TikTok has launched a new monetisation platform, TikTok One Creator Marketplace, in South Africa to provide creators with more earning opportunities. The platform allows qualifying influencers to be paid by participating brands and organisations. According to Zethu Mthethwa, head of sales at TikTok sub-Saharan Africa, this offering provides creators with a more comprehensive way to earn money. TikTok has struggled to find a sustainable model to pay content creators despite having close to 2 billion users globally.
The new platform replaces the company's $2 billion Creator Fund, which was closed in 2023 and only available to creators in a few countries, including the US, UK, Germany, Japan, and Brazil. TikTok has since introduced the "Creator Rewards Programme", which is not available in South Africa. The company estimates that TikTok had 29.1 million users aged 18 and above in South Africa, based on data from its advertising resources.
TikTok One provides creators with a single destination to discover paid opportunities and manage brand collaborations. Creators can be discovered by brands that align with their content and niche, apply for selected campaigns, or earn from content they have already created. For businesses, TikTok One makes it easier to identify and collaborate with South African creators on marketing and advertising campaigns.
The platform helps creators translate their ideas, content, and communities into potential income sources through brand partnerships and sponsored content. Before TikTok One, the platform offered three main ways to monetise content: live gifts, subscriptions, and partnerships with brands. These offerings will remain in place, according to Mthethwa.
Vodacom, South Africa's largest mobile operator, has endorsed the new platform, having been part of the trial in recent months. The company reported an increase in engagement through the new service. Vodacom noted that its polished, professionally produced videos were not popular on TikTok, with audiences favouring the more "raw and authentic" style synonymous with the platform.
During the trial, Vodacom used TikTok One to run creator-led assets and compared the performance against its more polished assets. The results showed a 300% increase in view-through rate and six-second view-through, and a 30% increase in click-through rate. Mthethwa stated that the numbers demonstrate the effectiveness of the new platform.
The launch of TikTok One Creator Marketplace in South Africa comes after communications minister Solly Malatsi and Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane called for TikTok to compensate local creators. The platform aims to provide more direct connections between creative talent and commercial opportunities, ultimately helping creators earn a living from their content.
Key points
- TikTok launches TikTok One Creator Marketplace in South Africa to provide creators with more earning opportunities.
- The platform replaces the company's $2 billion Creator Fund, which was not available to South African creators.
- Vodacom reports a significant increase in engagement through the new platform during the trial.
