TikTok has announced a 'Series' feature that will allow creators to post paywalled content. TikTok already allows users to reward creators by sending them 'gifts' during a livestream, such as a rose, a lion, or a galaxy, which viewers can purchase using TikTok Coins. In addition, TikTok announced Live Subscriptions in 2022, allowing select content creators to allow viewers to subscribe to their content and get some perks in the process.
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The Series feature is the latest effort by TikTok to help creators monetize their content. In a blog post, TikTok said Series would enable creators "to share their stories, talents and creativity as premium content while further deepening their connection with the TikTok community." The feature will enable creators to post premium content behind a paywall that viewers can unlock by paying a fee. Series is currently only available to select creators, but TikTok says that more creators will be able to apply for access to the new feature in the coming months.
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Paywalled Content On TikTok
Each collection or Series can have up to 80 videos, each up to 20 minutes long. Users can currently only post videos up to 10 minutes in length on TikTok, so the extra time will allow creators to offer more holistic demos and tutorials. TikTok also said that creators who sign-up for the new feature will be in control over how to price their content, while users wanting to access that content will be able to pay via direct in-video links or through a creator’s profile.
Series will offer creators much more flexibility about how they want to position their content on TikTok. While the paywall will offer them an additional monetization option, the extended length of videos will provide them with more flexibility when posting any type of content, including cooking videos, beauty tutorials, dance lessons, comedy sketches, and more. Users, however, will have to still abide by TikTok's community guidelines while posting content behind the paywall, meaning they will not be able to post adult content or anything that violates the app's policies.
TikTok started off as a free, short-form video app, but the new feature brings it ever-closer to other social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. While the extended 20-minute time limit means videos on TikTok could soon start resembling the long-form content found on YouTube (albeit in portrait mode), the concept of paywalled content is similar to Instagram's existing monetization feature that allows creators to post exclusive Reels and Stories for paying subscribers. 'Series' promises to be an important step for creators on TikTok, but it will be interesting to see how general users, who are used to free content, will react to it.
