TikTok introduced this month that it’s updating the utmost size of movies on its platform from three minutes to 10. Sophia Cohen, Head of Influencer Marketing at Moburst, discusses a few of the recent changes made to the TikTok platform.
What Is the Big TikTok Update?
The replace is an enormous deal as a result of TikTok has at all times been a short-form video platform – so the query arises, is it nonetheless?
It appears the choice was made in a bid to permit influencers to create extra in-depth vlogs, versus simply snappy clips, and never should ship their viewers elsewhere for longer content material.
How Has the Industry Responded?
The industry-wide consensus about TikTok’s new change has been overwhelmingly adverse. Change brings with it new metrics, new greatest practices, and a shift in method, so it’s typically greeted with skepticism.
However, critics really feel that even TikTok’s justification for introducing the replace validates their concerns – they need to give creators the prospect to provide long-form content material, however that detracts from TikTok’s present (very profitable) formulation.
The key to TikTok’s success up till now lies in the way in which customers are incentivized to repeatedly rewatch movies on the platform. Whether a sure aspect caught their consideration, they missed a selected clip, or one thing amused them, there’s nothing to lose from watching once more given how brief the movies are.
The snappy movies, from challenges to outfit prepare with me’s (GRWM), encourage customers to rewatch them repeatedly.
The new ten-minute most video size will imply customers are much less more likely to rewatch TikTok movies, so the general views will go down. Somewhat begrudgingly, the {industry} should set new benchmarks as soon as extra.
Why Did TikTok Make This Change?
TikTok revealed that it made the utmost size longer to cater to creators who need to produce extra long-form content material. Positively talking, this provides extra space for various kinds of creators and totally different kinds of content material.
For instance, health instructors will now be capable of create ten-minute, full-body exercise periods as an alternative of fast three-minute ab exercises. Or, vogue stylists will be capable of information individuals by way of per week’s value of outfits somewhat than a day.
As a outcome, these creators will not should redirect their viewers elsewhere, reminiscent of on YouTube, which they’ve been doing for a while. Consequently, TikTok is asserting itself as a direct competitor of YouTube, whereas providing creators the prospect to maintain all of their content material centralized in a single place.
There’s no denying that TikTok is attempting to monetize the app much more by giving each customers and creators an additional function that forestalls the necessity for YouTube video “trailers” redirecting TikTok followers to longer-form content material there.
Is There a Solution to Make This Update Better Received by the Industry?
Well, an thought Moburst has appeared into is whether or not TikTok may transfer its long-form movies to a devoted part of the app that’s separate from the For You web page.
Or, the answer may even be so simple as including a filter to permit customers to decide on the utmost size of movies they need. This would additionally give creators information on what size movies customers truly want.
With both of those strategies, the long-form movies received’t interrupt the fast-paced nature of the For You web page if customers don’t need them to. This can be the easiest way to maintain the TikTok dynamic as near what individuals presently know and love.
Moburst has been questioning whether or not TikTok ought to take into account shifting its long-form movies to a separate part of the app as Instagram did with IGTV. That method, they’d have their very own devoted house somewhat than interrupting the fast-paced movement of the For You web page.
After all, isn’t one of many fundamental causes individuals use TikTok (versus one other social media platform) for its short-form video content material?
TikTok has been the {industry} chief on this realm, to the purpose the place practically each different platform has tried to repeat it, reminiscent of Instagram with Reels or YouTube with Shorts. Reels outperform all different Instagram options, which suggests TikTok’s going to see an analogous sample.
At the tip of the day, you’ve obtained to have religion this shall be pulled off efficiently on condition that it’s TikTok, and, effectively, that speaks for itself.
However, Moburst can’t assist however the query that with out sticking to only brief movies, fast traits, bite-sized content material, and every thing else geared in the direction of keeping people scrolling – will TikTok keep its top-tier standing?
