TikTok moves to give creators opportunities to create longer videos while industry rivals try to replicate TikTok’s success with short videos.
While tech giants are busy making short form video investments a priority and drafting their content and product strategy, Chinese rival TikTok has flipped the switch. The company owned by ByteDance on Monday offered users the option to upload videos that were up to 10 minutes long.
While 10 minutes might be considered the ideal time to get a quick exercise routine in or the most efficient duration for a weekday dinner recipe, it’s ability to go viral on social media remains to be seen.
However, time equals money. The more time users spend on any social media platform equates directly to higher ad dollars for that company because it’s good for business.
“We’re always thinking about new ways to bring value to our community and enrich the TikTok experience,” a spokesperson for TikTok confirmed in an emailed statement to TheStreet. “Last year, we introduced longer videos, giving our community more time to create and be entertained on TikTok. Today, we’re excited to start rolling out the ability to upload videos that are up to 10 minutes, which we hope would unleash even more creative possibilities for our creators around the world.”
Some users were reportedly given the update through a notification on the app.
In July 2021, TikTok had widely rolled out the ability to edit and upload videos that can run up to three minutes.
“We often hear from creators that they’d love just a little more time to bring their cooking demos, elaborate beauty tutorials, educational lesson plans, and comedic sketches to life with TikTok’s creative tools,” TikTok Product Manager Drew Kirchhoff wrote in a company blogpost then.
“With all the ways our community has redefined expression in under 60 seconds, we’re excited to see how people continue to entertain and inspire with a few more seconds – and a world of creative possibilities,” Kirchhoff added.
Alphabet’s (GOOGL) – Get Alphabet Inc. Class A Report YouTube has traditionally backed 10-minute videos that feature more advertising in the middle, known as “mid-roll”. Facebook parent Meta’s (FB) – Get Meta Platforms Inc. Class A Report Instagram is also increasingly populated by videos (though they last less than a minute).
Last week, Meta Platforms Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg teed up his focus on its own TikTok like feature Reels and spoke about getting hammered by competition in his latest earnings call.
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Zuckerberg said competition from rival TikTok was impacting Meta’s business.
“People have a lot of choices for how they want to spend their time and apps like TikTok are growing very quickly. And this is why our focus on Reels is so important over the long-term,” said Zuckerberg during Meta’s fourth-quarter earnings call earlier this month.
And Reels was also listed as Facebook’s top investment priority for this year.
The Menlo Park, California-based company just launched Reels globally across more than 150 countries on Tuesday.
TikTok Got Trolled in First Reaction to Long Videos
A Twitter user very dramatically claimed he would block any account with a 10-minute TikTok video.
Another user mocked the social media giant to make a Youtube channel instead. To be sure, setting up a YouTube channel is free and easy.
Others also threatened to scroll past the time limit of 3 minutes.
