TikTok is testing Engaged Session, a new tool that lets advertisers track post-click engagement. As reported by AdWeek, the feature will allow advertisers to measure what users do after they click on an ad without needing pixel tracking.

According to an email sent to ad buyers and cited by AdWeek, the Engaged Session tool targets users who click a TikTok ad and then stay on a website or landing page for at least 10 seconds.

Why TikTok is moving away from pixels

Traditional tracking through browser pixels has become harder to maintain because of evolving privacy regulations and browser-level restrictions. This is a challenge not just for TikTok, but also for Meta and Google, who have relied on pixel tracking for years to follow users across the web and retarget them. Using Engaged Session, TikTok wants to take a more privacy-conscious route.

What Engaged Session does for advertisers

The Engaged Session tool allows retargeting of users based on their on-site activity after the ad click, not just the click itself. With this tool, TikTok aims to help brands find users who take the time to explore their sites. The platform claims the tool gives advertisers access to metrics such as:

• Total Engaged Sessions: How many users stayed on a site for more than 10 seconds.
• Cost per Engaged Session: How much it costs to reach users who meet that threshold.

TikTok also said the metrics are designed to align with third-party tools like Google and Adobe Analytics.

Where the tool fits in TikTok’s ad platform

Engaged Session is currently available under TikTok’s Traffic Objective, which is the part of its ad platform that helps brands drive clicks to their websites. The feature can be toggled on across all types of TikTok ads, including Search Ads.

Engaged Session is still in the testing phase. That means advertisers with access are likely part of a limited rollout. A media agency executive told AdWeek that TikTok had informed some buyers the feature would start rolling out to advertisers on July 31, but as of last week, there hasn’t been a formal public announcement. A TikTok spokesperson told AdWeek: “We regularly experiment with a variety of features and tests to gather feedback and learn from our community, and some of the tests don’t always end up as final products.”

How Engaged Session compares to moves by Meta and others

Platforms like Meta and Google are also moving toward deeper post-click insights. Meta recently integrated Google Analytics into its ad platform, allowing advertisers to bring in their existing GA data and combine it with Meta’s ad performance metrics.

This is part of a broader trend where ad platforms are trying to rebuild trust in attribution and help advertisers see the full path users take.

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