If you own a local business in Thessaloniki, you might wonder whether advertising on TikTok makes sense for you. You see vertical videos on your phone every day, yet how TikTok Ads work and what they cost can feel confusing if you have never run them.
We want to explain it in plain words. We are a small team of four based in Kordelio, and we help local owners promote their work without jargon or empty promises.
This guide covers the platform tools, the kind of video you need and the budget involved, so you can decide whether it fits your goals.
How TikTok Ads Manager and Spark Ads work
When you pay to promote your business on TikTok, you use a tool called TikTok Ads Manager. This is where our strategist, Costas, sets up your campaigns, chooses the schedule and manages the spending.
One of the most useful options inside it is Spark Ads. Spark Ads let a business run its own organic TikTok posts as ads. Instead of making a separate commercial that looks out of place, you take a video that is already on your profile and pay to show it to more people.
With our TikTok Ads management, Costas handles the setup and tracking. At the end of the month he explains the results in plain words, so you know what happened with your money.
Why real vertical videos from your space fit best
TikTok videos are vertical (9:16) and fill the whole phone screen. That is why we film real video inside your own premises, rather than polished studio commercials.
Our founder and creative director, Antonis, comes to your business to direct and film the videos himself. He then edits them for TikTok and Instagram Reels. Before he arrives, our client success manager, Anna, agrees the shoot day and time with you, so filming never gets in the way of your service or customers. Usually one organised shoot a month gathers all the material you need.
We already do this kind of on-site social media video for local places like Sushaki and Mr Khinkali in Thessaloniki, and for Michelangelo Pizza, where we have filmed, edited and posted their Instagram and TikTok videos since 2022. If your customers do not want to be on camera, that is not a problem: we film hands, products, the process, the space, the equipment and the team. At the Modo Di Vita gym we film real training on the gym floor, and at Alice in Dogland we film everyday life with the dogs.
Which local businesses suit TikTok
TikTok is visual, so it works well when people can see what you make or do. It is a good choice for local businesses that want to reach a younger audience in the city:
- Food and drink: cafés, bars and restaurants that want to show dishes leaving the kitchen, drinks being poured or the atmosphere of the place.
- Fitness: gyms and studios where people want to see the equipment and the trainers before they visit.
- Personal care: hair salons, barbers and grooming spas, where showing the process and the result builds trust.
- Local shops: stores with products that look good on camera.
The real cost of TikTok Ads
When you plan the cost of TikTok Ads, look at two separate parts: the ad budget that goes to the platform, and our management fee.
First, our fee. For TikTok ad management on its own, we charge a fixed €70 a month, excluding 24% VAT. We never charge a percentage of your ad budget. To compare with Meta and Google, see our paid ads services or our monthly video and ad packages, which combine filming with Meta and Google Ads.
Second, the ad budget. You pay this directly to TikTok with your own card. Across our services, our general suggested minimum ad budget is €300 a month. But we want to be honest about how TikTok works.
TikTok’s Ads Manager help page says the daily budget must be more than $50 at campaign level and more than $20 at ad group level. Because of these minimums, an ad that runs every single day for a full month costs more than our general suggested minimum of €300 a month.
For a small local business, a sensible approach is to run TikTok ads for specific periods rather than all year. For example, you can switch a campaign on for an opening, a new menu or a seasonal offer. On our first call we agree a realistic budget and schedule. We work month to month with no contracts, and we send you one clear report every month.
Frequently asked questions
How do I pay for the ads and for your work?
You pay the two separately. For the ad budget, you add your own card to TikTok Ads Manager and pay the platform directly for the days your ads run. For our work, we invoice our fixed fee of €70 a month, excluding 24% VAT. We never take a percentage of your ad spend, and there is no long contract.
What if we do not have any videos yet?
You cannot run TikTok ads without video. If you have no clips ready, Antonis can visit your premises to film and edit vertical videos for you, and Anna arranges a shoot time that does not disturb your staff or guests. You can combine one of our video packages with TikTok management, or plan a shoot before your campaign starts.
Will TikTok Ads make my business go viral?
We never promise viral results, view counts or sales. Paid ads put your video in front of people in the area and age group we choose in the platform. How they react depends on your product, your offer and the video itself. Costas tracks the campaign and gives you an honest, plain-word report every month.
Can we run ads on Instagram and Facebook at the same time?
Yes. Our monthly packages (Launch €290, Grow €510, Scale €700 and Thrive €850, all excluding VAT) include vertical videos and Meta Ads management for Facebook and Instagram. TikTok and Instagram Reels both use the same vertical format, so the footage from one monthly shoot works on both.
Ready to talk about your business?
Everything starts with a free 30-minute call, where we listen to what you need and agree a sensible plan. To see whether TikTok fits your business, get in touch and Anna will set up a time.