As you may see on this graph, put collectively by MoneyTransfers.com, whereas TikTok is the trending app of the second, and is on monitor to exceed 1.5 billion whole customers in 2022, which might make it one of many prime three social apps on this planet by utilization, the largest risk to that progress stays monetization potential, with creators in a position to make much more cash on YouTube as a substitute.

Add to that the truth that YouTube Shorts can be rising as a key content material consideration, and it might make sense that extra creators will finally gravitate in direction of YouTube as a substitute, for all their content material posting wants.

As a result of why publish to TikTok when you may construct your viewers on YouTube as a substitute, the place you can also make loads – a lot – extra money?

Anybody who often reads Social Media Right this moment can have seen me write about this many occasions previously, with probably the most direct comparability right here being Vine, which was finally shut down as a result of mother or father firm Twitter couldn’t give the app’s prime stars a greater revenue-share deal.

Again in 2015, on the peak of Vine’s recognition, a bunch of the app’s hottest creators, together with Logan Paul and Amanda Cerny, met with Twitter administration to debate income share, and the way Vine may enhance its providing.

As reported by Mic:

“The celebrities had a proposal: If Vine would pay all 18 of them $1.2 million every, roll out a number of product modifications and open up a extra direct line of communication, everybody within the room would agree to supply 12 items of month-to-month unique content material for the app, or three vines per week.”

Twitter refused, which then noticed these prime creators drift off to Instagram and YouTube as a substitute, the place all of them turned large stars, making tens of millions of {dollars}.

With its prime creators not posting, and its viewers not checking in often, Vine utilization began to say no, which finally result in the choice to close down the app in late 2016.

TikTok, whereas it’s now far greater than Vine ever was, may certainly endure the identical destiny, with creators already bristling at its low creator payouts. And with no type of direct monetization out there – as a result of you may’t insert mid and pre-roll adverts into quick video clips – TikTok is reliant on creators organizing their very own model sponsorship offers, and integrating commerce listings into their course of, which they don’t should do on YouTube.

On YouTube, you merely join the Companion Program, create an AdSense account, and watch the cash begin coming in. You do have to satisfy sure thresholds, in fact, to qualify for monetization, however primarily, YouTube’s system lets you receives a commission for merely creating content material.

That’s not the way it works on TikTok.

However then once more, TikTok’s simply getting began, and certain, the highest earners graph doesn’t look nice. However that doesn’t account for different off-platform offers and alternatives that may stem from TikTok’s cultural affect.

The DÁmelio sisters have their very own TV present. Addison Rae was the star of a Netflix film. Khaby Lame has signed with style label Boss. There’s extra to TikTok that direct income on this sense.

That’s one other approach to take a look at it, however then once more:

All of those YouTubers have admittedly been at it for years, whereas TikTok has solely been a factor for a short while, and there might be new alternatives coming to TikTok that facilitate new types of monetization.

As such, it’s not the entire story – however once more, the information, because it stands, reveals that creators could be significantly better served by constructing their viewers on YouTube, which additionally isn’t going through the identical scrutiny, and potential for elimination, that TikTok nonetheless is.

TikTok’s nonetheless creating, it’s nonetheless refining its fashions. However this stays probably the most vital risk to its ongoing progress potential.  

The charts above seize this in one of the best comparative element.