Vine Successor ‘Byte’ To Launch Pooled Monetization Program On April 15

Mere months after launching in full, Byte — a successor app to Vine created by one of that app’s co-founders, Dom Hofmann — is looking to get creators paid.

Amid a formidable start in terms of app downloads, Hofmann and team have emphasized the importance of having a monetization system in place early on — given that a lack thereof largely led to its progenitor’s demise. The company has previously teased how its unique, pooled Partner Program will operate. Initially only available in the U.S. the system will function via pools of creators that will be eligible for monetization. The invitation-only pools will be established every 120 days.

Within these pools, partnered creators will be paid every 30 days — via a bracketed model according to viewership. The company will calculate total viewership each month, and then place creators into different brackets accordingly, with all partners in one viewership bracket being paid the same amount. (Byte is expecting that the number of total brackets will vary on a monthly basis). On Twitter, Byte said its inaugural pool will comprise $250,000 and up to 100 creators, kicking off on April 15.

As for how to get in the pool? Byte is soliciting suggestions for potential participants on Twitter, and in a Community Forum post, the company outlined what it’s looking for — namely to highlight new voices who are creating quality content. While everyone (in the U.S., for now) is eligible no matter when they joined Byte, the platform says it is looking for “emerging creators across a range of genres, styles, and communities…who capture the variety and uniqueness of Byte.”

In terms of other criteria, creator need be consistent on the app, with posts that are non-letterboxed to suit Byte’s de facto formatting of 9:16. Interested parties can also fill out a form right here. And in addition to monetization, Byte notes that Partner Program members will also receive other perks, including direct contact from the Byte team, access to experimental features, and other nascent opportunities, including meet-and-greet and Byte-branded swag.

Money from the Partner Program will come from ads, though Byte is distributing them very strategically — not in front of Bytes, nor in the ‘following feed’, nor will the platform run any re-targeting ads (which are typically re-served to people that have already visited a specific website). And during early test, 100% of ad revenues will go to creators, the company said, with a rev-share model presumably rolling out thereafter — though ratio of the split has not yet been disclosed.