TikTok’s new ad feature to help brands find smaller creators

TikTok is rolling out a new feature that will make it easier for brands to connect with creators, especially those with smaller followings. 

Branded Missions will see brands share a brief with the creator community as a way to attract user-generated content. Creators with at least 1,000 followers will be eligible to participate, a potential boon for micro-influencers and casual creators. TikTok creators, who must be 18 years old, will see the potential base payout before choosing to participate in the Branded Mission. They will receive a cash payment if their video is chosen, and possibly a performance-based payout. Creators can submit up to three videos per brief, before the brands choose which videos to amplify as ads. 

“Brands need a ton of content, and it’s hard to make successful TikTok content in-house,” Mae Karwowski, founder and CEO of Obviously, wrote in an email. “We’ve seen that a lot of them have really struggled with creating short video and ad content that works on TikTok.”

Branded Missions is currently in beta testing and available in select markets within the U.S. and around the world. It will be available in more markets later this year, TikTok said.