Wonderful things are happening on the internet. It is indeed, the year of endless possibility. Who would have thought, all those years ago signing up on Facebook, a day would come when people would earn money from just interacting on the app?
Facebook has grown from being a place where you share photos and stalk your village people into one of the biggest platforms for people to earn a living. It started with businesses, then came the content creators, and now just basically anyone can earn from it, as long as you meet all the requirements.
It is about time though, because with over 3 billion monthly active users, Facebook offers a massive audience that few platforms can match.
Tiktok opened the way but it looks like Facebook has decided to go bigger. And it is not just video ads; fan subscriptions, paid events, brand partnerships – you name it. Facebook has built multiple income streams that allow creators to turn their passion into profit.
For businesses, monetization also means using Facebook tools to sell products, host events or build brand awareness while earning directly from their content.
So, who exactly are the biggest candidates for Facebook monetization?
- Content creators.
- Brands and influencers.
- Small businesses who want to host paid events or build exclusive communities.
I have been seeing a lot of posts on my timeline of people sharing their success stories of being monetised. At this point, I am just wondering if facebook shouldn’t just make the option available to anyone interested lol. Because quite frankly, everywhere I turn it seems one more person got approved overnight.
In this guide, we’ll break down the different monetization options on Facebook, explain the requirements and share tips on how to qualify (and maximize your earnings if you already qualified.)
In-Stream Ads (Video Monetization)
This is one of Facebook’s most popular ways for creators to earn money. You can think of them as similar to YouTube ads. They are short ads that play as people watch your videos (either before, during or after.) Anytime viewers watch these ads, Facebook shares a portion of the ad revenue with you.
How It Works
Ads will automatically appear in your eligible videos as pre-roll ads (before the video starts), mid-roll ads (during the video), or image ads (as a static banner below the video).
As expected, the more people watch your videos to the end, the higher you earn.
To qualify for in-stream ads, your Facebook Page must meet these conditions:
- You must have at least 10,000 followers.
- You must have on average 600,000 minutes viewed in the last 60 days, inclusive of regular videos, live streams and replays too.
- 5 active video uploads that meet quality standards.
- Must be in a country where in-stream ads are available.
- Must comply with Facebook’s Partner Monetization Policies.
Maybe you have already been approved but are wondering how to go about it. Here are a few tips.
Start by creating longer videos that are at least 3 minutes long. This is to enable the insertion of mid-roll ads. Make sure the videos are engaging enough. The secret lies with the engagement. Maybe this is the reason we have been seeing a content surge in the last couple of years that is kinda, (for lack of a better word), crazy. Because at the end of the day, the more viewers watch and interact, the more ad revenue one earns.
Post consistently. It goes without saying that uploading regularly helps you maintain audience retention and meet the 600,000-minute threshold.
Avoid violations. This is crucial, as using copyrighted music, violent content or clickbait can get your monetization disabled.
Leverage Live Streams. You think all those people going on live have nothing better to do? On the contrary, that is their business. Live sessions will help you rack up thousands of viewing minutes and thus help you qualify faster.
Earnings
Your income will depend on a number of factors. Some of these include the number of ad views, audience location (advertisers pay more for some regions than others), audience demographics and video length and watch time.
Some creators have reported earning $1–$10 per 1,000 ad views. It is not guaranteed though, as results may vary widely.
Fan Subscriptions (Now Called Subscriptions)
Although not commonly known, subscriptions give creators a way to earn a steady and predictable income from their most loyal followers. All that is required is for you to build a community of paying fans who support your work in exchange for exclusive content or perks.
How It Works
Fans pay a monthly fee that is anywhere between $0.99 and $99.99, (depending on what you set and what Facebook allows in your region) in exchange for special benefits like exclusive posts or videos, a supporter badge next to their name in comments and access to private groups or live Q&A sessions.
Other benefits include discounts, shoutouts or other personalized perks.
Under subscriptions, creators keep the majority of the revenue after Facebook’s small processing fee.
To use Subscriptions, you need to have a page and not just a personal profile. You are also required to have met Facebook’s Partner Monetization Policies, should be living in a country where Subscriptions are available and finally, have a consistent history of engaging content.
What is the best way of maximizing subscription earnings?
