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 is an improvement from TikTok's previous monetisation models, which included the $2 billion Creator Fund that was only available to creators in a few countries. The Creator Fund was closed in 2023 and replaced with the Creator Rewards Programme, which is not available in South Africa. 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.
TikTok estimates that it had 29.1 million users aged 18 and above in South Africa, according to data from its advertising resources. The platform has previously offered three main ways to monetise content: live gifts, subscriptions, and partnerships with brands. These offerings will remain in place, in addition to the new TikTok One platform. Mthethwa stated that the new platform provides creators with more opportunities to translate their ideas, content, and communities into potential income sources through brand partnerships and sponsored content.
The launch of TikTok One has garnered support from major companies, including Vodacom, South Africa's largest mobile operator. Vodacom was part of the trial for the new platform and saw an increase in engagement through the service. The company used TikTok One to run creator-led assets and compared the performance against its more polished assets. The results showed that the assets surfaced through TikTok One outperformed, with a 300% increase in view-through rate and a 30% increase in click-through rate.
The new platform has been welcomed by communications minister Solly Malatsi and Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane, who have both called for TikTok to compensate local creators. The minister and the leader have differing approaches, but both agree that creators should be fairly compensated for their content. TikTok's new platform aims to address this issue by providing creators with more direct connections to commercial opportunities.
According to Mthethwa, TikTok One makes it easier for businesses to identify and collaborate with South African creators on marketing and advertising campaigns. The platform helps creators to monetise their content and provides brands with a more efficient way to work with creators. The launch of TikTok One in South Africa is part of the company's efforts to improve earnings opportunities for local creators and influencers.
The success of TikTok One in South Africa will be closely watched by the global TikTok community. The platform's ability to provide creators with more comprehensive earning opportunities could set a precedent for other markets. With its large user base and growing popularity, TikTok's new monetisation platform has the potential to make a significant impact on the creator economy in South Africa and beyond.
Key points
- TikTok launches TikTok One Creator Marketplace in South Africa to provide creators with more earning opportunities.
- The new platform replaces previous monetisation models, including the $2 billion Creator Fund.
- Vodacom, South Africa's largest mobile operator, has endorsed the new platform and seen an increase in engagement through the service.
