TikTok Live Subscriptions Beta Launching on Thursday
A new way for creators to earn a steady income and fans to show their appreciation is coming in the form of TikTok Live subscriptions. Learn all about the beta test here!
TikTok has announced a new programme that enables viewers to subscribe to their favourite live streamers in order to support them. Live Subscriptions, as it has been named, lets creators earn a “predictable monthly income”, as well as connect with their communities on a new level.
TikTok Live subscriptions will launch on the 26th of May, and will be invitation only to begin with. After that, the programme will be rolled out more widely to creators
Live Subscriptions were also outlined in a blog post by TikTok yesterday. It explained the perks of the programme from the subscriber’s perspective. A very similar model to Twitch‘s subscription programme, subscribers get access to badges, custom emotes designed by the creator, and access to subscriber-only chat.
Promoting the new programme, TikTok has said Live Subscriptions are an extension of their efforts to diversify creator monetisation opportunities. This comes not long after the company announced it would share ad revenue directly with creators.
For creators and live streamers, generating a steady and predictable income is notoriously challenging. Options for monetising on Twitch are comparatively limited, with creators relying heavily on donations or sponsorship campaigns. Adding subscriptions to TikTok means that content creators can add another stream of revenue. It’s also a less complicated way of earning money, without the need for third parties.
The finer details on how creators will be paid haven’t been revealed yet. In its simplest form, it can be supposed that creators directly receive the revenue generated by subscriptions to their live content. Whether TikTok will take a percentage cut remains to be seen.
In terms of pricing, TikTok has said it will be similar to Twitch’s costs. The lowest tier package on Twitch costs subscribers $4.99 per month, with packages reaching $24.99.