Guide 8 of 15 in Level 1: Get set up

Connect your TikTok Ads account to Blackbox

To connect TikTok Ads to Blackbox (blackbox.plus), you need a login with access to the advertiser account through TikTok Business Center. In Blackbox, open Data, click Connect a channel, choose the TikTok Ads tile — not TikTok, which is the organic connection — and Continue to TikTok. The step people miss comes next: on the TikTok screen, tick every advertiser account you want reported on before confirming. Ticking none produces a connection with nothing in it, and the fix is to connect again and tick at least one. Back in Blackbox, tick the advertisers for this brand and save; the last 30 days of campaigns and spend then load. Blackbox reads campaigns, ad groups, spend, impressions, clicks and conversions, with daily history. It cannot change a budget, pause, resume or create anything unless you approve that change in Blackbox, cannot reach advertisers you did not tick, and cannot post to TikTok through this connection.

You'll need
  • TikTok Business Center access — Your login needs access to the advertiser account through TikTok Business Center.
  • Know your advertiser account — You tick it on TikTok’s screen — ticking none is the most common reason a connection comes back empty.
Time
About 3 minutes 5 steps Updated
You'll end with
Your TikTok advertiser connected, with 30 days of campaigns and spend in Blackbox
Do it in Blackbox Open Data, after you sign in
Example
Connecting TikTok Ads from the Data page

How to connect your TikTok Ads account to Blackbox

  1. Step 1:Open Data

    In Blackbox, click Data in the left menu.

    You'll see: Your channels, with Connect a channel at the top right.

  2. Step 2:Pick the TikTok Ads tile

    Click Connect a channel, then the TikTok Ads tile under Ad platforms. Not TikTok, which is a separate connection.

    You'll see: What you need and what happens next, with Continue to TikTok below.

  3. Step 3:Sign in to TikTok

    Click Continue to TikTok and sign in with your Business Center login.

    You'll see: TikTok’s screen, asking which advertiser accounts to share.

  4. Step 4:Tick at least one advertiser

    Tick every advertiser you want reported on, then confirm. Ticking none gives you a connection with nothing in it.

    You'll see: You’re back on Data, with the advertisers you shared.

  5. Step 5:Tick this brand’s advertisers

    Tick the advertisers that belong to this brand and click Save.

    You'll see: TikTok Ads shows as connected, and the last 30 days start loading.

Blackbox can read

  • Your campaigns and ad groups, and their spend, impressions, clicks and conversions
  • Daily performance history for trends and comparisons
  • The advertiser account names, and their Business Center when your login can see it

Blackbox will not

  • Change a budget, pause, resume or create anything unless you approve that change in Blackbox first
  • Reach advertiser accounts you did not tick on the TikTok screen
  • Post to TikTok — publishing is the separate organic TikTok connection

Good to know

  • New to Blackbox? Setup connects your first channel as one of its steps — see How to get started with Blackbox.
  • This reads advertising. Followers and video performance come from the separate TikTok tile.
  • Blackbox groups advertisers by Business Center when your login can see it, and works without it too.
  • Changes are proposed in Blackbox and nothing reaches the ad account until you approve that exact change.

If something doesn't work

Blackbox says no advertisers were returned

No advertiser was ticked on TikTok’s screen. Connect again and tick at least one advertiser account before confirming.

Some of my advertiser accounts are missing

Only the ones ticked on TikTok’s screen are shared. Reconnect and tick the rest, or ask your Business Center admin to give your login access first.

I’m worried Blackbox will spend my budget

It can’t by itself. Changes are proposed in Blackbox and applied only when you approve them.

I don’t have a Business Center

You need a login that can reach the advertiser account, which in practice means Business Center access. Ask whoever runs the account to add you.

I want to disconnect it

On the Data page, open the ⋯ menu on the channel's row and choose Disconnect. Blackbox hands the access back to TikTok at the same time. Past suggestions stay, but the synced numbers are cleared: reconnecting loads the last 30 days again, and older daily numbers don't come back.

Stuck at any step? Send us a message and we'll do it with you on a call. All of Level 1: Get set up