannot serve there on most accounts, and the options are a Pangle-eligible country or a video creative.

Phase 3 — Scan the Account

Pull what you need to propose without asking. Synthesise into 1–2 lines; never dump raw data.

• Existing campaigns/ad groups — objective, optimization goal, budgets, geos
• tiktok_get_identities — note which types exist. You need a CUSTOMIZED_USER identity for image ads and a BC_AUTH_TT/TT_USER one for video. If the required type is missing, that's a blocker worth stating early.
• Pixel(s) via tiktok_list_pixels when optimizing for CONVERT/VALUE
• Catalog / store inventory via tiktok_list_catalogs — only for the catalog or GMV Max paths. resource: CATALOG → PRODUCT_SET → PRODUCT (individual SKUs), or resource: STORE for TikTok Shop. This is a read-only listing; it cannot create a catalog, a product set, or a store.
• Available locations for the chosen placement. Call /tool/region/ with placements + objective_type (tiktok_search_targeting surfaces this). Never assume a country is eligible, and never copy a country list from documentation — the live list differs per account and changes.

Synthesis output: "Ref: <campaign> — Website conversions / CONVERT+SHOPPING / US 18-55 / $25/day. Pixel <n>, identity <name> (BC_AUTH_TT)."

Phase 4 — Propose or Ask

Default to proposing. Ask only when a choice genuinely changes the outcome: multiple ad accounts, an ambiguous funnel stage, or no reference data and unknown budget. Batch into one turn, max 2 questions, tappable options.

Phase 5 — Show the Configuration

Then send the proposal as a dry run and show the user exactly what it would create.

Phase 6 — Launch (ONE call)

tiktok_propose_create_campaign_structure({
  "advertiser_id": "...",
  "currency_code": "USD",
  "campaign": { ...per references/campaign.md... },
  "adgroup":  { ...per references/ad-group.md... },
  "ads":      [ ...per references/ad.md... ]
})

• Never split into one call per entity. Never pass IDs between slots.
• Everything is created PAUSED (operation_status: DISABLE). TikTok's own default is ENABLE — i.e. live spend on approval — so the server forces DISABLE unless the user explicitly asks otherwise. Enable after review.
• The dry run persists operations; the live call takes only operation_ids + account_id. Do not resend the full payload on the live call.

Other campaign families — dedicated tools, not this launch flow

• Upgraded Smart+: reads tiktok_get_smart_plus, writes tiktok_propose_manage_smart_plus — load references/smart-plus.md first; the payload rules differ from everything in this skill.
• Reach & Frequency (reservation buying): estimate with tiktok_get_reach_frequency, then tiktok_propose_manage_reach_frequency. CREATE_ADGROUP RESERVES REAL BUDGET on approval and cannot be paused; the account must be R&F-allowlisted AND hold a Commercial Contract for Branding.
• Split tests: tiktok_get_split_test / tiktok_propose_manage_split_test — CREATE overwrites both ad groups' budgets and requires them ENABLED.
• Appeals & offline events: tiktok_get_offline_event_sets / tiktok_propose_manage_review_and_events — an appeal is one-shot per rejection.

Reading TikTok's errors

TikTok returns 40002 for almost everything and rarely names the field. The server rewrites the two worst offenders — trust its added explanation.

Never re-upload a creative in response to any of these. The asset is fine; the configuration is not.