Facebook introduced Reels bonuses in 2020 as a way to incentivize creators to use Reels and compete with other short-form video platforms like TikTok. The bonuses were designed to help creators earn more money and grow their audiences on Reels. However, there has been some confusion around whether Facebook is still offering these bonuses in 2023.
What were the original Reels bonuses?
When Reels bonuses first launched, Facebook offered the following incentives:
- A temporary $1,000 per month bonus for creators who posted at least 30 Reels in a 30 day period.
- $20,000 per month for top Reels creators.
- Featured placement in the Reels tab for qualifying creators.
These bonuses were designed to reward creators for consistently posting engaging Reels content and give them added incentive to focus on that format. The goal was to make Reels more competitive with TikTok and attract creators to produce more Reels videos.
Are the original bonuses still being offered in 2023?
The short answer is no – Facebook is no longer offering the specific original Reels bonuses that kicked off in 2020. Here are some key facts on the status of those original incentives:
- The temporary $1,000 per month bonus for posting 30 Reels ended in 2020.
- Facebook stopped offering the top creator bonuses of up to $20,000 per month in 2021.
- Guaranteed featured placement for meeting posting thresholds is no longer in place.
So the high value rewards that initially attracted creators to Reels are no longer being given out by Facebook. This indicates the company felt the bonuses achieved their purpose of kickstarting Reels and driving initial adoption.
What Reels monetization options exist now?
While the original bonuses no longer exist, Facebook does offer creators other ways to monetize with Reels in 2023. These include:
- Reels ads – creators can earn a 55% revenue share on ads displayed in their Reels.
- Stars – viewers can purchase and send Stars to creators on Reels to show support.
- Facebook Reels Play bonus program – additional payouts for reels that exceed specific view thresholds.
- In-stream ads – ability to insert ads into reels and earn revenue when they are viewed.
- Brand sponsorships – creators can partner directly with brands to create branded content within Reels.
So while the big monthly bonuses are gone, there are still options for monetizing reels through the partner programs and ads model. The revenue potential likely depends much more on building reach and engagement now.
Has Facebook provided any updates on bonuses?
Facebook has not officially announced any changes or updates to the original Reels bonus structure that was introduced back in 2020.
However, they have communicated that Reels remains a top priority and that they are focused on helping creators maximize their earnings potential on Reels. Some key points Facebook has conveyed:
- They are continuing to build monetization tools for Reels, such as stars and branding partnerships.
- Their goal is to ensure Reels is as rewarding as possible for creators.
- They will continue evolving Reels ads to help creators earn more.
- No definitive updates on bringing back set monthly bonuses at this time.
So Facebook is clearly invested in Reels for the long-term, but has moved away from the initial bonus model to focus more on enabling organic monetization through views, ads, and supporter contributions.
How are creators reacting to the changes?
Many creators enjoyed the predictable income and incentives of the original Reels bonus structure. Some creators have expressed disappointment and frustration that Facebook removed those bonuses before Reels was generating meaningful organic earnings.
Without the bonuses, some creators find it harder to justify focusing efforts on Reels unless they are able to consistently drive strong viewership and make decent money from ads and other monetization features. Others understand Facebook’s desire to shift from temporary bonuses to more sustainable monetization models.
Overall, creator reactions range from:
- Anger and frustration over diminished potential earnings.
- Willingness to build audiences long-term and monetize through ads.
- Confusion around why bonuses were pulled so quickly.
- Indifference from creators who never relied much on Reels bonuses.
Many creators now take a “wait and see” approach on Reels, investing time if it proves lucrative, but otherwise focusing efforts where they can better monetize.
What does this mean for Reels creators?
For creators who want to monetize with Reels, some key takeaways include:
- Put less emphasis on hitting specific thresholds or benchmarks – the set monthly bonuses tied to posting frequency no longer exist.
- Focus more on organic reach and engagement to maximize ad revenues.
- Be prepared to monetize through a combination of ads, tipping, and sponsorships rather than large payouts from Facebook.
- Consider promoting Reels content across Instagram and Facebook to expand reach.
- Track earnings regularly and pivot focus if Reels is not proving lucrative long-term.
The emphasis now is on testing out Reels to see if it can drive meaningful organic revenues based on views and engagement. If not, creators may need to shift efforts to platforms and formats where they can better monetize currently.
Conclusion
Facebook offering large bonuses for Reels was an effective short-term strategy to drive adoption, but not a sustainable long-term model. While creators initially enjoyed predictable bonus payouts, Facebook has transitioned Reels to focus more on organic monetization through ads, tipping, and promotions.
This means creators who found Reels lucrative due to the bonuses may need to adjust expectations and evaluate if Reels still warrants major time investment. But for creators able to drive strong viewership and engagement, Reels remains a viable video format to include as part of an effective cross-platform strategy.