Meta is luring the Tik Tok creators with longer video durations, new editing capabilities and offering up to $5,000 over three months for posting “Reels” on their platforms – Facebook and Instagram as the Chinese app faces uncertainty in the United States.
Meta con, owner of Instagram, confirmed their “Breakthrough Bonus” programme aims to assist TikTok creators establish themselves on Meta’s platforms. According to The Information’s Wednesday report, Meta is discretely offering substantial monthly incentives to attract creators with significant TikTok followings to Instagram Reels.
Analyst Jasmine Enberg notes Meta’s increasingly direct approach to courting TikTok creators amidst the platform’s instability, AP ngews agency reported.
The recruitment drive coincides with TikTok’s uncertain status in the United States. The platform faces legislation requiring its Chinese owner ByteDance to divest or face a US ban.
President Donald Trump’s early executive action paused the law’s enforcement for 75 days, which would have outlawed TikTok. The ban stemmed from concerns about potential Chinese government exploitation through data collection and content manipulation.
TikTok experienced a brief shutdown in the United States as the sale deadline approached. Subsequently, Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced extended Reels duration to 3 minutes and a forthcoming iPhone editing application in February.
ByteDance-owned CapCut’s removal from US app stores has created an opportunity for Instagram’s editing tools.
Analyst Enberg suggests these features alone may not convince TikTok users, particularly given Meta’s perceived alignment with Trump’s administration and recent platform policy changes.
Whilst Instagram appears the likely TikTok alternative, some Americans prefer Xiaohongshu, despite its Mandarin interface, as a statement against Meta and US politicians.
Enberg concludes that financial incentives will likely prove compelling for creators, ultimately influencing their followers’ platform choices.
