TikTok is leveling up once again, and this time it’s taking a leap into the realm of longer content. Some users are now spotting a new feature in the app, allowing them to upload videos that stretch to a whopping 30-minutes.
Social media guru Matt Navarra recently shared a sneak peek of TikTok’s latest experiment – a 30-minute upload option currently being tested in the beta version of the app. While this might seem surprising, TikTok has been steadily pushing the boundaries of its video duration limits over the years.
Starting from its humble beginnings with a mere 15-second limit per clip, TikTok gradually expanded to 60 seconds, then 3 minutes, 5 minutes, and eventually hit the 10-minute mark in 2022. Last October, the platform dipped its toes into the waters of 15-minute uploads. So, the move towards longer videos is not entirely unprecedented.
It seems like 30 minutes might be the cap, drawing inspiration from the Chinese version of the app called Douyin. Douyin extended its upload limit to 30 minutes per clip in 2022 and has stuck to that ever since.
Presumably, Douyin witnessed positive feedback regarding this extended time limit, prompting TikTok to follow suit. However, the question remains – will users embrace TV show-length videos on TikTok? While some might find the idea appealing, watching a 30-minute clip in-stream does seem like a substantial commitment.
Yet, if TikTok has successfully implemented and managed longer uploads on Douyin, it could translate the experience to its global platform. This move not only caters to creators by providing more capacity but also opens doors to broader monetization opportunities.
Effective monetization has been a challenge for TikTok, especially when compared to platforms like YouTube. Unlike YouTube, TikTok struggles to share ad revenue from shorter videos. However, with the introduction of 30-minute uploads, TikTok could incorporate pre and mid-roll ads, attributing the revenue directly to the content creators.
This expansion could be a significant step for TikTok as it seeks to position itself as a primary destination for entertainment, rather than just a supplementary tool for longer video creators. The success of this venture could redefine the dynamics of content consumption on TikTok and unlock new possibilities for both creators and the platform itself.