TikTok Trial New Creativity Program Paying Creators With Longer Videos

TikTok is testing a new way for creators on their platform. (photo: Pixabay dock)

JAKARTA - TikTok is testing a new way for creators on their platforms to get paid and posting longer videos is a condition.

The new program announced today, called the Creativity Program, is in beta testing in the US, France, and Brazil as well as confirming an earlier report by The Information on the tactics used by TikTok to increase slowing growth in the US. The new program is only available for invite accounts first for now, but will be extended to all eligible users in the future.

To qualify for the program, users should be over 18 years of age, achieve follower targets and video views, and, most interestingly, create "high-quality original videos that take longer than a minute."

Focusing on older videos might surprise some people, however, that's TikTok that convinces every other big social media company to take short videos seriously. But TikTok has signaled in more ways that longer content, including live broadcasts, will be increasingly important for future platforms.

The background of this launch is a major complaint created by creators with companies: users say they don't make enough money from the original creator fund. TikTok says the new program will "boost creativity [creators], generate higher income potentials, and open up more exciting real-world opportunities," but offers no clarity on the scope of the new program or how much participants can generate (or whether it will be more of their Creator Fund revenue).

TikTok's spokesman, Zachary Kizer, told The Verge that the company cannot share how much money will be included in this new program at this time.

Kizer insists that payments do not come from advertising revenue sharing and that payments will be calculated using a eligible display and RPM, a figure that can fluctuate based on metrics such as video engagement and audience areas.

Creators who are part of the original creator fund will have the option to switch to the Beta Creativity Program but will not be able to return to the original fund.

The original creator fund, announced in 2020, has $1 billion (15.1 trillion) in funds for its participants, which will be paid for three years.

Meta pledged to spend $1 billion by the end of 2022 on creators; meanwhile, YouTube is offering content creators a sizeable revenue sharing program that keeps Shorts, with YouTube retaining 55 percent and giving creators 45 percent.