Quality over quantity. Make sure you offer real value. After all, subscribers are paying for extra access, so why not give them something worth their while? (popular options include behind-the-scenes content, early access, bonus videos etc, etc.)
You need to promote regularly and remind your audience about the benefits of subscribing, especially during live streams.
Engage your (paying) supporters by reply to their comments. Don’t just stop there. You need to recognize them in posts and make them feel part of a community.
Finally, do not forget to balance free and paid content. The secret is to keep posting publicly in order to attract new fans, while rewarding subscribers with exclusives.
Earnings
Unlike ads, subscriptions create recurring monthly income. Getting them might require a lot of hard work, but their biggest advantage is the steady, dependable income (all factors constant of course.) For example, if you have 1,000 subscribers paying $4.99/month, you’d earn nearly $5,000 every month before fees. But you do not need to have all those numbers as even smaller numbers like 100 subscribers can still provide a nice side income.
The only catch with this model is that it works best for creators with a dedicated community and not just casual viewers.
Stars (Live Streaming & Video Support)
Facebook Stars is all about tipping. Here, fans support creators directly during live streams and on-demand videos. (think of tiktok’s “Tap tap” and gifting phenomena.) Viewers send you stars while you’re live or in your video comments, with each Star being worth $0.01 to the creator.
How It Works
A Viewer can buy stars using real money (for example, $1.99 buys 95 Stars) and send the stars to the creator during live stream or in comments as a way of showing support. Each star is worth $0.01, meaning 100 Stars = $1.
What are the requirements for you to be able to receive Stars?
You must have a page and not a personal profile, be eligible under Facebook’s Partner Monetization Policies, enable Stars in Creator Studio or Professional Dashboard and be in a country where Stars are available.
To make the best out of this you should be able to go live often because the more live streams you host, the more opportunities fans have to send Stars. You should acknowledge supporters and thank viewers who send Stars during the stream. This encourages more fans to do the same.
Another obvious method is to create interactive content like games, polls, Q&As or coming up with challenges that will make live sessions engaging and increase fan participation.
Set goals. For example: “If we hit 5,000 Stars today, I’ll do [fun reward].”
Earnings
10,000 Stars = $100. You simply need a loyal live-streaming audience for star income to multiply, especially if you stream consistently. A common trick is combining stars with in-stream ads and fan subscriptions for multiple revenue streams.
If you are a creator that thrives on real-time interaction and community engagement, (think gamers, musicians, teachers or influencers), then you might excel at this.
Branded Content (Influencer Marketing)
Branded content is when creators collaborate with businesses to promote products or services on Facebook. Instead of relying on Facebook’s ad revenue, you get paid directly by brands to promote their services or products.
Brand Collabs Manager, is a marketplace on facebook that connects brands with eligible creators.
How It Works
A creator makes content featuring a brand’s product or service and tags the post as “Paid Partnership with [Brand Name]” for transparency. The brand then compensates the creator directly and not through Facebook.
As for the requirements, one needs to have a Page and not just a personal profile, should follow Facebook’s Branded Content Policies (e.g., no misleading endorsements, must disclose sponsorships), meet Partner Monetization Policies and build an audience that appeals to brands (have a niche.)
To excel at this, you might need to follow a few steps. For starters, know your niche. Brands look for creators with strong influence in a specific area (e.g., beauty, tech, travel, lifestyle).
Always be transparent no matter what by disclosing when content is sponsored. Remember, trust builds credibility.
You should also try to balance sponsored and organic content. Nobody likes to be on a page that is always pushing ads and sponsored content. Mix in plenty of authentic posts so that even when you post ads, it takes a whale to catch on.
Use storytelling. Be creative. Instead of just showing a product, integrate it naturally into your lifestyle or story.
Earnings
Payments tend to vary depending on your audience size, engagement rate and niche. Micro-influencers that have roughly 10k–50k followers can earn a few hundred dollars per post while larger influencers with 100k+ followers can negotiate thousands of dollars per campaign.
Branded content is a powerful option because it pays more than ads and subscriptions, especially if you build long-term partnerships with companies.
