YouTube Shorts Could Steal TikTok’s Thunder With A Better Deal For Creators: Expectations vs. Reality
Video File:
TikTok and other short-video apps are constantly trying to one-up each other with new features, partnerships and influencer campaigns. But there’s one area of opportunity that could help smaller apps like YouTube Shorts stand out: better deals for creators. While most short-video creators make little or no money on their content, a recent report found that TikTok has been paying some influencers $1 million per endorsement deal they make available to them.
If a smaller app like YouTube Shorts was willing to pay creators more up front and keep a higher percentage of revenue from ads, it could give them an edge over larger competitors. Creators can offer fans more engaging content, which in turn helps the platform grow its user base. Here are three ways smaller short-video apps could beat TikTok at its own game as well as boost the bottom line for creative pros:
Better Deal For Creators Means Better Content
Short-form videos can be truly limitless in content and themes, from silly challenges and pranks to educational videos and music videos. The key is that all of it is short typically less than 15 seconds. TikTok’s massive popularity and growth are due in part to the fact that everyone can create something there. But a big problem for some creators is that for most, their short videos don’t generate a lot of money.
TikTok has been dogged by criticism that its creator program is exploitative, which could hurt its long-term growth. YouTube’s short-video app, YouTube Shorts, has a better deal for creators. It takes a 30% share of ad revenue from video views (which it shares with the creator) instead of keeping all the money, as TikTok does.
YouTube Shorts also lets creators set a price for people to “adopt” or “own” a video they’ve created. Creators can choose to make their videos exclusive to YouTube Shorts and keep 100% of the revenue if they want. This means creators can make more money from their videos, and the videos will likely be better since creators won’t have to worry about creating something TikTok will use for free.
Creator-Focused Marketing
Most short-video apps have been focused on growing their user base by flooding everyone’s feeds with free content. They’ve also emphasized cross-promotion and big influencers with big numbers; it’s not uncommon to see a TikTok feed with dozens of videos from one person. There’s nothing wrong with that strategy, but it has left many smaller creators feeling left out. If a smaller platform wants to beat TikTok, it should market itself as a place where creators actually matter.
It should highlight the fact that every video is different and that different people can create different content. Not every video needs to be a mega-hit with millions of views. A short-video app that truly embraces creators will actually help smaller creators grow their audiences and make money from their videos. A short-video app that integrates with other social media apps so that creators can get paid for their work and also cross-promote their content is a strong draw for creators.
Creators Help Find New Audiences
A successful short-video app can’t just be a one-way street where users create content and advertisers pay to see it. It also needs to find new audiences for those ads. TikTok has been criticized for allowing inappropriate content and even terrorist propaganda to be shown on some of its ads. The company has been working to clean that up, but some advertisers may be wary to put their ads on TikTok. If a smaller platform can offer a more controlled environment with more reliable ad placement, it could help advertisers find new audiences.
A short-video app that lets creators select the types of ads that appear on their content and set advertiser price points for their videos could help partners find new audiences for their products. A short-video app that gives creators a cut of the revenue from those ads could help them make money from their videos and encourage them to create even more content.
A Platform Where Creators Earn Real Money
Most short-video apps promise creators a chance to “go viral” and make money from their work. That’s great, but it rarely happens. TikTok hasn’t helped its cause by keeping most of the ad revenue from views, which leaves creators’ bank accounts dry. If a smaller short-video app wants to beat TikTok, it should be transparent with creators about the types of videos that will make them the most money.
It should also make it easy for creators to earn money by integrating with PayPal and other payment platforms. A short-video app that gives creators a cut of the revenue from ads and also offers them ways to directly turn that money into real cash could help them earn more and increase their motivation to create more content.
Bottom line
YouTube Shorts have a chance to beat TikTok and other platforms by offering better deals to creators. Better deals could lead to more creative content, a better chance to find new audiences and a healthier bottom line for all involved. YouTube Shorts that offers creators a chance to earn real money from their work could be the next big thing. You can't get rich on TikTok? Shouldn't something be said about Charli D'Amelio, who began posting dance recordings out of her room in secondary school and afterward made $17.5 million of every 2021? In any case, that cash isn't coming from TikTok itself.
Rather, she and her sister Dixie D'Amelio helped rich through enormous brand bargains, an unscripted TV drama and funding ventures. Indeed, even the YouTuber MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson), who out-procured each and every maker by making $54 million last year, just can't take in substantial income on TikTok. In the mean time, over 1.5 billion signed in clients watch YouTube Shorts every month, except the organization hasn't shared measurements about how connected with these clients are. TikTok arrived at 1 billion month to month dynamic clients about a year prior.
