TikTok is reportedly working on a paywall feature, an additional way to attract creators and therefore expand its user base.
TikTok will soon be able to use a simple strategy to continue its growth: help creators make more money. Sources from The Information claim that TikTok is developing a paywall feature that will allow creators to charge a fee of their choice for access to a particular video. It’s currently unclear exactly how such a system could work, but it will help influencers generate revenue directly from their most popular videos.
TikTok is reportedly working on a paywall feature
Sources say the social network is also considering making changes to its Creator Fund following numerous complaints about low payouts. TikTok can also require a lot more followers (100,000 vs 10,000) but can therefore reward eligible creators more. This fund can also reward creators of longer videos that successfully use the newly increased 10-minute limit.
In a statement to Engadget, TikTok did not comment directly on the information, but said it was “strives”to find new ways to make its service “valuable and useful”for creators. No one knows when this paywall will be available, but the updated Creator Fund could arrive as early as March. The company is currently testing this new system in Brazil and France.
An additional way to attract creators and therefore increase the user base.
These new creator rewards may come in handy. While the US TikTok user base has grown steadily during the pandemic, viewership has stabilized in 2022. Paid access and the new Creator Fund could help social media stars post their videos on TikTok, while they would mostly do so on Instagram or Snapchat. The company already has an advertising revenue sharing program similar to YouTube’s, but the latter is only available to select users.
Any means to increase TikTok’s user base is good, as many governments still consider the company a national security threat. Particularly in the United States, many politicians are calling for a ban on TikTok, at least on government devices, for fear that the Chinese government could use the app for spying and propaganda. The company has consistently denied the accusations, and its CEO is even due to testify before a House committee in March. If it is not convincing enough, the entire growth strategy in the US market could quickly collapse.