TikTok is set to charge users money to watch longer videos on the social media platform. The major shake up allows users to make money by putting exclusive content behind paywalls, encouraging viewers to shell out for previously free videos.
In March, a new TikTok known as Series was unveiled, initially limited to a chosen group of creators, but now it has been expanded. The social media company announced on June 6: "Creators in select regions who are 18 years or older, have an account that is at least 30 days old with at least 10K followers, have posted more than three public videos in the last 30 days, and have at least 1K authentic video views in the last 30 days, are eligible to join Series."
The paywall feature means TikTok joins the likes of OnlyFans, where creators can make exclusive content which only paying customers can view. Series enables eligible creators to post collections of premium content, with one Series having the capability to include up to 80 videos, each up to 20 minutes long, which give: "People a new, longer format to watch their favourite creators and content."
If users don't meet the initial criteria to be able to post exclusive content, TikTok says: "Creators with less than 10K followers but meet the above requirements can apply by providing a link to premium content they've previously sold on other platforms via the Creator Center in the TikTok app."
It comes just weeks after the social media giant announced that is has created a $6 million (£4.8 million) fund known as TikTok's Effect Creator Rewards, for people who create popular filters and effects. At launch, for every effect that's used in 500K unique videos within 90 days of being published, a creator will collect $700 (£561).
For every 100K videos published thereafter within the same 90 days, creators will collect an additional $140 (£112). To qualify for this fund, creators must be 18 years or older and have at least 500K published TikTok videos using their effect.
