Santa Monica-based Snapchat announced a new Monetization Program for content creators this week that will feature expanded revenue opportunities and evolving rewards. Beginning February 1, creators that have at least 50,000 followers and post at least 25 times each month to Saved Stories or Spotlight videos will have the option to place ads in videos that are longer than one minute. Eligible creators would also need to meet one of the following criteria in the most recent month: 10 million Snap views, one million Spotlight views, or 12,000 hours of total view time. According to Snap, Spotlight video viewership is up 25 percent year-over-year.

“There is a unique and growing opportunity for creators to monetize this format in the same way they do with Stories,” according to an announcement in the Snap Newsroom.

“Over the last year, the number of creators posting publicly has more than tripled, and our community loves their content,” explains Snap. “We remain committed to evolving and expanding the total rewards available to creators, from Snap’s Monetization Program to the Snap Star Collab Studio, and more, making it even easier for them to find success and get rewarded for being their authentic selves.”

The updated program “will streamline Snap’s monetization features across Spotlight, its in-app TikTok competitor, and Stories, where Snap first launched its revenue sharing feature,” reports Engadget. “It also means the company will end its Spotlight Rewards Program, the creator fund-like arrangement that paid creators directly.”

The Spotlight Rewards Program encouraged participation by new creators but also led to some frustration, due largely to evolving requirements and increased competition. Snap also transformed the “program into a monthly payout offering” that “further reduced how much income creators can generate from their short clips,” writes Social Media Today.

“The integration of its Stories and Spotlight programs should make this a much more straightforward proposition for Snap creators, providing more opportunities to make money in a more sustainable and equitable way.”

The announcement comes as ByteDance-owned TikTok faces a potential ban in the U.S., where it could be forced to shutter as soon as January 19 if it cannot convince the Supreme Court to support an appeal. “If TikTok does end up being banned, Snap will be one of several platforms trying to lure creators to its product,” suggests Engadget.