As the popularity of short-form video content continues to rise, content creators face the challenge of choosing the best platform to showcase their talents. Two of the most popular platforms for content creation are TikTok and YouTube, each offering unique benefits and drawbacks for creators.
TikTok has taken the social media world by storm since 2018 with its innovative and creative approach to video content. The platform’s algorithm is designed to promote engaging content, making it easier for creators to gain visibility and followers.
With its vast user base and user-friendly features, TikTok provides an ideal platform for creators looking to showcase their creativity and connect with their audience in videos that get straight to the point and make an impact quickly.
On the other hand, YouTube has been regarded as one of the most significant search engines because of its ability to work as a media source for content creators. The channel feature allows you to have a dedicated space for your audience to come and view your content.
YouTube has been around since 2005, with successful channels from MrBeast and PewDiePie making $50M yearly thanks to the video platform. For many years, YouTube was the best (and only) option for creators to upload long-form videos and make money.
It’s easy to see that to succeed in content creation, you should develop a solid presence on several social platforms. Understanding the benefits of each one is inclined to ensure that you reach your ideal audience and ideal profits for this year.
So many content creators wonder which platform is best – TikTok or YouTube? Let’s dive into understanding what each platform does, the relevance and importance for you and the content you develop, and which one can be the best platform for your brand.
TikTok vs. YouTube
The pandemic led to a high demand for video consumption by users and continues to increase this year. Videos also have an increased Return-on-Investment (ROI) for businesses. One of the biggest differences between the two video platforms is their purpose.
Who Does TikTok Cater To?
TikTok is a social media app for users to watch, create, and share bite-sized videos. The most notable and welcoming convenience is that content can be created from your phone, making it ideal for any content creator who is just beginning or is on a budget and can’t afford a lot of fancy equipment. It also provides an array of extras for your videos, like text, cool backgrounds, stickers, emojis, and filters.
Another primary function of each video platform is its user base and demographics. TikTok appeals primarily to younger audiences and generations. Many of those on TikTok and actively using it are under 30 years old. It also keeps updated with the latest trends and features fad videos that go viral, so it’s no surprise that TikTok has its own brand of teenage creators.
Who does YouTube Cater to?
YouTube finds its own appeal in its free-to-use video database, a primary video source for almost 80% of online users. You can find content on any topic of interest, so it’s an excellent source for creators to promote and market products and services. You can also do long-form, or short-form videos, so many creators make premium channels and offer special “episodes” to their VIP subscribers.
Primarily, adults are the ones using YouTube, meaning those users between the ages of 18 to 50 commonly utilize the platform. This demographic is also very geared to focus online, usually switching between multiple devices simultaneously.
Let’s take a closer look and compare TikTok and YouTube for Content creators, starting with how you can make money.
Monetization Opportunities
Where you make money will be a massive factor in where you focus your time as a creator. Here’s a breakdown of how to make money on each platform so that you can decide which is more successful for your content marketing.
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Making Money on TikTok
There are a couple of primary ways that influencers and creators make money through TikTok using an effective influencer’s marketing strategy. :
- Creator Fund: The TikTok Creator fund began in 2020 and was created by TikTok. The app gave its top creators $1B over three years and splits it between all who join. The amount each creator gets depends on the number of views and level of engagement for videos.
- The Creator Fund is only available to those in the United States, the UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France.
- TikTok Pulse: Just last year, TikTok came out with Pulse, so creators now have the opportunity to put ads alongside posts.
TikTok generally pays its creators around 2 to 4 cents for every 1,000 views. That means creators get between $20 to $40 at 1M views. TikTok also has opportunities for brand sponsorships once a creator has built up a loyal following through paid product placements where the brand pays you to display or use their product. There are also sponsorships where creators advertise their products.
Making Money on YouTube
Here are some of the ways you can make money as a creator on YouTube:
- YouTube Shorts fund: 2020 brought in the Shorts fund, where those with channels can record and upload edited short (60-second) videos. The fund promises to reward creators with a monthly bonus from a $100M pot. Creators can get from $100 to $10k, dependent on metrics like how many views and their audience base.
- Google AdSense: Content creators who join the YouTube Partner Program set up an AdSense account to receive a portion of ad revenue for ads playing during, before, and after their videos.
Other Money Making Opportunities
Tiktok and Youtube can give content creators opportunities for brand partnerships once a solid following is established. Sponsors or brands will pay you to advertise and use products or services in videos to help generate revenue.
Affiliate marketing opportunities allow creators to earn commissions whenever someone uses a specific link, usually provided by the brand. Sometimes brands will pay commissions without anyone purchasing, but in most cases, your followers need to click on the link and buy or utilize the service for you to earn money.
Audience Engagement and Growth
Now that you have explored monetization opportunities, you can locate things like viral potential and how to get your audience to engage and interact with each platform.
YouTube Algorithm and Reach
The YouTube platform can appeal to almost every demographic, so there’s usually something for everyone. Video ads help you to connect with your audience and reach them in a quicker method. You can look toward examples of programmatic advertising to find the best style and type of video ads that will draw in your ideal audience.
