In a significant shift, TikTok is encouraging users to produce horizontal videos with durations exceeding one minute, a departure from its traditional vertical video format. Creators have reported prompts from TikTok offering to “boost” horizontal videos longer than a minute within 72 hours of posting. Eligibility for this viewership boost extends to creators with over three months of TikTok experience, excluding ads or political content.
This move represents a notable departure from TikTok’s predominant vertical video style, acknowledging the platform’s evolution toward accommodating longer-form content. While TikTok is synonymous with short, engaging videos, recent developments reflect a trend towards more extended formats. The platform has been experimenting with longer video lengths, testing 30-minute videos after expanding the limit to 15 minutes.
The push for longer content aligns with the broader YouTube-ization of TikTok. YouTube, known for monetizing videos over 10 minutes in length, has influenced TikTok’s evolving approach. The platform has introduced features like Series, enabling creators to compile 20-minute collections for paying subscribers, allowing them to set prices ranging from $1 to $190.
Encouraging creators to explore YouTube-like content on TikTok might lead to a potential shift in content distribution. While YouTube typically offers higher compensation, TikTok’s initiatives, such as Series and now horizontal videos, aim to provide creators with diverse avenues for expression and monetization.
As TikTok continues to embrace horizontal videos and longer runtimes, it signals a convergence of features seen on both platforms, reflecting the dynamic nature of content creation in the digital landscape.
