Effect House, TikTok’s augmented reality (AR) creative platform, has released Version 3.0 to back social media creatives and advertisers, as well as to boost content monetisation, the company announced on Friday.
The new tools allow developers and creatives to leverage the new creative arsenal for AR experiences such as immersive worlds, games, and others. With the latest update, Effect House will develop “robust tools, resources, and support” for its “vibrant community of creators.”
As social media moves into AR content creation, leading to arguably larger audiences than television, individuals, advertisers, businesses, and others can leverage the new tools to engage their massive viewership.
Companies like Spotselfie, Google, Snap, NexTech AR, and others have begun leading in the AR advertising and content creation space. They have done so either to develop AR-powered metaverses or to empower creatives across sectors to boost their brand visibility.
✨ BREAKING: #EffectHouse is leaving beta! Our community of creators have inspired over 21 billion videos, garnering more than 8.6 trillion views globally. In this next chapter, we’re thrilled to welcome the creativity of effect creators from every level to TikTok.
— Effect House (@effecthouse) August 30, 2023
ByteDance’s social media AR division launched version 1.0 (v1.0) last year, leading to over 21 billion videos and earning 8.6 trillion views worldwide. More than 400,000 members have also joined the Discord channel for the platform.
Some of the top Effect House updates include,
- Art Maker and Asset Studio, providing creatives with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered asset generation
- User Media Texture to create effects based on camera roll images
- An Asset Library for procuring a massive set of high-quality, bespoke 3D models, visual scripting assets, and materials
- Material Editor tools to integrate textures, materials, and other 3D assets into effects
- Social Kit for incorporating Profile Photo and Profile Info Animation for supporting social effects for friends of TikTok creatives
- Generative Effects, allowing users to include expressions such as smiles, frowns, hair erasers, and other effects
- Over 50 prefabricated templates, 120 visual scripting nodes, and others for enhancing AR experiences.
- Monetisation for developing career paths in social media effects development, including the $6 million Effect Creator Rewards and Branded Effect Closed Beta programmes
- Creator support to build communities with challenges, missions, bonus badges, and forums
Additionally, the multi-million dollar fund provides creatives with over 500,000 unique videos used across the platform with $700 USD every 90 days. Effects creators will also receive $140 for every 100,000 videos published on TikTok every 90 days.
Stiff Competition from Snap, Meta
The news comes amid increasing competition with rival firms like Snap and Meta. The latter two firms have launched AR tools and studios to boost engagement on social media platforms.
For example, Snap recently revealed a novel solution—AR Enterprise Services (ARES)—at its Partner Summit this year for its Shopping Suite of services. The new solution aims to build an ecosystem of tools for increasing brand loyalty, sales, and customer engagement.
The new solutions will include tools such as 3D Viewer, Fit Finder, AR Try-On, Enterprise Manager, and Hands-On Integration Services.
For Snap, their immersive platform allows users to create real-time 3D (RT3D) content, ar virtual try-ons (AR-VTO), wearables for campaigns and promotions, and product recommendations.
Conversely, Meta has rolled out a huge new update: augmented reality Instagram Reels. With the new additions, Users can tap Meta’s AR technologies for real-time 3D (RT3D) content across Instagram and Facebook.
Leveraging Meta’s Spark AR platform, creatives can use it to receive downloadable training guides for learning how to build content, receive tips, and grow audiences.
Meta’s Spark AR Learn Hub will host the materials along with plans to enhance services in the near future. Furthermore, the Menlo Park-based firm will use the new services to grow advert revenues across the two social media platforms.
