In a world where content proliferates, diversifying is the key to survival. Alongside new distribution channels such as Free Ad-Supported Streaming (FAST), harnessing existing audiences and bringing them to new social platforms can help brands grow and thrive. Actually earning money from this ecosystem, however, requires knowledge of how to monetize on each social platform. 

To help creators and brands diversify their social strategy and attract larger audiences, we’ve rounded up the money-making mechanics of the top hitters. Of course, while native platform monetization relies on income from ad revenue, as reach and engagement increase, the door is also opened to viable brand partnerships. And for platforms such as TikTok, brands even evaluate creators based on the same engagement and completion rates necessary for advertising success – so it (literally) pays to get it right.

How to monetize on TikTok

TikTok’s monetization is based on in-feed adverts served between videos and on the ‘For You’ page. As a short-form content platform, the success of its in-feed ads relies on consistently engaging content from multiple creators. However, like other short-form features such as YouTube Shorts, it’s not easy to attribute revenue to any one creator’s content. 

While it’s a common misconception that TikTok is only for the young, approximately 32.5% of the platform’s global audience is 25-34. 18-24-year-olds make up just 6% more of TikTok’s user base (38.5%) – and the remaining 30% or so of users fall outside the 18-35 age bracket. The broad age range the platform appeals to means there’s a wide range of content that lands  – from Khaby Lame’s comedic life hack videos to Charli D’Amelio’s viral dances.

To incentivize popular TikTokers, the platform has a Creator Fund: a predetermined amount of money set aside for top talent. This differs from the direction taken by platforms like Snapchat and YouTube, which have both moved to an ad-revenue sharing model. It also means that, unlike most other platforms, TikTok has an earnings ceiling. 

Creators have to apply directly to the TikTok Creator Fund. To be eligible, they have to be based in the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain or Italy. They also need at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the last 30 days.  

Once accepted, funds are paid out based on factors such as video views, audience engagement, and the region viewers watch from. These are the standard factors that go into calculating advertising CPM (cost per mille, or the amount an advertiser pays for 1K impressions of their video) on other platforms such as YouTube.

In May 2023, TikTok launched the TikTok Creativity Program, which will eventually replace the Creator Fund. At the moment it’s in beta and only available in the US, but keep an eye out for updates as the year progresses. 

Growing an audience on TikTok and then funneling them to other platforms like YouTube, where money is more easily made if the right metrics are hit, can help creators diversify and increase earning potential. 

How to monetize on Facebook and Instagram

On Facebook, creators can monetize video content using in-stream ads. These are promotions that play before or during a creator’s content, and they can be video or image-based. Facebook’s automatic auction determines advertising slots based on competition and demand. They’re then served dynamically to viewers without creators having to lift a finger.

To monetize on Facebook, creators must have a Facebook page or professional account that’s over 30 days old. For in-stream video ads, creators must be over 18 and live in an eligible country. To add advertisements to on-demand videos, they need 5,000 followers and a combined viewer watch time of 60,000 or more minutes over the last 60 days. And to show live videos with ads, these figures jump to 10,000 and 600,000 respectively. 

Eligible creators can toggle on in-stream ads easily from the monetization tab on their accounts. The amount creators can earn from in-stream ads depends on the number of ad impressions they receive and the CPM of the ads shown.

In 2022, Meta also launched Facebook and Instagram Reels as an additional way to monetize short-form content across its platforms. Selected eligible creators were able to earn money from their videos based on the number of plays each reel received. However, as of March 2023, these have been paused, with Zuckerberg citing issues with their monetisation efficiency compared to feed content. 

How to monetize on YouTube

Once creators acquire a large enough subscriber base and reach enough hours of content viewed, they become eligible for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). This allows creators to monetize their content by turning on adverts at the beginning, middle, or end of their videos. 

Just like on TikTok and Facebook videos, the highest revenue comes from content that commands high advertising CPMs. Various factors impact these CPMs, including content niche, audience location, and advertising demand. If it’s not as high as desired, there are things creators can do to improve CPM. 

This ad-revenue sharing model only differs slightly for YouTube Shorts. Here, all advertising revenue is added to a creator pool (minus expenses such as music licensing royalties). Then, revenue is allocated to individual creators based on their share of all YouTube Shorts views. For example, if a creator’s material made up 1% of all YouTube Shorts views, they’d receive 1% of the pooled creator funds. While YouTube Shorts previously offered a creator fund similar to TikTok, the move in February 2023 to a revenue-sharing model is a good sign for creators that their earning potential is being taken seriously. As it removes revenue ceilings, creators may also earn more under the new system. 

As YouTube has become more saturated, content creators have had to get savvy about niching down and targeting relevant keywords to attract and retain key audience demographics. The most successful accounts pair this with personality-driven humor and out there challenges to create viral content, such as PewDiePie’s ‘Don’t laugh challenge’ or MrBeast’s video ‘I spent 50 hours buried alive’. 

Papercup works with high profile creators to increase their reach and watch time by dubbing their content into the world’s most-spoken languages for YouTube’s new multi-language audio feature. The feature allows creators to add dubbed audio tracks to main channel content. Viewers can select their preferred language when watching a video, increasing engagement and monetisation potential. 

Snapchat monetization

Snapchat has made waves recently as an unexpectedly lucrative source of monetization. Its ad-revenue sharing program (currently in beta) has netted early-access top talent like Hannah Stocking up to $14,000 per day. It works by serving in-feed adverts after approximately every 4-6 user-generated Snap Stories, with the profits split roughly 50/50 between Snapchat and its creators. 

Although the Snap Stars program is generally aimed at public figures, any notable account with a large and engaged audience is eligible for consideration. As of April 2023, creators needed 50,000 subscribers, 25 million monthly views, and to post at least 10 stories a month to qualify. 

Monetizing on Twitch 

Creators can earn money from live streaming video platform Twitch via its ad-incentive program. Just like YouTube’s AdSense integration, Twitch’s Ad Manager automatically runs ads for eligible creators opted into its program. Creators running at least 3 ads per hour benefit from a 55% share of ad revenue, while those opting for fewer ads receive 30%. Estimated payout is calculated based on factors including the type of content, amount of viewers, number of hours streamed, and number of ad minutes per hour. As with all ad-revenue sharing initiatives, payout also varies based on current advertising demand. 

While Twitch is particularly popular with gaming audiences, other live content such as music, art, and creator chats also perform well. Creators should just keep in mind that Twitch also skews younger, with over 70% of users 18-34. 

In 2023, success on one social platform is no longer enough. Savvy content creators like Logan Paul and Hannah Stocking are instead opting for diversified portfolios across YouTube, Snapchat, and Facebook to grow their audience, build their brands and increase their earning potential. For other creators looking for success on social channels, the playbook is as follows: play to an established niche, diversify across several arenas, and strategically distribute content on platforms with the optimal ratio of demographic fit to monetization potential.

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