According to The Information, Instagram representatives have recently contacted creators with significant TikTok followings, offering to pay $10,000 to $50,000 per month, or even more, to post videos on Reels instead of TikTok.
The report also notes that to receive this bonus, creators must upload videos on Instagram before sharing them on other platforms.
This is considered the largest bounty Instagram has ever offered to encourage posting content on Reels, tens of thousands of dollars higher than before, according to The Information. As The Verge notes, Instagram has used a similar strategy to compete with TikTok.
While these big incentives are tempting, they may be temporary. Instagram discontinued its Reels Play rewards program in 2023 and officially canceled it shortly thereafter. There’s no reason to believe this time around will be any different.
The moves show that the battle for market share between Instagram and TikTok continues to intensify. While Instagram’s huge bonuses may temporarily attract content creators, that doesn’t mean they’ll abandon TikTok — a platform that has helped them build their communities and personal brands.
Whether TikTok can overcome its current hurdles remains a big question, but what is certain is that this competition will not only decide the fate of the platforms but also shape the future of the global content creation industry.
