TikTok launches Pulse ad programme, promises 50:50 revenue split with creators

Short-form video app TikTok has announced a new monetisation model which should help creators to make more money from the platform.

Under a new programme it calls TikTok Pulse, the company will start to share a cut of ad revenue with top creators when their video runs alongside certain ads.

The new monetisation scheme mirrors how YouTube pays its creators, with TikTok saying that it would lead to more significant payouts from the platform. The company later clarified that it would be a 50:50 revenue split between it and creators

Pulse should provide a more stable way for creators to make money on TikTok, with users relying on the company’s ‘creator fund’ which has been criticised for inconsistency.

The new ‘contextual advertising solution’ will allow ads to be run alongside “among the top 4% of all videos on TikTok.” Creators with at least 100,000 followers are eligible to receive a revenue cut.

For advertisers, TikTok offers 12 categories of Pulse in which brands can place their ads next to the most culturally relevant content. These categories include favourite content from beauty and fashion to cooking and gaming. 

The company described Pulse as creating “an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the communities that matter most to brands.”