Facebook expands subscriptions & tips feature to Aussie musos

Facebook is one step closer to helping artists make a buck on its platform.

The platform has today opened the door to allow more creators to sell subscriptions and receive cash tips from their fans, paving the way for a new revenue stream.

Pages with 10,000 followers or over 250 return viewers, and with either 50,000 post engagements or 180,000 watch minutes in the last 60 days, can sign up for the feature.

The social network launched the tool in early 2018 to a select group of creators in the US and UK, allowing them to charge their fans US$4.99 per month for exclusive content.

Now these features are available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and Thailand.

Like Twitch, it takes a 30% slice of the subscription revenue and also introduced Stars, a virtual currency that fans can use to tip musicians and other creators.

“We’re seeing the traditional notion of a creator evolve as comedians, artists, fitness instructors, athletes, small businesses and sports organizations use video and online events to connect with their audience,” a Facebook spokesperson said.

“To better support our partners, we’re improving the tools that help creators earn money and manage their presence on Facebook,” the spokesperson added.

The platform is also finding further ways for musicians to make money through advertising, including image and post-roll ads in short-form videos (60 to 180 seconds), and ads in live videos.

No doubt about it, it’s hitting back at the growing dominance of TikTok and Twitch.

Facebook is also upgrading the Creator Studio, with features like Comment Insights which show how comments on posts can affect engagement and audience size.