Paid Online Events
With paid Online Events, one hosts virtual experiences that fans or customers pay to attend. These include workshops, concerts, classes, comedy shows or webinars. In these online events, facebook lets you charge an entry fee while streaming the event directly on the platform.
How It Works
You create an event on your Facebook Page and set a ticket price (usually between $0.99 and $99.99). After setting up the event, make sure to promote it to your followers or run Facebook Ads to attract attendees. Fans/ Viewers will then pay directly on Facebook to access the stream.
Once all this is done, you will be required to go live at the scheduled time and deliver your event.
To achieve this, on top of meeting all the other obvious thresholds, you need to have a payment account set up in the creator studio or professional dashboard.
Earnings
Will depend on the ticket price and number of attendees. For example, if you have 200 attendees purchasing a $5 ticket each, you have a clean $1,000, and so on and so forth.
If you are a creator with a strong community or niche expertise, this is easily one of the most profitable monetization methods for you.
Reels Bonus Program
It is quite obvious that the Reels Bonus Program was introduced as part of Meta’s push to compete with TikTok, allowing creators to earn money directly from Facebook by posting engaging short-form videos called Reels.
How It Works
Creators are invited to join the Reels Bonus Program. One can also apply if the option is available. You earn money based on the performance of your Reels with payouts coming directly from Meta and not advertisers.
If you want to make the most out of reels, you should be able to post consistently, keep it authentic and jump on trends (trends will make sure you go/ stay viral). Also encourage interaction e.g likes, comments and shares so as to boost algorithmic reach.
Most importantly, steer clear of policy violations like using copyrighted music or low-quality reposts.
Eligibility & Policies
Not everyone can monetize their Facebook because Facebook has strict eligibility criteria and content policies laid out to protect advertisers and users.always remember that breaking these rules can lead to losing access or even being permanently banned from monetization.
To qualify this is what you need:
- Have a Facebook Page (personal profiles don’t qualify).
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Live in a country where the feature is available.
- Have enough followers and engagement (requirements vary by feature).
- Comply with Facebook’s Partner Monetization Policies.
Facebook’s Key Monetization Policies
- Partner Monetization Policies (PMPs)
- Apply to the creator/page as a whole.
- Require authentic behavior (no fake likes or followers).
- Pages must be professional and follow community standards.
- Apply to the creator/page as a whole.
- Content Monetization Policies (CMPs)
- Apply to individual videos or posts.
- Avoid
- Copyrighted material you don’t own.
- Misleading or clickbait content.
- Nudity, violence or harmful material.
- Static images, slideshows or unoriginal/low-quality content.
- Copyrighted material you don’t own.
- Apply to individual videos or posts.
- Community Standards
- General rules for all Facebook users (no hate speech, harassment, misinformation, etc.).
- General rules for all Facebook users (no hate speech, harassment, misinformation, etc.).
Common Reasons Monetization Gets Disabled
- Using copyrighted music without permission.
- Posting reused content from a different platform without adding original value.
- Fishing for engagement (e.g., “like and share this post to win”) we know you need the engagement, just don’t make it too obvious.
- Posting sensitive or harmful topics.
- Videos that are either too short, blurry or silent.
In simple terms, Facebook rewards creators who are authentic, consistent and respectful of the platform’s rules.
Payment System
You have already started earning but are wondering how it will get to you. Well, the Minimum Payout Threshold is $100, payable monthly. If your earnings are below that, they will have to be rolled over into the next month, or next, until you hit the threshold.
You can receive your money through bank transfer (direct deposit), PayPal or Payoneer. You will need to set up a payout account in Meta Business Suite to receive funds.
Taxes and Compliance
Creators must provide tax information (W-9 in the U.S., W-8BEN for non-U.S. creators) with earnings subject to withholding taxes depending on your country. Remember to keep records for accounting and tax reporting.
If you are still here, reading this, one thing becomes clear. There is no single right way to earn money on facebook. But regardless of the path you choose, the keys to sustainable income on Facebook remain the same:
- create original, engaging content consistently.
- Follow monetization and content policies to avoid disruptions.
- Build real relationships with your audience .
- Diversify your income streams so you’re not dependent on a single feature.
Facebook, with its billions of users and a growing focus on supporting creators, can be a platform for building a brand or a career.
