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TikTok Launches ‘Agency Center’ to Provide New Strategic Guidance for Creators

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TikTok Launches 'Agency Center' to Facilitate More Monetization Opportunities for Creators

TikTok continues to develop new ways to help creators develop, with a view to increased monetization, this time via a new program called ‘Agency Center’, which, when activated, will signal to talent agencies that they’re open to additional guidance and support, where available.

As you can see in these screenshots, shared by social media expert Matt Navarra, the new option, which is now available to some users within their TikTok LIVE settings, enables creators to tap through to the ‘Agency Center’ menu. There you can activate the ‘Agency invitation’ option, which, when switched on, will enable your TikTok profile to be ‘searched and invited by any agency’. You can also withdraw your interest whenever you choose.

TikTok Agency Center

TikTok provided this explanation to SMT:

“LIVE agency is a function that allows creators to be discoverable by LIVE Talent Agencies to help develop/coach growth within LIVE (i.e. tips and tricks, best practices, etc).”

TikTok says that LIVE Agencies will eventually be able to invite creators to join their network, where they will train, coach, and connect them with their community of experienced LIVE Creators, in order to improve their broadcasting approaches.

The program is still in development, but the idea is that it will enable creators to refine their live broadcasting strategy, which will then better enable them to build audience, and likely incorporate additional tools, like live shopping and promotions, into their streams.

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Ultimately, the program is another element in TikTok’s broader effort to facilitate more monetization opportunities for its top creators, by helping them both improve their growth strategies and make connections within the app that can then help link them to new partnerships.

TikTok’s hoping to create a more organic, simplified brand partnership ecosystem, in order to facilitate more monetization opportunities – because right now, top stars can earn a lot more money by posting to YouTube or Instagram instead. If TikTok wants to maintain its growth momentum, it needs to keep these popular users active – because if they stop uploading their content, and TikTok loses their engaged audiences, that, eventually, could be a disastrous blow for the app.

Because that’s what happened to Vine. Vine had hundreds of millions of users at one stage, and was the trending app of the moment among younger audiences, until Vine’s top creators, including King Bach, Logan Paul and others, called for a meeting with parent company Twitter to demand more money for their contributions, or else they’d take their content elsewhere. Twitter refused, mostly because it didn’t have an adequate monetization process in place for Vine clips, and thus, no money to give them, at least in a sustainable process. And eventually, those creators did move on to other apps, which then saw Vine usage plummet.

TikTok knows that this could also happen to its platform, and even though it’s now far bigger than Vine ever was, the vultures are circling, with both Meta and YouTube now offering bigger, more sustainable, more reliable monetization processes. And creators are indeed starting to question whether it’s worth them sticking around on TikTok at all.

It’s not at critical levels yet, of course, with TikTok still the trending app of the moment. But it will become a bigger question, especially as TikTok’s audience continues to grow, and that, inevitably, reduces payments from its static Creator Fund.

For smaller creators, that probably won’t matter, but if you rely on your uploads for income, and your TikTok payouts vary significantly each month, based on the whims of the Creator Fund program, that will become a problem at some stage.

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Would that be enough of a problem to stop users from posting? Maybe. Reports have suggested that some big-name stars are now looking to meet with TikTok execs to address the situation.

Which sounds familiar.

That’s why TikTok is working hard to add in new monetization avenues and tools, and this new ‘Agency Center’ option could provide another pathway to establishing a more sustainable income stream for creators in the app.




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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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