The problem with YouTube’s algorithm is that it constantly changes, so it’s challenging to figure out. However, content creators utilize many tips and tricks to help optimize their videos to stand out. It’s essential to develop your content to align with the current marketing strategies and trends that work. It’s also recommended to keep videos no longer than 15 minutes in length to keep up with the current appeal of more short-form content.
TikTok Algorithm and Reach
TikTok is geared more toward entertainment value but also can provide an effective platform for businesses and brands. User engagement spans all generations, so your ideal audience is likely already using the platform at least once a day. Viral videos are more apparent here, so locating specific hashtags and SEO-friendly buzzwords will help ensure your video is seen.
The platform’s algorithm system depends on the user, based on factors including user interactions, content being searched, and account settings. All of these elements are put together in the “For You” page, so it’s adapting and always changing depending on your particular viewing habits. Content is based on user interactions which include comments posted and video likes, video information searched for, and device and account settings.
The video length has grown up to 3 minutes, with an option for ten-minute videos on the way. The “sweet spot” for videos is a few minutes long. The goal is to build a meaningful connection with your audience and provide ways for them to continue interacting with your content.
If you want to go beyond organic reach, you should explore TikTok spark ads. They tend to be more cost-effective and bring better results than platforms like Meta or Google because TikTok isn’t saturated… yet.
Content Creation Tools and Resources
You don’t need to spend much money on equipment or gadgets to be a successful TikTok creator or YouTuber. Some of the more successful creators rely on just their smartphones. The biggest challenge you’ll encounter is understanding editing and how to build upon your editing skills. As you progress, you may want to incorporate more tools, resources, and equipment, such as the following:
- Camera – digital cameras are great, you may want to have more than one angle to edit from, so you can give viewers more perspectives (great for cooking or DIY videos where you can demonstrate).
- Microphone – enhancing your sound quality may be essential, so investing in a good microphone allows you to have more distance with your camera or if you’re going to be in places where background noise could be a potential problem.
- Lighting – having a lighting setup can allow you to take videos anytime during the day.
- Software – You can use free audio and editing software or apps as well as leverage the power of video editing and YouTube automation through your phone, but you may want to get some programs with more features and plugins.
- Tripod or camera holder – investing in this will help you to film without needing someone to hold the camera. If you’re using your smartphone, you may be able to use just a simple phone stand or prop up your phone without investing any money.
- Music and sound library – businesses need to ensure that they license music for use on their platform. With short-form videos, you may have options on the apps without needing a license, but if you want to ensure you’re covered, it can be helpful to subscribe to a music licensing system or program where you have access to music for commercial use.
Look for creator support and resources for your specific platform and invest in your necessary equipment and tools. Resources may be available through Facebook Groups or blogs that can give you many helpful tips and tricks for optimizing your channel or brand.
Elevate your content creation journey today with TikTok or YouTube!
Case Studies: Successful Creators on TikTok and YouTube
Here are some successful content creators you’ll see on each platform, and what you can learn from them.
TikTok Creators
- Dixie D’Amelio has an audience of over 34M, which grew primarily due to her lip-sync and dancing videos alongside shorter snippets of her daily life. She shares in business ventures, including her solo music career.
- Zach King has an audience of over 73M followers, bringing his magic tricks to life and entertaining the world with short videos that average only around 15 seconds. He averages around $3M in profits just on TikTok alone.
YouTube Creators
- MrBeast – Jimmy Donaldson is one of the highest-paid YouTubers making over $125k per month on YouTube ad revenue, his videos showcase fun games and challenges that he videos for people to win prizes and money. He started by gaming online and eventually built up to getting several sponsorships and giving away a lot of his winnings.
- Markiplier – with over 34 million subscribers, Mark Fischbach’s channel focuses on horror and survival-based games. Thousands of gaming channels are on the platform, and not all videos are popular for creators. His engaging and friendly demeanor and frequent, consistent uploads aided in his boost to popularity. Plus, he has over 5k videos on his channel alone.
Challenges and Opportunities for Content Creators
As you can see from the case studies above, there is a lot of saturation in some particular niches and industries, making it difficult if you’re just starting in the area. One of the most significant challenges you will face when entering YouTube or TikTok as a content creator is developing your brand – and it takes a lot of time, effort, and patience.
With each platform, there are pros and cons.
YouTube has a lot of monetization opportunities for creators to generate substantial income from ads and a much bigger user base. But, there are limited creator tools, so your editing must be done outside the platform, and music licensing can be a hassle.
TikTok has a high potential for video to go viral, and music isn’t much of an issue with lots of selection in short-form for sound and audio options. You also have the added advantage of editing and producing your videos right on the platform. But there are more monetization limits, and the algorithm can mess with your content if you don’t make it eye-catching immediately.
Final Thoughts About TikTok vs. YouTube
So out of TikTok vs. YouTube – which is a better platform for content creators? There is no honest, clear-cut answer to the question. It all depends on you as the creator. Your goals and objectives must align with your vision, and you can likely benefit from using both platforms for content creation.
YouTube has been a very successful platform, but TikTok is coming up in the rankings as robust competition. Your ideal audience and customer for your content may require you to do some measuring, comparing, and testing on each platform so that you can find which platform will work the best for you and focus more on it.
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