Meta is offering deals to creators to promote Instagram on other short-form video apps, including TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, CNBC has learned.
With TikTok currently unavailable for download in the U.S. app stores, Meta is seizing the opportunity to promote Instagram, the crown jewel of its social media empire, to more users.
Meta’s Creator Deals to Boost Instagram Reach
According to the contract details shared with CNBC, creators must promote Instagram at least twice a month on platforms like Snapchat, YouTube Shorts, and others. The contract also mandates three months of exclusivity on Instagram’s Reels product before the creator can post content elsewhere.
These deals last six months, and the creator is required to post a minimum of eight Instagram Reels per month, with at least one additional post on Instagram compared to any other platform. The agreement also requires creators to share content to their Instagram Story twice a month. Notably, these posts cannot be part of a brand deal, which would involve paid promotions.
Meta is offering varying terms based on audience size, including cash bonuses for larger TikTok influencers. According to The Information, Instagram is offering cash bonuses ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 per month for creators with large TikTok followings to shift their videos to Instagram Reels.
Meta has also launched new tools for creators, including a video creation app called Edits, expanding Reels to three minutes, and rolling out a new bonus program to support creator monetization.
High Stakes in the Social Media Landscape
This move by Instagram underscores the fierce competition in the social media space, particularly with TikTok’s uncertain future. Recently, TikTok was temporarily pulled from U.S. app stores after a ruling related to national security concerns, but the app has since resumed service after President Trump delayed the enforcement of the ban.
For Meta, paying creators to promote Instagram could be a powerful way to regain ground, especially since TikTok has surpassed Instagram in popularity among teens and young adults. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 63% of teens aged 13 to 17 say they use TikTok, compared to 59% using Instagram.
The uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future has caused anxiety among creators, with many relying on brand deals as a primary source of income. Dan Weinstein, co-CEO of Underscore Talent, noted that many brands are pausing or modifying agreements to include platforms like Instagram and YouTube Shorts, which are being increasingly integrated into contracts.
“You have YouTube Shorts, you have Instagram Reels. You can repurpose that content onto these platforms, but the algorithm is different,” said Jacob Wallach, founder and CEO of Social4TheWin, noting the challenges creators face in transitioning between platforms.
Competing Platforms at Play
Meta isn’t the only company offering incentives to creators. Substack, a platform for writers and creators to generate revenue through subscriptions, recently announced a $20 million Creator Accelerator Fund to help creators grow their paid subscription base. Additionally, creators are turning to alternative foreign platforms like RedNote, which has gained significant traction in the wake of TikTok’s uncertainty.
As platforms vie for creators in this shifting landscape, Wallach emphasized the importance of creators in driving the success of these services: “Creators are the ones who make these platforms. Without them, it’s like having a town square with no entertainment.” Their role in shaping social media platforms’ success is clearer than ever as TikTok’s future hangs in the balance.
Author’s Opinion
Meta’s strategy of incentivizing creators to promote Instagram could work in the short term, but it risks creating an environment where creators feel financially pressured to be exclusive to one platform. While Instagram could regain some ground in the competition with TikTok, it’s important for platforms to foster healthy ecosystems that support creator independence. Relying too heavily on financial incentives may undermine the organic nature of creator-driven content, potentially alienating those who value creative freedom over money.
