Creativity Program Beta: Unlocking TikTok's Algorithm For Long Form Monetization!

Introduction

Because of the recent changes to the TikTok algorithm, you should now change the length of your content, the subjects on which it is focused, and one more thing that I'll discuss with you at the end of this article. This TikTok update is different from others because it will:

Affect your future ability to monetize your content on TikTok.
Affect how much money you actually end up making from TikTok.

As we'll discuss in just a moment, you need to opt into TikTok's most recent feature if you want to earn a lot of money on TikTok right now. This feature is recently launched; however, I must make sure that you understand something first.

If you don't put these suggestions into practice, you'll start to notice a sharp decline in the number of views and the followers that you're currently getting on TikTok. TikTok recently launched the beta version of their creativity program. If you're wondering what this means, it's that they plan to start paying creators significantly more money when they upload longer-form videos.

Just this past week, TikTok made an update to their announcement saying beginning May 3rd, 2023, U.S. creators with at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 authentic video views in the previous 30 days are eligible to join the creativity program beta. Now, the Creator fund for shorter form content doesn't really offer particularly generous compensation for posting shorter works. But now, they have this other pot of money, which isn't really a fund at all; they're just going to straight up pay content makers who upload long-form content. This is because they're aiming to give YouTube a run for its money.

This raises the question, then: should I be posting long-form or short-form content?

And the answer is: yes, you should be uploading both. People interested in business stuff for the home, parenting, or whatever it is that you're posting about, are interested in both long-form and short-form content. Depending on the subject you're discussing, the length of your actual piece of content will vary.

If you want to know the secret to getting people to watch your videos for even longer so that you can make even more money and so that TikTok will push out your content even more, then keep reading because we're going to reveal that in just a second. Before you post a video about a certain topic, you should find out what lengths work best for that topic to discover whether you should make a 10-second video, a 30-second video, or a two-minute video.

The next time you want to post something, you should look it up on TikTok first and do some research to see what people are uploading. Are they uploading one-minute videos, two-minute videos, or 30-second videos? What you discover should determine how long your content should be. People who watch two-minute videos about fitness get served exactly the same kind of content by TikTok.

So if you can make a three-minute or a two-minute video that is just as good or better, well then, that's a unique value proposition that you can use in your specific niche, and it will help you make more money on TikTok. But changing the length of your content isn't enough with this latest update to the algorithm. You need to pay close attention to now is the voiceover that you add to your videos, the text that you put on the screen of your videos, the descriptions you use, and the hashtags you use. TikTok is basically becoming a search engine. Instead of going to Google or YouTube to search for something, guess where people are going today?

They visit TikTok. They're using other apps too; Instagram is doing the same. Instagram is making big changes to improve their search function. Why try to beat Google and AI at their own game? Well, that is the only way they'll be able to do it, which is why they're pushing longer-form content if the niche actually needs it. Additionally, they check to see if you're doing good SEO in your videos or just in general, so that you can get your videos pushed out.

If you don't include keywords related to the subject you're discussing either as text on the screen, in the voiceover, in the description, or in the hashtags you use, your views are going to decrease. The people who are getting the most views right now are the ones who write a good description with good keywords and good hashtags. They either add voiceover or add text to the screen so the viewer understands what the video is actually about. Not only does this benefit the viewer, but it also allows the TikTok algorithm to say, "Hmm, well, yeah, this is a yoga video. Let me push this to other people who have watched yoga videos."

So, I want you to try an experiment right now with your own TikTok. Navigate to your For You page. I want you to watch a number of videos on a particular topic. Leave likes on them, share them—do all of that stuff. Make a note of the topic. It doesn't matter if you jot it down in a notebook or on a scrap piece of paper; just make sure you don't forget what the topic is. Now, take a break. Put your phone down and take a break from TikTok for half an hour to an hour. What do you think you'll see when you log back in?

You'll see videos that are exactly like the ones you've already seen, and that's precisely how the TikTok algorithm operates. If you can reverse engineer it, you can apply it to your niche, and it will help you get a lot more views if you combine it with the last set of tips that I'm about to share with you, which will make your long-form content 100 times better. It will help you earn more money on TikTok, and in the end, it will help you gain more viewers and followers at what is quite frankly the easiest point in TikTok's history for creators to expand their audience and influence.

It is finally happening: TikTok is going to start paying creators for uploading long-form content. Guess what? This is possibly going to allow them to compete with YouTube. Unfortunately, you're most likely not on YouTube a year, three years, or six years ago when it was like the golden age for making money on YouTube. And please don't think that I'm implying that YouTube is now a money-making dead end—that's not what I'm saying. All I'm saying is that the earlier you started, the more money you could have made. So if TikTok is your thing, start now. You've got to make sure to take advantage of this timing on TikTok because if you need more followers, you've got to get more views. If you want people to watch your videos longer, you've got to implement this secret.

You've got to do three things differently than most within your content:

Make sure that people can see your body, hands, and arms. Why? Because most communication takes place non-verbally through your body. So, what happens when people see someone's entire body? They end up spending even more time watching the video.
Add in some good B-roll footage. To achieve this, add fresh clips during editing. You could do this by including props in the video or by adding a green screen to the background. On a long-form video, doing this every 10 to 12 seconds will significantly lengthen the time that viewers spend watching your video. The last thing anyone wants to do is listen to someone yammer on for 10 minutes straight. That's not going to happen.
Begin mastering the art of storytelling. In fact, you need to hone your storytelling skills in one of two areas. You either need to become a great storyteller for things that people like or are interested in (think of this in the realm of entertainment) or you become a storyteller by solving problems that people are looking to fix (think of this as being like an educator or a guide). A great storyteller can also do both of these things simultaneously by solving people's problems in a fun and entertaining way.

But the bottom line is if you're not doing at least one of those two things, you're going to be challenged with getting an increasing amount of views and followers on TikTok.

Thanks so much for reading!

Keywords

TikTok Algorithm
Monetization
Content Length
Creativity Program Beta
Long-form videos
SEO
Voiceover
Hashtags
Content Strategy
Storytelling

FAQ

Q1: What is TikTok's Creativity Program Beta? A1: TikTok's Creativity Program Beta is a newly launched feature that aims to pay creators significantly more for uploading longer-form videos. It targets U.S. creators with at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 authentic video views in the previous 30 days.

Q2: Why should I create both long-form and short-form content? A2: Audiences are interested in both types of content. Depending on your subject, some viewers may prefer short, snappy videos, while others might engage more with in-depth, longer content.

Q3: How can I find the optimal video length for my content? A3: Research similar content on TikTok to see what lengths are being uploaded for your chosen topic. This will help you determine whether your content should be 10 seconds, 30 seconds, or two minutes long.

Q4: Why should keywords, voiceovers, and hashtags be included in my videos? A4: TikTok is evolving into a search engine. Including these elements ensures that your content is discoverable and helps the TikTok algorithm identify and push your video to the right audience.

Q5: How can I retain viewers in my long-form content? A5: Use body language, add fresh B-roll footage frequently, and master the art of storytelling. These techniques will engage viewers and keep them watching your video longer, boosting your overall performance on TikTok.

Q6: Can I monetize short-form videos under the Creator Fund? A6: While you can still monetize short-form videos, the compensation is generally less generous compared to the Creativity Program Beta, which focuses on long-form content.

Q7: How soon should I start creating long-form content to take advantage of TikTok's changes? A7: Start as soon as possible to leverage the platform's evolving algorithm and monetization opportunities. The sooner you adapt, the better positioned you'll be to maximize your earnings and reach.