TikTok algorithms seem to be going through growing pains yet again causing growing frustrations among creators. Such frustrations and doubts have caused creators to start questioning other elements of the app they’re unhappy with.
Inability to monetise
Despite TikTok splitting ad revenue 50/50 with approved creators (those with 100K followers or more) through its TikTok Pulse program, which launched in May last year, the platform’s creator fund doesn’t do much to keep creators motivated. To paint a picture, according to @ForeverSammmy, who currently has 27.7K followers on the app, creators generally get less than 50p ($0.61) for 100K views via the Creator Fund. Furthermore, according @Sayhopkins, who has amassed 289.5K followers on TikTok and has recently become part of Goldenset Collective’s first creator cohort, “one video I posted back in November, for example, got around eight million views, so it’s not like I don’t have money in the pot, but it’s not enough to get excited about,” she said. “The views are there, but the amount of money I’ve received so far isn’t going to change my life or pay the bills.”
Having said that, things may improve when TikTok launches its Creativity Program Beta soon. While it’s currently available on an invite-only basis, TikTok will make the service available to all eligible U.S. creators in the coming months.
Shadowbanning
Unfortunately for creators, it’s easy for a creator to get banned on the app due to another user reporting your account, and it subsequently gets taken down. That means a potentially a key revenue stream down the drain. Certainly, many creators argue that clarified terms of use would also be helpful because the inconsistency in which creators are suspended can be linked back to ambiguous rules.
Aware that these ongoing issues still needed to be addressed, TikTok announced an updated account enforcement system earlier this month. This was the result of hearing from creators that the previous approach was rather confusing to navigate.
Editing and Captions
Quite simply, it isn’t possible to do once a video is posted and many creators, including myself, would benefit from being able to edit post upload.
Mental health awareness
Feeling that you always have to be ‘on’ is very mentally fatiguing for creators. As a result, many creators have argued that it would be great if TikTok removed post views altogether – similar to what Instagram implemented last year as a way to improve mental health on the app – as views put a lot of performance pressure on creators.
Lack of community
Creator Eimear Varian Barry told Digiday “On TikTok, I don’t get any sense of community. Advertisers are preoccupied with wanting videos to go viral on the app to get more eyeballs on their products, but that’s detrimental to building a long-term, solid community.”
Responding to these creators’ issues in a statement, TikTok said: “From career creators to side hustlers, entertainers to educators, those who are building their personal brand to those who create ‘just for fun,’ creators are the beating heart of TikTok. Our platform is where they come to share their experiences, turn passions into careers, find audiences that want to be entertained, and grow a thriving community.
Nevertheless, TikTok content is fleeting and less consistent than other apps such as Instagram or even Twitter and its hot or cold algorithmic pattern does help to weaken a sense of community.
