Facebook, Instagram To Incentivize Creators With $1 Billion In Bonus Programs, Seed Funding Through 2022

In a Facebook post this morning, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a seismic, creator-focused investment — to the tune of $1 billion across both Facebook and Instagram through next year’s end.

“We want to build the best platforms for millions of creators to make a living, so we’re creating new programs to invest over $1 billion to reward creators for great content they create on Facebook and Instagram through 2022,” he wrote. “Investing in creators isn’t new for us, but I’m excited to expand this work over time. More details soon.”

In a blog post, Facebook explained that the investment will include a rotating array of bonus programs that pay out eligible creators for hitting certain milestones on each platform, as well as seed funding to help creators produce their own content.

Certain bonus programs are already available to select creators by invitation, and Facebook plans to launch dedicated hubs within the apps for both Instagram (this summer) and Facebook (this fall), where creators can learn about bonuses that are currently available to them as they roll out.

Right now, Facebook bonuses include rewards for creators using in-stream ads over the next four months (pictured above), and a Stars bonus, whereby video and gaming creators can receive a monthly bonus for garnering a specific amount of the virtual currency over the next three months.

Instagram bonuses available to select creators by invitation include: an IGTV ads bonus in the U.S.; an Instagram Live bonus, whereby creators in 11 countries can earn rewards for going live with other accounts; and a Reels summer bonus in the U.S. (pictured below), whereby certain creators will be able to earn money based on how their Reels perform. While payout details for this latter opportunity have yet to be announced, it sounds strikingly similar to Snapchat‘s Spotlight initiative.

Facebook says it will be transparent as it develops new bonus programs, and will seek to reward original, high-quality content with attainable goals that are accessible to creators of all sizes and across a wide range of verticals. The new bonuses and seed funding — which Zuckerberg initially teased during Instagram’s inaugural Creator Week in June — join existing monetization tools, including in-stream and IGTV ads, virtual currencies like Badges and Stars, fan subscriptions, paid online events, brand deals, and ecommerce platforms.

Zuckerberg also vowed in June that Facebook would not take a cut of creator revenues on paid events, fan subscriptions, Badges, or independent news products until 2023.