TikTok is rolling out a new subscription service that creators over 18 can use to monetise content through their followers. "Live Subscription" as its called will unlock Twitch-like features such as a subscriber-only chat, badges, and custom emotes.
As reported by The Verge, this new feature is already a hit with creators with the major draw being that it gives them a "predictable monthly income", something that wasn't possible before. However, on the follower side, the benefit is that it provides a new way to support creators while also adding unique benefits like custom badges and stickers.
To become a subscriber, you have to pay at least $4.99 per month, but packages can vary anywhere up to $24.99, but there are some stipulations. You have to be 18 or older to subscribe. If you're instead on the other side of the fence, looking at monetising your own account, you need at least 1,000 followers. But right now, it's invite-only as TikTok tests the new functionality.
And this isn't the only Twitch-like feature that TikTok has added. Earlier, it implemented Gifts for live-streaming, letting viewers tip creators. While a source of income, it wasn't at all reliable—subscriptions will at least give an indicator of what a TikToker can expect each month.
In other TikTok news, the platform is seeking to expand into gaming with new trials launching in Vietnam that aim to let you play HTML5 titles through the app, partnering with Zynga to make this a possibility. So while we're seeing more interaction between followers and creators as well as new monetisation techniques, we're also seeing the platform branch out into other avenues that social media platforms like Facebook have long gained from.