11月6日,TikTok宣布將關(guān)閉2020年啟動的20億美元創(chuàng)作者基金。該基金設(shè)立的目的是向平臺上的熱門視頻創(chuàng)作者支付報酬。從12月16日起,如果創(chuàng)作者希望直接獲得TikTok的報酬,他們需要加入“創(chuàng)意基金”,該基金僅向不短于60秒的視頻的創(chuàng)作者支付,而超過60秒,對于該平臺上的許多用戶而言相當(dāng)于長視頻?!敦敻弧冯s志采訪的創(chuàng)作者們表示,創(chuàng)作者基金的關(guān)閉,證實了他們的擔(dān)憂,表明該平臺并非真正重視短視頻內(nèi)容,而且社交內(nèi)容創(chuàng)作職業(yè)生涯的長度也存在不確定性。
勞德代爾堡的美食與食譜社交創(chuàng)作者亞歷克薩·桑托斯表示:“我對長期從事職業(yè)創(chuàng)作一直有所疑慮,因為我看不到未來。”桑托斯的TikTok賬號@alexawhatsfordinner獲得了1,600多萬個點贊。她認為,她的熱門食譜視頻長度在15至20秒之間效果最佳,但為了獲得TikTok創(chuàng)意基金的獎勵資格,她不得不將視頻延長到60秒以上,因為除了直播和帶貨以外,這是創(chuàng)作者目前在該平臺上獲得報酬的主要途徑?!懊慨?dāng)有任何變化的時候,創(chuàng)作者都會倍感壓力;你不得不修改創(chuàng)作的內(nèi)容,改變創(chuàng)作方式。”
2020年7月,TikTok設(shè)立創(chuàng)作者基金,規(guī)模為2億美元。當(dāng)時,該公司表示這個基金的目的是“為那些希望有機會通過創(chuàng)意內(nèi)容維持生計的雄心勃勃的創(chuàng)作者們提供支持”。雖然TikTok在隨后的幾年中將該基金的規(guī)模擴大到20億美元,但創(chuàng)作者們普遍表示,TikTok的遠大計劃并未實現(xiàn)。就連每月播放量高達數(shù)百萬的創(chuàng)作者也表示,該基金支付的報酬微不足道。喜劇演員帕特·比托爾(TikTok賬號@nomdecoom)從2021年春便被納入了創(chuàng)作者基金。他說道:“靠創(chuàng)作者基金,顯然無法維持生計?!彼硎荆诖似陂g,他的視頻月均播放量為200萬次,但他獲得的收入總額只有“幾百美元”。 “它是我們的科技霸主;他們可以隨心所欲地隨時切斷我們的收入來源?!?/p>
被納入創(chuàng)作者基金和創(chuàng)意基金的資格條件不變:TikTok用戶的粉絲量需要超過10,000,而且過去30天的視頻播放量要超過100,000次。TikTok的一位發(fā)言人對《財富》雜志表示,創(chuàng)作者基金的所有成員可以被自動納入創(chuàng)意基金,只要他們愿意。
阿祖爾·麥克康奈爾的賬號@livecomposed以分享清潔技巧的視頻走紅。她在約兩年前加入創(chuàng)作者基金,共從該基金獲得6,328美元收入。這相當(dāng)于每個月數(shù)百萬的播放量,只有約100美元收入。麥克康奈爾表示:“我記得,在最初加入[創(chuàng)作者基金]的時候,我想我可以靠這個賺錢。但隨著內(nèi)容創(chuàng)作事業(yè)的發(fā)展,我意識到,[創(chuàng)作者基金]并不足以激勵我一直堅持展示和創(chuàng)作內(nèi)容?!爆F(xiàn)在,麥克康奈爾主要在TikTok上發(fā)布她為不同品牌創(chuàng)作的內(nèi)容,這成為她的主要收入來源。她的原生內(nèi)容在其他社交平臺上能獲得更高收入。
失敗的計劃
為了向創(chuàng)作者提供報酬,社交媒體巨頭們啟動了許多計劃,但這些計劃都已經(jīng)結(jié)束,TikTok的創(chuàng)作者基金也是其中之一。今年早些時候,Meta突然結(jié)束了Reels Bonus計劃,而且還修改了廣告收入分成計劃;這兩個計劃啟動的目的都是為了向短視頻內(nèi)容的創(chuàng)作者提供報酬?!敦敻弧冯s志曾在文章中表示,TikTok的廣告收入分成計劃Pulse能讓創(chuàng)作者獲得更多報酬。但之后,TikTok就悄然結(jié)束了該計劃。
與此同時,YouTube和Snapchat則在向創(chuàng)作者慷慨付費。YouTube Shorts合作伙伴計劃,直接鼓勵對TikTok不再抱有幻想的創(chuàng)作者,包括麥克康奈爾和桑托斯等,為谷歌(Google)旗下的視頻網(wǎng)站創(chuàng)作內(nèi)容,而且頗有成效。Snapchat也在通過“瘋狂的”變現(xiàn)計劃,吸引德阿梅里奧姐妹和大衛(wèi)·多布里克等大牌網(wǎng)紅的時間和內(nèi)容。據(jù)《財富》雜志報道,該公司的計劃已經(jīng)為某些網(wǎng)紅短短幾天的內(nèi)容支付了高達10,000美元。
