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TikTok is testing paid memberships.
Alex Castro is the illustrator for The Verge.
The short form video platform is testing support for paid subscriptions, paving the way for creators to charge for their content. The company didn't give details about when it might roll out to creators, how many are currently testing it, or what the pay structure might look like. The company spokesman said in an email that the subscriptions were a concept that was in testing and that it was always thinking about new ways to bring value to the community.
It would be the latest move by TikTok to help its creators monetize their content; it introduced its Creator Next hub with monetization tools, and rolled out its tipping feature in December after testing it with a smaller group.
Will the creators' best content be used in the algorithm?
It's not clear how TikTok will add direct-to-creator payments to its successful business model. The app has an advantage over competitors because it has a formula that surfaces content to users. It is a way for creators to reach users. If creators are holding their best content for subscribers, that content is not available to fuel the algorithm, which in turn could reduce engagement, since in theory it is not being surfaced to non-subscribers.
Digital platforms are trying to balance engagement with allowing creators to monetize directly, which is a problem that is not unique to TikTok. The creators have to be able to predict what subscribers will pay for, and what content will help them promote their own work.
TikTok is testing paid subscribers with a small number of creators. Subscribers will pay a monthly fee to access exclusive content from creators they follow. The purple badges on the subscribers will indicate their status to the creator/influencer in the comments section. It doesn't plan to take a cut of creators' revenue until next year at the earliest.
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