Several major platforms have begun offering creator funds — designated money to compensate influencers for their content. The goal is to encourage influencers to create more content and to provide some supplemental income for those trying to make a living on the content creator platforms. But how much do creators make?
Payments from creator funds
Research shows 27% of creators have received money from creator funds. Of those, about half have received $500 or less. Here’s a breakdown of the payments from Insider Intelligence. As you can see less than 10% have made $5,000-plus.
Every influencer’s success is tied to the quality of their content, how frequently they post and the engagement they get.
Creator funds defined
Read up on the opportunities to pursue IGC creator jobs on major platforms.
TikTok’s Creator Fund
In July 2020, TikTok launched its Creator Fund to reward influencers who were putting out high-quality short-form videos. The initiative has helped content producers with a sizable engaged audience monetize their craft based on performance.
Compensation, which is based on a sliding scale, is dependent on organic reach. Adult TikTok users (18 and over) who are legal residents of the United States, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and the U.K. can apply for the Creator Fund money if they meet the following criteria:
- Their account has a minimum of 10,000 authentic followers.
- Their videos received at least 100,000 views in the 30 days before applying.
- They’re in good standing with the user terms and community guidelines.
- Their account is linked to a digital payment plan registered in their name.
- They must have a Pro account.
Creators whose application is rejected can apply again after 30 days.
As for how much influencers can expect to make, it will vary, but expect somewhere between 2 and 4 cents for every 1,000 views when you first start. But with unlimited earning potential, the more quality content you produce and share, the more potential to make money.
YouTube’s Shorts Fund
In May 2021, YouTube announced its YouTube Shorts Fund. With a goal to distribute $100 million to short-form video creators throughout 2021 and 2022, the money serves as a reward to content creators who create quality videos and garner engagement.
By April 2022, thousands of creators had received funding — with qualifying channels earning between $100 and $10,000 per month. In addition, YouTube recently expanded its criteria to allow previously unqualified creators to earn bonuses under $100, and the $10,000 maximum bonus was lifted.
Unlike TikTok, there’s no application to be considered to receive money from YouTube’s Shorts Fund. Instead, the reward is automatically given based on the previous month’s Shorts’ performance. Creators are notified about qualifying via email and notification in the app after the first week of each month regarding the amount of their bonus and how to claim it.
Creators in the YouTube Partner Program qualify, as do affiliate channels under a Multi-Channel Network, although channels don’t need to be monetized to be eligible.
YouTube’s Shorts Fund also has different criteria for applicants than TikTok. They include:
- Creators need be 13 years of age in the United States (or the age of majority in their country/region).
- Creators can be from one of nearly 100 countries/regions.
- Channels must have at least one eligible Short uploaded in the last 180 days.
- Content must be original and not uploaded from other platforms or YouTube channels.
Creators who receive a message about receiving money from the Shorts Fund must claim their bonus by the 25th of each month or risk the offer expiring.
Facebook and Instagram’s Creator Fund
Influencers who hit certain milestones on Facebook and Instagram can get rewarded with bonuses from the $1 billion Meta Creator Fund.
You can apply to the Facebook Creator Fund to join the Bonuses program if you have an existing Facebook page. Once approved, you can earn money in one of three ways:
- Performance: Get rewarded for hitting milestones with comments, views, likes, and other interactions.
- Earnings: Facebook will set your earnings goals for in-app gifts, fan subscriptions, and paid virtual events. You’ll get a bonus when you reach these goals.
- Challenges: Although these events are rare, challenge events enable Facebook Reels creators to earn as much as $35,000 per month if they meet certain goals.
Paid from the same monies as the Facebook creator fund, Instagram now offers its own bonus program. This invite-only monetization incentive requires creators to have more followers and engagement than Facebook’s program, but chosen participants can earn bonuses with:
- IGTV ads: American creators can earn a one-time bonus when they sign up to display ads on IGTV.
- Badges: Currently limited to 11 countries, creators earn a bonus for going Live with another account.
- Reels: Creators in India and the U.S. receive a bonus for making content on Instagram Reels and hitting certain performance goals. A new program called Reels Surprise pays up to $20,000 in bonuses to creators who make engaging content on Instagram.
Are creator funds worth it?
For creators looking to monetize their content on social media, these new funding programs can help. However, these funds aren’t set up to provide a full-time income for creators. Some supplemental income is likely, but even then, some requirements or criteria might limit your earnings potential.
There are nay-sayers who believe the creator funds aren’t necessarily to support influencers, but are meant to bolster social media platforms’ reputation. A recent article in TechCrunch likens the funds to PR stunts where platforms can claim, “Hey, we’re paying independent artists!”
However, if you’re an influencer with a sizable audience and some free time, you could benefit from these funds.
Another way to generate income as an influencer is to pitch yourself to marketers in The Creator Marketplace, where you can respond to Casting Calls via video or text and land your next brand deal.
