Additionally, BuzzFeed, Condé Nast, Dotdash Meredith, Hearst, Vox, the National Football League, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, World Wrestling Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship are already part of Pulse Premiere.

More premium means higher CPMs

So far, not all brands are sold that Pulse is a necessary part of their TikTok buy. Pulse has the potential to drive brand awareness, and it can help companies maximize visibility, but its incremental benefit compared to the rest of TikTok is not clear, said Corinne Skala, director of paid social at Tinuiti.

“As Pulse aligns with premium content, we frequently encounter CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) that are two to three times higher than those of other upper-funnel campaigns,” Skala said. “Since its engagement metrics are comparable to those of less costly campaigns, solely evaluating it on these metrics might suggest that it is less effective or not worth the additional expense.”

Still, buyers are encouraged that TikTok continues to improve its appeal to marketers.

“It shows the platform’s continued investment in the North American market despite pending litigation and larger current events,” said Liam Johnson, group account director at performance agency Brainlabs.