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TikTok’s Twilight

Man walking away

Unfortunately, this may be the end of all of our TikTok journeys in the U.S. However, there are plenty of platforms to pivot to continue publishing content. Let’s discuss!

YouTube

The first, and my personal preference, is YouTube. Granted, I don’t post there much, but it has proven to be a mecca for Black and POC creators. It is arguably the best platform for monetization with very straightforward requirements:

1. Get 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months.
2. Get 1,000 subscribers with 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.

Keep in mind that Shorts can only be up to three minutes, closing the flexibility gap — no doubt in preparation for this very moment. Anything beyond that time threshold is considered long-form. As best practice, shorts should be recorded horizontally, while long-form should be recorded vertically. For an algorithm push, add a cover image!

Instagram

Next up is Instagram. Although there are a few more ways to monetize within the platform, it is a bit trickier. There are no hard limits on how many followers you need, but take a look at the company’s guide to the “Instagram Partner Monetization Policies.” 

Best practices for Reels are also a teensy bit more complicated. While recording in the app, Reels can be 15-90 seconds. However, uploaded Reels can be up to 15 minutes. Here all videos — short or long should be recorded or uploaded vertically.

Facebook

And then there is Facebook. You can generate income in three ways on the platform:

  1. In-stream ads (videos or images that you see before, after, or in between content)
  2. Ads on Reels (overlay ads typically at the bottom of videos and can also be in feed), and
  3. Performance-based (how well your content performs in terms of engagement)

Much like Instagram, Reels can last up to 90 seconds. In contrast, long-form videos can be up to 240 minutes (four hours). The best practice for Reels is to record horizontally. In contrast, long-form videos should be recorded vertically.

Monetization on Other Platforms

Other platforms allow monetization as well. Threads is invite-only, Snapchat has pretty strict qualifications, Twitch allows monetization via subscriptions or bits, and Patreon offers opportunities through subscriptions or exclusive content.

There is some hope that we can keep our TikTok dreams alive through an emergency injunction, creator litigation, or an American investor buyout. The latter may cause a change in the overall scope and charm of the app. 

Whichever way the tide swings, we are fully prepared and will be providing deep dives on the platforms as we go! Still, godspeed, TikTok. You have served us well.

Do you need help building and optimizing your content? We are happy to help. Contact us, and let’s get started.

Author

  • Headshot of Roxie smiling, wearing black and gold glasses, white shirt and two gold necklaces

    Roxie E. Wilson is a social media strategist/manager, content creator, comedian, and many others from New Orleans, LA, and based out of Austin, TX–she’s lived many lives. Roxie holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Dillard University and an MS in Marketing & Communication from Loyola University New Orleans. She has been working in social media since 2020 and loves the idiosyncrasies of it all. Roxie’s mission is to take some of the mystique out of social media so that folks can love and have fun with it!

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