TikTok’s adding another way to bring creators and brands together, with a new Creative Challenge initiative, which will enable creators to essentially pitch brands with their clips, in the hopes of earning money via ad partnerships.

As outlined by creator Dayneo, the new program will enable creators to join a brand posted challenge, for which they’ll then post content that the brand will be able to review for potential paid collaboration.

As explained by TikTok:

“TikTok Creative Challenge is a new in-app feature that allows creators to submit video ads to brand challenges and receive rewards based on video performance. Creators can browse through the list of challenges, read the challenge’s brief which displays the reward pool and details rules and requirements, and submit their video ad. The Creative Challenge gives creators full creative freedom over their ads, unlocking more opportunities for creators to collaborate with brands in a way that’s most authentic to them.”

TikTok says that once creators join the program, they’ll also have access to various assistive resources, including a dedicated Creator Community group and a Mentor Program that’ll connect you with other creators to share knowledge.

“To be eligible to join the Creative Challenge, creators must be at least 18 years old and have a US-based account with a minimum of 50,000 followers. Keeping the safety of our community in mind, all videos for the Creative Challenge must abide by our Community Guidelines.”

Brands will be able to choose up to 30 ad creatives from each challenge, with revenue from the campaigns then shared with the chosen creators, providing another avenue for monetization within the app. Creators will also be able to qualify for various performance-based bonuses to build on their money-making potential through the scheme.

The program is actually very similar to TikTok’s recently launched ‘Open Applications’ process, which enables brands to post the details of an upcoming campaign in Creator Marketplace, which interested creators can then respond to with a pitch in the app.

The difference here is that Creative Challenge will be more open to a broader pool of applicants in the app, rather than restricted to those who are active in the Creator Marketplace, but the process itself is essentially the same, facilitating more connection between brands and relevant creators for collaborations.

Which is important, because if TikTok can’t ensure its top stars get paid for their work, they’ll eventually migrate to other platforms instead. Both Meta and YouTube are also working to sweeten their deals for creative talent, and eventually, the platform that offers the most money-making potential will likely win out in luring the best content.

It could be a good option for TikTok stars, and a good way to make some extra cash from your clips, though for the most part, the revenue share will likely be limited. But even so, interacting with enough of these challenges could end up earning you a sustainable cash flow from the app, so you too can become a full-time content creator.

Like Dayneo here, who’s really not that good of a presenter. If he’s making money from TikTok, maybe you can too, and while the app’s future is still under a cloud in the US, even the experience you would glean from could be a significant element of the initiative.

Brands can learn more about how Creative Challenge works here.