Youtube Shorts Vs Tiktok Monetization
Welcome back friends today we will discuss the “YouTube shorts vs tiktok monetization”. Are you a creator trying to navigate the ever changing world of swipeable video platforms? Well you’re not alone. With the rise of short form vertical videos platforms like YouTube Instagram Reels and TikTok have become increasingly popular among content creators. But with each platform trying to incentivize different objectives it can be challenging to understand what exactly these platforms want from creators.
Understanding Platform Agendas
As someone who has been actively creating and monetizing content on various swipeable video platforms I can tell you one thing for sure each platform has its own unique agenda. From wanting to keep users on their platform for longer to promoting creativity and independence among creators each platform has its own strategies in place. But today we are going to focus on one of the biggest players in the game TikTok.
Focusing on TikTok
TikTok has taken the world by storm with an estimated 2 billion downloads and over 1 billion active monthly users. It’s a platform that has captured the attention of people from all age groups and backgrounds with its fun and addictive short videos. However as a creator it’s essential to understand what exactly TikTok wants from you and how it differs from other swipeable video platforms.
YouTube Shorts
To start with let’s look at YouTube’s swipeable video feature Shorts. Shorts is YouTube’s attempt to compete with TikTok by offering short-form videos within their platform. And what exactly does YouTube want from creators making shorts? Well it seems like their main objective is for you to not spend as much time on TikTok. YouTube encourages videos that are shorter than one minute as they do not allow videos longer than that to be classified as shorts.
However unlike other platforms where they incentivize specific objectives through revenue sharing YouTube shares revenue based on what has already been done rather than what they want to achieve. This strategy can be seen as promoting stability, but it also means lower earnings for creators. So while YouTube Shorts might seem like a great opportunity it’s important to keep in mind that it might not bring in the same amount of revenue as regular YouTube videos.
Instagram Reels
Next up is Instagram Reels which is owned by Meta (formerly known as Facebook). Unlike YouTube Meta seems to believe in letting creators figure it out on their own and not relying too much on the platform to monetize their content. As someone who has made around $1000 a month from Instagram Reels I can tell you that it’s not an easy feat. The monetization system is complicated and there’s no clear way to track your views or earnings. Plus the revenue comes from a specific ad unit that covers only a small portion of the screen making it less profitable compared to other ad units.
What Does TikTok Want?
So what does TikTok want? Well they’re currently incentivizing two things long form content and creativity. Let’s start with long form content. TikTok has recently rolled out the “creativity program beta” which aims to promote longer videos by offering a higher CPM (cost per thousand views) on videos that are over a minute long. This program is a sharp contrast to other platforms like YouTube and Instagram Reels where shorter videos are encouraged.
Long Form Content Push
But why does TikTok want longer videos when its entire brand image is built on short snappy videos? The answer lies in their revenue sources. Swipeable video platforms make less money through traditional advertising than other video platforms. Therefore TikTok’s strategy is to encourage longer videos as they are more attractive to advertisers and can potentially generate higher revenue.
Why Long Videos?
Aside from promoting longer videos TikTok is also constantly pushing for creativity and innovation among its creators. This can be seen through their “creativity program beta” where they offer a higher CPM without any clear explanation or guidelines on how to achieve it. This strategy can be frustrating for creators but it also promotes independence and originality.
Promoting Creativity
But why does TikTok care about creativity? Well let’s take a look at the competition. YouTube and Instagram Reels are constantly pushing for more polished and curated content which can often feel inauthentic and robotic. On the other hand TikTok has always prided itself on being a platform of raw and unfiltered content. And by promoting creativity they’re able to maintain this image and stand out from the competition.
Why Does Creativity Matter to TikTok?
It’s safe to say that TikTok’s main objectives are promoting longer videos and creativity among its creators. While this might seem like a win for creators it’s essential to keep in mind that revenue sharing and monetization strategies vary on each platform. As Swipeable video platforms continue to evolve it’s crucial for creators to adapt and understand what each platform wants from them to be successful.
Last Words
So the next time you’re scrolling through TikTok remember that behind those funny and entertaining videos there’s a company trying to achieve its own objectives. And as creators the key is to find a balance between what the platform wants and staying true to your own creative vision.