TikTok users with at least 10,000 followers can now release premium videos behind paywalls

If you have at least 10,000 followers on TikTok, you might be able to take advantage of a promising monetization feature. The video app has expanded a feature known as TikTok Series, which lets users group videos into collections and put them behind paywalls.

A single Series can include up to 80 videos. Users can set custom prices for their paywalled content, ranging from $1 per Series up to $190. Normally, TikTok uploads have a maximum runtime of ten minutes, but videos distributed via Series can be up to 20 minutes long. That time extension is part of the point; TikTok is hoping to attract long-form, premium content to complement its massive library of short-form clips.

TikTok first introduced Series in March. Initially, the feature was available on an invite-only basis, but on June 6, TikTok invited its community members to try Series for themselves. According to an update appended to the original Series announcement, TikTok users in “select regions” can now apply for the feature if they are at least 18 years old, have at least 10,000 followers, and received at least 1,000 authentic views over the past 30 days.

With its 10,000-follower prerequisite and its focus on long-form videos, Series resembles a different form of TikTok monetization: the platform’s brand new Creativity Program. That feature, which was designed to replace the flawed Creator Fund, is also in the midst of a phased rollout. As these two options come into play, TikTok creators with five-digit follower counts have more access to monetization than ever before.

Series has benefits for TikTok, too. The app wants to attract the sort of long-form content that is typically distributed through competitors like YouTube. To court videomakers of that ilk, TikTok is willing to waive certain requirements for Series eligibility. Creators who fall short of the 10,000-follower benchmark “can apply by providing a link to premium content they’ve previously sold on other platforms via the Creator Center in the TikTok app.”

TikTok’s Series post notes that “application does not guarantee access.” The ByteDance-owned company is still tinkering with its latest monetization tool, which is in its “early stages.” In the meantime, get ready to see some longer videos on TikTok — if you’re willing to pay up.