Tik Tok has been spotted testing the ability for users to upload 30-minute videos, signaling a significant move away from the short-form video format that made it popular. The company initially rose to popularity for its short-form videos but has slowly been embracing long-form content. If the new upload limit rolls out widely, TikTok will have come a long way from its original video time limit of 15 seconds. 

The change puts TikTok in even more direct competition with YouTube. The move indicates that TikTok wants to attract longer-form video creators who normally post content on YouTube. In the past, TikTok was seen as the platform for short-form content, while YouTube was seen as the home of long-form content, with creators using both platforms to reach viewers. The past few years have blurred the lines between the two video platforms as TikTok embraces longer videos and YouTube adopts shorter videos with Shorts.

Of course, we have to consider the side of the viewer. Not everyone wants longer videos on TikTok, especially because most people go to the platform for quick, short videos. There’s already talk about how TikTok is ruining people’s attention spans, so longer videos may not be a welcome addition for some. But TikTok has been preparing to make longer videos easier to watch, as the company has been testing a horizontal full screen mode in some regions. Plus, TikTok seems to be aware that not everyone has an appetite for long videos, as it rolled out a feature last year that lets you fast-forward videos by holding down the right-side of a video.

Similar to the testing of 15-minute videos that began in October, only time will tell if the 30-minute videos will actually be launched to all users. As Youtube and Tik Tok get closer to each other, both having long and short-form content, it will be interesting to see if Youtube remains the go to for long-form content and Tik Tok for short-form content or if creators post the same videos on both platforms. 

Source