但創(chuàng)作者依舊將TikTok視為最有可能成為網(wǎng)紅的平臺。創(chuàng)作者對《財富》雜志表示,創(chuàng)意基金(補償60秒以上視頻的創(chuàng)作者)支付的報酬豐厚。目前尚不確定TikTok區(qū)分長視頻與短視頻報酬的原因,但有創(chuàng)作者懷疑,這可能與TikTok想與YouTube展開更激烈的競爭有關(guān)。喜劇創(chuàng)作者比托爾表示:“在過去兩三個月里,我獲得了第一筆比較豐厚的收入。但因為算法不一致,因此我不能說:‘我不需要其他收入來源?!?/p>
各大平臺不斷變化的支付方式、變幻無常的算法和無法預(yù)測的趨勢,可能意味著全職從事內(nèi)容創(chuàng)作將變得更加困難。即使每月播放量高達數(shù)億的創(chuàng)作者,依靠內(nèi)容的快速傳播維持生計(和作為終生職業(yè)),是否具備長期可行性,這在財務(wù)上仍難以預(yù)測。
大多數(shù)全職創(chuàng)作者,包括比托爾、桑托斯和麥克康奈爾等,都要靠品牌合作來維持生計。桑托斯表示:“對于我和我的大多數(shù)創(chuàng)作者朋友而言,維持正常生活的唯一途徑是通過品牌合作,而不是創(chuàng)作者基金的微薄收入或者其他獎金?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
11月6日,TikTok宣布將關(guān)閉2020年啟動的20億美元創(chuàng)作者基金。該基金設(shè)立的目的是向平臺上的熱門視頻創(chuàng)作者支付報酬。從12月16日起,如果創(chuàng)作者希望直接獲得TikTok的報酬,他們需要加入“創(chuàng)意基金”,該基金僅向不短于60秒的視頻的創(chuàng)作者支付,而超過60秒,對于該平臺上的許多用戶而言相當(dāng)于長視頻?!敦敻弧冯s志采訪的創(chuàng)作者們表示,創(chuàng)作者基金的關(guān)閉,證實了他們的擔(dān)憂,表明該平臺并非真正重視短視頻內(nèi)容,而且社交內(nèi)容創(chuàng)作職業(yè)生涯的長度也存在不確定性。
勞德代爾堡的美食與食譜社交創(chuàng)作者亞歷克薩·桑托斯表示:“我對長期從事職業(yè)創(chuàng)作一直有所疑慮,因為我看不到未來。”桑托斯的TikTok賬號@alexawhatsfordinner獲得了1,600多萬個點贊。她認為,她的熱門食譜視頻長度在15至20秒之間效果最佳,但為了獲得TikTok創(chuàng)意基金的獎勵資格,她不得不將視頻延長到60秒以上,因為除了直播和帶貨以外,這是創(chuàng)作者目前在該平臺上獲得報酬的主要途徑。“每當(dāng)有任何變化的時候,創(chuàng)作者都會倍感壓力;你不得不修改創(chuàng)作的內(nèi)容,改變創(chuàng)作方式?!?/p>
2020年7月,TikTok設(shè)立創(chuàng)作者基金,規(guī)模為2億美元。當(dāng)時,該公司表示這個基金的目的是“為那些希望有機會通過創(chuàng)意內(nèi)容維持生計的雄心勃勃的創(chuàng)作者們提供支持”。雖然TikTok在隨后的幾年中將該基金的規(guī)模擴大到20億美元,但創(chuàng)作者們普遍表示,TikTok的遠大計劃并未實現(xiàn)。就連每月播放量高達數(shù)百萬的創(chuàng)作者也表示,該基金支付的報酬微不足道。喜劇演員帕特·比托爾(TikTok賬號@nomdecoom)從2021年春便被納入了創(chuàng)作者基金。他說道:“靠創(chuàng)作者基金,顯然無法維持生計?!彼硎?,在此期間,他的視頻月均播放量為200萬次,但他獲得的收入總額只有“幾百美元”。 “它是我們的科技霸主;他們可以隨心所欲地隨時切斷我們的收入來源?!?/p>
被納入創(chuàng)作者基金和創(chuàng)意基金的資格條件不變:TikTok用戶的粉絲量需要超過10,000,而且過去30天的視頻播放量要超過100,000次。TikTok的一位發(fā)言人對《財富》雜志表示,創(chuàng)作者基金的所有成員可以被自動納入創(chuàng)意基金,只要他們愿意。
