HIGHLIGHTS
- In terms of time spent, YouTube continues to outnumber TikTok.
- The time difference between the two platforms is closing.
- Longer videos may also allow TikTok artists to earn more money.
TikTok began allowing users to submit movies up to 10 minutes long on Monday, upping the fledgling platform's challenge against veteran powerhouse YouTube.
TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance in China, initially had a one-minute restriction on submitted videos but increased it to three minutes last year.
"Today, we are excited to begin rolling out the capacity to post films up to 10 minutes in length," TikTok stated in response to an AFP query.
"We hope that this will spark the imagination of our creators all across the world."
TikTok's decision to more than triple the length of its videos comes as YouTube and Facebook-parent Meta compete with short-form content alternatives and incentives for artists whose postings draw audiences.
"YouTube is still ahead of TikTok in terms of time spent," Insider Intelligence researcher Jasmine Enberg told AFP.
"The time spent on the two platforms is close, and lengthier videos may help TikTok catch up in terms of both eyes and interaction."
Longer videos might also help TikTok producers earn more money and enhance the platform's advertising revenue, according to the analyst.
YouTube has announced its aims for this year, which include making artists' lives simpler and promoting a popular format that competes with TikTok.
According to chief product officer Neal Mohan, the video-sharing site is investing in short-form and live video, as well as tools to help producers make money and create new content.
"YouTube creators are the platform's heart and soul," Mohan said in a blog post.
"We will continue to invest across our different platforms to provide them with every chance available."
Short-form material, such as the video snippets that TikTok is famous for, is extremely popular. According to Mohan, YouTube's version on the notion, dubbed "Shorts," has garnered more than five trillion total views.
Short movies, generally shot on cellphones, can last up to 60 seconds and feature popular subjects such as music and humour.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has its own take on the service called Reels, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg has stated is a priority for the company and is rapidly developing.
