TikTok Series offers creators a new way to monetize their videos by providing exclusive content for their fans.
It's getting hard to keep up with TikTok's monetization options—but we're not complaining. The social media app is always coming up with new ways to help creators monetize their content, and it has added one more way to do that.
TikTok's Series feature will help creators make money for longer videos. If that's up your alley, continue reading to learn more, so you can start cashing in.
Simply put, TikTok Series are premium or paid-for collections on the TikTok app—but the concept isn't completely new. The social media company identified an opportunity to monetize Collections and ran with it. You can create TikTok Collections by saving your TikTok's favorite videos in a single category.
For example, you can create Recipes, Restaurants, and Travel collections, making it easier to find specific content in your profile instead of sorting through unrelated videos lumped together in one place.
TikTok Series are similar to Collections. However, the main difference is that they're categories of content saved as "series" that followers pay to access. That's the main differentiator, although there are others (more on that below). The Series feature was announced in a TikTok blog post, which stated:
From the top collection of must-know spreadsheet shortcuts to the most effective workouts or the latest baked oats recipe, the diverse range of valuable and entertaining content on TikTok has quickly become a part of a billion people's lives around the world. Today we're introducing Series, a new way for creators to share their stories, talents and creativity as premium content while further deepening their connection with the TikTok community.
Series gives creators another way to monetize their content, but TikTok already offers multiple ways to make money through programs and in-app features. For instance, TikTok LIVE Subscriptions allow creators to earn a monthly income, and the TikTok Creator Fund pays creators to post original content. Moreover, there's also TikTok Pulse—the platform's ad-revenue-sharing program. We already know how these programs and features work, but what about TikTok Series?
TikTok fans know what they want, and they ask for it. That's why they demand a "part two" or more when a creator posts something interesting, which is why Series is such a viable feature. Going forward, all those juicy story times and cooking videos will be available in one place, making it easy for creators to get more content out there—content their fans already want.
With TikTok Series, eligible creators can post exclusive content at a cost that the creators themselves determine. Each Series can have up to 80 videos, and each video can be 20 minutes long—a far cry from TikTok's initial one-minute cap on videos. The app has increased its video length over the years. And while we've wondered whether 10-minute videos are too long for TikTok, this is a clever way to introduce longer content to the platform.
Series will be a natural progression for those creators that already post a series of related videos. In addition to the financial opportunity, Series will further strengthen connections between creators and their fans. Live Subscriptions have already proved that supporters on TikTok can put their money where their mouth is.
Paying for TikTok Series makes loyal fans get exclusive content and support their favorite creators. As for creators, monetization will motivate them to be even more intentional about the content they post. There's a high chance that TikTok Series will be a success like other features before it.
What would motivate you to pay a creator for their exclusive content? Ask yourself that question before using Series on TikTok. Your supporters work hard for their money, so you'll need to bring your A-game, so they feel they're getting their money's worth.
Aya has been a copywriter since 2014. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce Marketing Management Honors degree and a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Marketing/Management and Media & Cultural Studies. She’s been a marketing consultant and freelance writer for international websites, writing about cybersecurity, tech, media, social media, and more, since 2019.