阿祖爾·麥克康奈爾的賬號@livecomposed以分享清潔技巧的視頻走紅。她在約兩年前加入創(chuàng)作者基金,共從該基金獲得6,328美元收入。這相當(dāng)于每個月數(shù)百萬的播放量,只有約100美元收入。麥克康奈爾表示:“我記得,在最初加入[創(chuàng)作者基金]的時候,我想我可以靠這個賺錢。但隨著內(nèi)容創(chuàng)作事業(yè)的發(fā)展,我意識到,[創(chuàng)作者基金]并不足以激勵我一直堅持展示和創(chuàng)作內(nèi)容?!爆F(xiàn)在,麥克康奈爾主要在TikTok上發(fā)布她為不同品牌創(chuàng)作的內(nèi)容,這成為她的主要收入來源。她的原生內(nèi)容在其他社交平臺上能獲得更高收入。
失敗的計劃
為了向創(chuàng)作者提供報酬,社交媒體巨頭們啟動了許多計劃,但這些計劃都已經(jīng)結(jié)束,TikTok的創(chuàng)作者基金也是其中之一。今年早些時候,Meta突然結(jié)束了Reels Bonus計劃,而且還修改了廣告收入分成計劃;這兩個計劃啟動的目的都是為了向短視頻內(nèi)容的創(chuàng)作者提供報酬?!敦敻弧冯s志曾在文章中表示,TikTok的廣告收入分成計劃Pulse能讓創(chuàng)作者獲得更多報酬。但之后,TikTok就悄然結(jié)束了該計劃。
與此同時,YouTube和Snapchat則在向創(chuàng)作者慷慨付費。YouTube Shorts合作伙伴計劃,直接鼓勵對TikTok不再抱有幻想的創(chuàng)作者,包括麥克康奈爾和桑托斯等,為谷歌(Google)旗下的視頻網(wǎng)站創(chuàng)作內(nèi)容,而且頗有成效。Snapchat也在通過“瘋狂的”變現(xiàn)計劃,吸引德阿梅里奧姐妹和大衛(wèi)·多布里克等大牌網(wǎng)紅的時間和內(nèi)容。據(jù)《財富》雜志報道,該公司的計劃已經(jīng)為某些網(wǎng)紅短短幾天的內(nèi)容支付了高達10,000美元。
但創(chuàng)作者依舊將TikTok視為最有可能成為網(wǎng)紅的平臺。創(chuàng)作者對《財富》雜志表示,創(chuàng)意基金(補償60秒以上視頻的創(chuàng)作者)支付的報酬豐厚。目前尚不確定TikTok區(qū)分長視頻與短視頻報酬的原因,但有創(chuàng)作者懷疑,這可能與TikTok想與YouTube展開更激烈的競爭有關(guān)。喜劇創(chuàng)作者比托爾表示:“在過去兩三個月里,我獲得了第一筆比較豐厚的收入。但因為算法不一致,因此我不能說:‘我不需要其他收入來源?!?/p>
各大平臺不斷變化的支付方式、變幻無常的算法和無法預(yù)測的趨勢,可能意味著全職從事內(nèi)容創(chuàng)作將變得更加困難。即使每月播放量高達數(shù)億的創(chuàng)作者,依靠內(nèi)容的快速傳播維持生計(和作為終生職業(yè)),是否具備長期可行性,這在財務(wù)上仍難以預(yù)測。
大多數(shù)全職創(chuàng)作者,包括比托爾、桑托斯和麥克康奈爾等,都要靠品牌合作來維持生計。桑托斯表示:“對于我和我的大多數(shù)創(chuàng)作者朋友而言,維持正常生活的唯一途徑是通過品牌合作,而不是創(chuàng)作者基金的微薄收入或者其他獎金?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
On November 6, TikTok announced that it will sunset the $2 billion Creator Fund, which was established in 2020 to pay creators on the platform for viral videos. Starting December 16, if creators wish to be compensated directly by TikTok, they will need to enroll in the Creativity Fund, which only pays creators for videos longer than 60 seconds—the equivalent of long-form for many on the platform. For creators interviewed by Fortune, the end of the Creator Fund validates their fears that the platform does not truly value their short-form content, and that the longevity of careers in social content creation remains uncertain.
