A B2B2C platform serving 25M+ global creators by enabling exclusive content and fan monetization
My role
The Sole Product Designer
Time
01/2025 - Present
Platform
Mobile
Overview
TikTok Subscription is a platform allowing creators to offer exclusive content and perks to paying fans, supporting long-term creator monetization.
While PMs focused on adding perks and operational campaigns, I led the revamp of Creator Management with data analytics, TikTok Creator AI integration and creator showcase, boosting sub-only content posts by +18% and valid creators by +36% in 6 months.
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Background
Why can’t it be design driven?
TikTok has long been a PM-led organization—roadmaps and iterations are tightly held by product managers.
When I joined, the team’s focus was on enriching subscription perks and driving operational campaigns. But week after week, in our creator research interviews, one signal kept getting louder: frustrations around the creator experience.
I realized design needed to take the lead in improving the end-to-end user experience.
Background
Turning insight Into action
So I pulled together insights from user research reports, competitive analysis, and hands-on experience reviews to craft a comprehensive strategy doc. I invited the PMs and their manager to a focused discussion, aligning on the vision and priorities.
That document became the foundation for a long-term revamp of the subscription management experience.
Problem
Lack of guidance and feedback undermines creator engagement
73% creators dropped off without taking any action. Creators landed there with no clear narrative—no sense of what to do next or why it matters.
We weren’t just losing engagement—we were losing creators at the door.
Ideation
Designing for every stage of the creator journey
Together with the PMs and DS, I divided the creators into 3 key stages. We accordingly redefined the user journey, identifying the main needs and objectives of each stage.
Design
AI for creators
Let AI guide you
Our first step was to integrate TikTok’s existing Creator AI capabilities into the management page.
Drawing from past experience, I placed AI guidance and CTAs as close as possible to relevant user actions, aiming to connect insights with behaviors and build long-term habits. PM and I were confident in this approach—but once launched, the data didn’t reflect the impact we expected.
We identified two key issues that undermined the initial approach:
1. Lack of trust in AI suggestions. When the results didn’t align with the suggestions, it led to skepticism and reduced confidence in the system.
2. Insufficient data to support individualized AI insights. Our backend couldn’t reliably correlate each creator’s action with measurable outcomes, so we relied on manually written, generic suggestions—further weakening user trust.
To address this, I relocated the AI entry point and reframed the guidance as data-backed, personalized summaries rather than prescriptive tips. This helped creators see the AI as a reflective tool grounded in their own performance, rather than a black-box advisor.
Design
Initial Phase Creator
Improving onboarding and return experience
For initial-phase creators, the onboarding flow was overly long, and upon returning after a break, they were met with an empty dashboard and no clear direction.
Design
Growth Phase Creators
Top creators showcase
In creator interviews, the most common feedback was: “I want to grow my subscription, but I don’t know what to offer my fans.”
So, why not put what the ops told creator here?
Design
Mature Phase Creator
Empowering mature creators with insights and scale
While they already understood how to operate their subscription business, their needs shifted toward scaling their community and gaining deeper insights.
Impact
Believe in the value of design
We tailored the homepage experience based on each creator’s stage.
While some features were still in development or undergoing A/B testing, we achieved significant improvements across multiple core metrics within six months. This is the most impactful and fulfilling projects I’ve led at TikTok.
