TikTok Advertising Trends: What UAE Brands Should Know in 2025

In the UAE, brands are adapting to an ever-changing social landscape, and TikTok has become a key part of it. To optimize your TikTok budget in 2025, here are the trends to follow and some concrete ways to put them into practice.

Why TikTok Matters More Than Ever in the UAE?

Before diving into formats and strategy, some key stats to set the stage:

Almost 100% internet penetration in the UAE. Nearly the entire population is online. DataReportal – Global Digital Insights
Social media use is also near saturation; TikTok’s reach among adults continues to climb. DataReportal – Global Digital Insights+2Sprinklr+2
A young, multicultural, and mobile audience. Abundant multilingual content, international tastes, but also a strong preference for content with a local flavor.

All of this means that being on TikTok isn’t just about notoriety; it’s also about relevance, speed, and cultural resonance.

Key Trends Shaping TikTok Advertising in 2025

Here are the big changes and emerging practices you need to be aware of:

1. Creative & Content: Authenticity + Local Flavor

Spark Ads & Influencer-Amplified Content: Instead of polished ads, brands are using content created by creators (influencers or micro-creators) and amplifying it through Spark Ads. This helps maintain authenticity and limit ad fatigue.
Multilingual Storytelling: Arabic (including local dialects), English, and other languages, depending on the audience (South Asian, expatriate), are used in a mix. Subtitles or bilingual voiceovers are common.
Trend-Responsive Creatives: Using trending sounds, editing styles, or challenges—adapted to local context. UAE brands are doing well when they don’t try to force global trends without localization.

2. Formats & Ad Types with Impact

In-Feed Ads: These remain effective because they blend into users’ feeds, particularly effective for product launches, promotions, and seasonal sales.
Spark Ads: As above, using creator content that already looks like it ‘belongs’ in the feeds.
Brand Takeovers / TopView Ads: Full-screen or high-impact entry ads are used for major launches or brand promotion. Their higher cost makes them ideal for rapid reach and impact.
Hashtag Challenges & Branded Effects / AR: Good for engagement and user participation. When done well, they also generate user-generated content (UGC) you can re-use.
Live Commerce & Shops: The cycle from discovery to purchase is shrinking thanks to TikTok Shop & live-streamed selling. UAE brands increasingly integrate direct purchase links or even host live sessions with influencers to push conversion.

3. Data & AI Tools Becoming More Central

Insight Tools & Trend Prediction: Brands with early access to tools (e.g., TikTok Backstage in the UAE) are using those to see what content resonates, what times are high traffic, and what styles are trending.
AI-Assisted Creative / Personalization: From automating video editing or captions to tailoring creatives to user segments (language, culture, interests) — AI is being used both to scale and to personalize.

4. Regulatory, Cultural, and Timing Considerations

Advertising / Content Permit Requirements: The UAE has been tightening rules. People creating promotional content (even unpaid) may need permits. Be aware of compliance.
Cultural Moments: Ramadan, UAE National Day, Eid, etc. These are powerful moments for locally resonant content. Brands that plan around them, rather than react, tend to do better.
Best Times to Post / Engagement Windows: Because of how TikTok’s algorithm pushes content heavily when engagement happens early, understanding when your target audience is active matters more than ever.

What’s Next: Where This Is Heading?

Looking ahead, some developments to prepare for:

TikTok offers more AI tools to facilitate creative creation, targeting, and predictive analytics.
Increased emphasis on social and community commerce: live broadcasts, interactive shopping, seamless integration of user-generated content.
Tighter integration between organic and paid content: Brands that blur the lines (while remaining authentic) have a strong chance of success.
Strengthened regulation and transparency, particularly regarding influencer content and sponsored posts.

Conclusion

For brands in the UAE, advertising on TikTok is no longer an option in 2025: it’s becoming one of the main channels for awareness and conversion. What sets successful brands apart is their ability to combine creativity with local relevance, iterate quickly, and optimize the customer journey (from discovery to purchase).

By starting with small-scale tests, engaging local creators, and paying attention to early data signals, you’ll see what works and then scale intelligently.

Ready to take your TikTok campaigns to the next level? Need help developing a strategy, creating localized content, or simply running effective ads? Contact Panamedia. Specializing in transforming data into real growth, they’re tailored to the UAE.