TikTok takes cue from YouTube with Horizontal Video and 30-minute upload features

TikTok is reportedly moving from its signature vertical video format to embrace horizontal video content. The ByteDance-owned platform, which gained immense popularity during the pandemic with its short-form, full-screen vertical videos, is now introducing features reminiscent of YouTube, as seen in Matt Navarra’s screenshot on Threads.

Creators on TikTok are being encouraged to produce horizontal video content, with the platform promising enhanced visibility for videos exceeding a minute in length. This promotional boost will be applicable to creators who have actively contributed to TikTok for a minimum of three months. However, this promotional incentive is limited to videos that fall under the categories of promotional content or those centered around political themes.

Adding another layer to its YouTube-esque evolution, TikTok is experimenting with extended video upload capabilities, allowing users to upload videos with a maximum duration of 30 minutes. This move follows previous increases in video length limits, starting from one minute to three minutes, then further to 10 and 15 minutes.

Douyin, the China-only version of TikTok, had already implemented the 30-minute video feature in 2022, showcasing the positive outcomes of this extended duration. TikTok’s global adoption of this functionality is expected to open avenues for enhanced monetiastion through the incorporation of pre and midroll advertisements, benefitting both the platform and content creators in revenue sharing.

While this strategic shift towards longer video content aligns with TikTok’s pursuit of increased monetisation opportunities, questions arise regarding user attention spans. The challenge of maintaining engagement through 30-minute videos in a platform traditionally associated with shorter content poses an intriguing question, especially considering the popularity of shorter formats on TikTok and other platforms.

This evolution signals TikTok’s ambition to diversify its content offerings and potentially encroach further into YouTube’s territory, transforming its landscape in the competitive social media sphere.