Many people who create and share videos on Facebook wonder if they can make money from their content. Specifically, they want to know if they can get paid directly by Facebook for the views their videos receive. The short answer is no, Facebook does not pay creators directly for video views. However, there are some ways content creators can monetize their Facebook videos and earn money from the views.
Does Facebook pay you for views?
Facebook does not offer a partner program that shares ad revenue or pays creators based on video views. So you cannot earn money directly from Facebook when people watch your videos. This differs from platforms like YouTube, which provide various monetization options for creators through the YouTube Partner Program. But just because Facebook itself does not pay for views does not mean there is no money to be made from Facebook videos.
How to earn money from Facebook videos
While Facebook does not share ad revenue or pay creators for views, here are some of the ways you can earn money from your Facebook videos:
Use affiliate links
One of the most common ways creators monetize Facebook videos is by including affiliate links. An affiliate link allows you to earn a commission when someone clicks the link and completes a specific action, like making a purchase. For example, if you share a product review video, include an affiliate link to buy the product from Amazon. If viewers click and buy it, you get a percentage of the sale.
Sell merchandise
You can also leverage your audience and content to sell custom merchandise, like t-shirts, mugs, and other products featuring your brand and videos. Add links to your merchandise store in the video description. Many video creators have successfully built whole merchandising brands off their YouTube and Facebook content.
Use paid product placements
Contact brands and businesses about sponsoring your videos through paid product placements. When you feature or highlight a product in your video in exchange for a sponsorship fee, that is a product placement. You can earn money for each video you create featuring the sponsor’s products.
Crowdfund through Patreon or similar platforms
Services like Patreon allow creators to crowdfund their work through subscriptions. Fans pay recurring monthly amounts and get special perks. If you have a loyal audience, you can fund your video projects through fan subscriptions. Integrate these pages with your Facebook content and strategy.
Build an engaged audience
The most important part is building an audience that engages with your content. The more likes, comments, and shares your Facebook videos get, the more visibility they will have, which makes monetization through the other methods mentioned here easier. Focus on quality over quantity, connect with viewers, and keep them interested. Monetization relies on an audience that actively interacts with your videos.
Other Facebook monetization programs
In addition to the creator-driven monetization methods covered already, Facebook does offer some monetization and funding programs creators can participate in, including:
Facebook Ad Breaks
Ad Breaks allow eligible creators to insert short ads into their long-form videos and earn a 55% revenue share. To qualify, you need at least 5,000 followers and 600,000 total minutes viewed in the last 60 days. Ad Breaks place mid-roll ads and you must review and accept the ads shown.
Facebook Reels Play Bonus
Creators can earn payouts for Reels content in Facebook’s bonus program. You need to produce original Reels that perform well to qualify. Facebook is investing over $1 billion in creator payouts through 2022.
Facebook Stars tipping
Fans can pay to send you Stars during Facebook Live streams as virtual gifts or tips. One Star equals one cent that goes to you as the streamer. Facebook takes no fees from Stars. You cash out earnings monthly when you hit $100.
Level Up program for gaming creators
If you stream games on Facebook Gaming, this program helps you monetize through Stars and subscriptions. Level Up is open to all gaming creators. The more followers you build, the more money you can access.
While individual video views are not directly monetized, creators can still leverage Facebook’s huge audience, social engagement, and reach to build viable income channels. Focus on serving your audience, pursuing sponsorships, and utilizing affiliate options for the best results.
Tips for earning more from your Facebook videos
Here are some additional tips to boost views and make the most money from your video content on Facebook:
- Optimize your titles, thumbnails, and descriptions for high click-through rates
- Always include links for affiliates, merch, crowdfunding, etc. Make them easy to access
- Post at optimal times when your audience is most active and engaged
- Leverage hashtags and trends to increase visibility in feeds
- Collaborate with other creators for cross-promotion opportunities
- Go live consistently to build an audience and get more comments
- Offer special perks through fan subscriptions on Patreon
- Promote new videos across all your social channels
- Partner with relevant brands that align with your niche for sponsorships
Facebook video monetization requirements
To monetize videos on Facebook through ads, Stars, and other programs, you must meet these platform requirements:
- Comply with Facebook’s Community Standards, monetization policies, and other rules
- Upload videos that are interesting, entertaining, and original
- Page representing person or registered business in good standing
- Ad Break videos must be 3+ minutes long
- Gaming creators need 10,000 lifetime views to earn Stars
- Uphold permissions, copyright laws, and proper disclosures for branded content
By following the guidelines and building an engaged following on Facebook, creators can access various monetization avenues. Track your progress and performance numbers regularly to see what works well.
Frequently asked questions about Facebook video monetization
Here are answers to some common questions people have about earning money from Facebook videos:
Can I make money from Facebook views without being in the Partner Program?
Yes, you can monetize without being in a Facebook partner program. Options like affiliate links, merchandising, and crowdfunding do not require partnership. Building your audience is more important.
How many views do I need to make money on Facebook?
There is no view threshold you have to reach first. You can include affiliate links or fan funding options from day one. The key is focusing on engagement over raw views. 1,000 highly engaged viewers are more valuable than 1 million passive viewers.
Does Facebook pay more for longer videos?
No, Facebook does not factor video length into monetization or views. Longer videos over 3 minutes can run multiple mid-roll ads via Ad Breaks, but you do not earn more money simply for longer runtime. Quality engagement trumps length when monetizing.
Can I earn money from Facebook videos with a personal profile?
To access Facebook monetization programs, you need a Facebook Page representing a person or business. Personal profiles have limited options. Build your brand through a Page to fully monetize original video content.
How many followers do I need to add ads to Facebook videos?
To be eligible to insert Ad Breaks into your video content, you need a minimum of 5,000 followers/subscribers and 600,000 total minutes viewed in the previous 60 days. Reach these thresholds to start monetizing with ads.
Conclusion
While Facebook itself does not directly pay creators based on video views, you can still earn money from your content. Use affiliate links, merchandise, crowdfunding, and sponsorships to monetize your audience and videos. Satisfy platform requirements, focus on quality over quantity, and utilize Facebook’s tools like Ad Breaks once eligible. With the right strategy, you can generate revenue from your Facebook videos by delivering value to your viewers.