TikTokers offered $5,000 to join Facebook and Instagram

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has recently made a significant move to attract popular TikTok creators by offering them financial incentives. The company is providing up to $5,000 to creators in the United States who decide to join its platforms. This offer is specifically aimed at individuals who are transitioning from other social media applications, and the amount of money they receive will be determined by an assessment of their social media presence. Although Meta does not explicitly mention TikTok, the timing of this offer suggests that the company is trying to take advantage of the current uncertainties surrounding TikTok's future in the United States. TikTok claims to have around 170 million users in the US, and if the platform were to disappear, many of these users would likely seek alternative platforms to share their content. Meta's 'Breakthrough bonus programme' allows new users to earn money during their first 90 days on the app, provided they post regularly. To qualify for the bonus, users must upload at least 20 reels on Facebook and 10 reels on Instagram each month. These reels must be original content, not videos that have been shared on other platforms previously. However, this program is exclusive to individuals who are completely new to either Facebook or Instagram, and Meta will evaluate applications on a case-by-case basis to determine who is accepted into the program. In addition to the cash incentive, Meta is also offering other benefits, such as a complimentary subscription to its verification system. This initiative is particularly appealing to TikTok users in the US who may be considering a switch to Facebook or Instagram for potential earnings. Meta's efforts to attract TikTok users are not new. Recently, the company introduced an app called Edits, which closely resembles ByteDance's CapCut, a video editing application that went offline when the ByteDance ban was implemented. Just a couple of days prior to this announcement, Meta released a video featuring two creators discussing Facebook's new affiliate link feature for shoppable content. This feature allows Meta users to add prominent affiliate links directly to their videos, similar to how TikTok operates with its TikTok Shop. Furthermore, Meta has made noticeable changes to the appearance of Instagram. Instead of displaying square posts and videos, the platform has shifted to a rectangular format, which appears to be inspired by TikTok's design. This change has sparked some backlash from creators who are frustrated with the new look of their profiles. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, acknowledged the criticism and admitted that he should have provided users with more notice about the changes. This ongoing competition between Meta and TikTok highlights the lengths to which companies will go to capture the attention of users and adapt to the evolving landscape of social media.