TikTok One launches in SA as rival to YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels
TikTok One offers creators paid opportunities ranging from monetising existing videos to participating in creator‑led campaigns.
South Africa's creator economy witnessed a significant development with the launch of TikTok One, a platform aimed at connecting creators directly with brands and agencies. This move positions TikTok within a competitive landscape alongside YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Meta's Creator Marketplace, all vying in the burgeoning sector of creator-brand partnerships.
TikTok One provides creators with paid opportunities, ranging from monetizing existing videos to responding to brand briefs and engaging in creator-led campaigns. For brands, the platform offers a streamlined method to identify and collaborate with South African creators on marketing initiatives. Globally, TikTok One has experienced rapid growth since its inception, with the number of creators earning rewards through the platform increasing by 90% year-on-year between June 2025 and May 2026.
Established creators also saw a 40% rise in monthly campaign rewards. Zethu Mthethwa, TikTok's Head of Sales for Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasized the launch's focus on recognition and opportunity, highlighting that South Africa boasts a vibrant creator community that now has a direct pathway to collaborate with both local and global brands.
The platform introduces three solutions: Spark Opportunity, enabling creators to monetize existing videos as Spark Ads; Creative Challenge, allowing creators to respond to brand briefs; and Creator Led Package, facilitating partnerships through approved agencies. Industry analysts view TikTok's timing in South Africa as strategically significant, as YouTube has been heavily investing in Shorts monetization, Instagram continues to expand Reels with branded content tools, and Meta's Creator Marketplace provides structured brand partnerships.
The competition analysts further note that TikTok One's entry into South Africa increases the options available to creators, while also sparking discussions around the sustainability and fair compensation of creators across various platforms. As Millennials and Gen Z are increasingly influenced by trusted creators, the expansion of TikTok One intensifies competition within South Africa's digital economy, where creativity, commerce, and competition intersect.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