“I’m always anxious about being a professional creator long-term, just because there’s really no line of sight into what the future holds,” says Alexa Santos, a Fort Lauderdale–based food and recipe social creator, who runs TikTok account @alexawhatsfordinner, which has over 16 million likes. She believes her viral recipe videos are best between 15 to 20 seconds in length, but is forcing herself to stretch them to 60-plus seconds for eligibility in TikTok’s Creativity Fund, as it’s now a primary way for creators to get compensated by the platform outside of live-streaming and shopping. “It’s always stressful when things change on us; you have to change what you’re doing and alternate how you’re creating content.”
When TikTok launched the Creator Fund in July of 2020 with $200 million, the company said it aimed to “support ambitious creators who are seeking opportunities to foster a livelihood through their innovative content.” Though the company increased the funding to $2 billion in the following years, creators would largely argue that TikTok’s ambition was unmet. Even creators who garnered millions of monthly views said the Fund paid paltry sums. “It became very clear early on that I was not gonna make a living off the Creator Fund,” says sketch comedian Pat Beutow (@nomdecoom on TikTok) who was part of the Creator Fund from the spring of 2021 until recently. During that time, he says his videos generated an average of 2 million views per month, but he made “a couple hundred bucks” in total. “It’s our tech overlords; they can cut it off at any point if they want.”
The eligibility for acceptance into the Creator and Creativity funds remain identical: TikTokers need over 10,000 followers and more than 100,000 video views in the last 30 days. A TikTok spokesperson told Fortune that all members of the Creator Fund will automatically be accepted into the Creativity Fund, though they need to transfer voluntarily.
Since she joined the Creator Fund about two years ago, Azure MacCannell, known for her cleaning hack videos as @livecomposed, has generated $6,328 from the Creator Fund, amounting to around $100 per month for the millions of views she generates per month. “When I started [in the Creator Fund], I remember thinking, Oh, this is something I can make money on,” says MacCannell. “But as I’ve grown in my content creating career, I realize that [the Creator Fund] is not enough incentive to show up and keep creating content all the time.” These days MacCannell mostly uses TikTok for posting videos she makes for various brands, her primary source of income. Her organic content fares better on other social platforms.
Another one bites the dust
The TikTok Creator Fund’s death is yet another headstone in the cemetery of programs launched—and ended—by the social giants to compensate creators. Earlier this year Meta abruptly ended its Reels Bonus program, and it is remodeling its ad revenue share program; both were launched to compensate creators for short-form video content. TikTok also quietly killed its ad-revenue-share program Pulse after Fortune wrote about it paying mere pennies to creators.
Meanwhile, YouTube and Snapchat have doubled down on paying creators. YouTube Shorts Partner Program is a direct play to incentivize disenchanted TikTokers like MacCannell and Santos to create content for the Google-owned video site, and it’s going fairly well. Snapchat has also made a play to capture time and content from top creators like the D’Amelio sisters and David Dobrik with its “insane” monetization program that has paid some creators upwards of $10,000 for a couple of days of posts, reports Fortune.
Still, TikTok is regarded among creators as the best platform to find viral success. And creators tell Fortune that the Creativity Fund, its initiative to compensate creators for videos over 60 seconds, is paying out meaningful sums. It’s not clear why the payouts for longer videos are so different than those for short videos have been, though some creators suspect it’s related to TikTok’s ambition to escalate competition with YouTube. “It has been a helpful chunk of change—for the first time—as of the last two or three months,” says comedy creator Beutow. “But because of the inconsistency of the algorithm, it’s not enough to say, ‘Oh, I don’t need other methods of income.’”
The ever-changing payment schemes by the platforms, fickle algorithms, and unpredictable trends may mean that being a full-time content creator is harder than ever. Even for creators who are amassing hundreds of millions of views per month, the long-term viability of life (and death) by virality remains financially unpredictable.
Most full-time creators—Beutow, Santos, and MacCannell included—rely on brand deals to stay afloat. “For me and the majority of my creator friends, having the brand partnerships is the only way that we’re able to make a legit living off [creating] versus just scraping together crumbs of Creator Fund this or bonuses that,” says Santos.