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TikTok’s Newest Launch
TikTok is presently testing its new 30-minute upload option in the beta version of the app.
If you’ve been paying attention, this should come as no surprise.
The app’s maximum post restriction has slowly increased over the years, beginning with 15 seconds per clip and gradually expanding to 60 seconds, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, and finally 10 minutes in 2022.
The platform’s first experimented with 15-minute uploads in October, so the trend toward longer films is not new.
Chinese Version
According to the Chinese version of the app, the maximum time is expected to be 30 minutes. Douyin, China’s app, increased its upload restriction to 30 minutes per clip in 2022, but has yet to move any farther.
And, presumably, Douyin has seen a positive response to this longer time restriction, which is why the app is now looking to integrate it, though it does appear to be a long time to watch a TikTok clip in-stream.
Will people warm up to TV show-length snippets in the app?
I’m sure some will, and if TikTok already has the infrastructure in place to accommodate such, based on its experience with Douyin, it’ll be able to implement longer uploads and provide greater capacity for creators.
This will also offer increased earning potential through pre and mid-roll commercials, which can be directly linked to the author. TikTok has faced significant challenges in supporting successful revenue and keeping creators loyal to the program. YouTube has a higher revenue potential because it splits the revenue from commercials shown within each clip; however, this is not viable in shorter, 30-second videos because pre and mid roll techniques cannot be used, and viewing of ads presented in-between shorter clips cannot be clearly attributed.
30 minute uploads could give a solution to this problem, as well as another step toward increased revenue sharing for TikTok creators.
And maybe it works, maybe it has already worked on Douyin, and maybe I’m underestimating the attention spans of TikTok’s target audience.
In any case, it’s another move for TikTok as it strives to become a more comprehensive entertainment destination, rather than merely a supplementary engagement tool for longer video providers.
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