Social media—apart from being an avenue for relatively unrestricted networking, entertainment and self-expression— is increasingly becoming a mainstay source of income for users. Over the years, we’ve seen platforms like YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) create routes for eligible content creators to generate revenue based on their levels of creativity, originality, and audience engagement.

It has been years of continuous evolution for these platforms, even as Meta (Facebook) joined the monetisation movement, though it initially excluded creators with Nigerian, Ghanaian, and Kenyan addresses until now. 

Although Kenya is still in the Facebook monetisation dark age,  June 1, 2024, marked a new dawn for previously excluded creators in Nigeria and Ghana, as they are now eligible to generate revenue from their content on Facebook, reaching global audiences in over 30 languages.

Since this update extends beyond the surface, this article will shed more light on everything you need to know about monetisation on Facebook in bits, from here on. 

Meta’s Monetisation Features 

Facebook Stars

This is a feature that enables your followers to appreciate you with stars purchased whenever they are wowed by your content. So, whether it’s on-demand video, live broadcast, reel, photo, or text content— you earn $0.01 for each star your content gathers from your audience. 

To earn through Facebook Stars, you must have 500 followers for at least 30 consecutive days, and also meet the programme eligibility criteria, comply with Partner Monetisation and Content Monetisation Policies, and remain compliant with the Stars Streamer Terms. 

In-Stream Ads

You can also earn from in-stream ads— the short advertisements that run in before, during, and after your videos on Facebook. You can manually insert these ads into your qualified videos (live, previously live & prerecorded) or choose Facebook’s automation system that selects which ads appear in each video.

Earning via in-stream ads is hinged on you complying with the necessary policies and eligibility criteria of  5,000 minimum followers and 60,000 total minutes of viewers on your videos in the last 60 days.

 Instant Articles & Subscription 

For bloggers or writers, you can also monetize your creativity by placing ads within your instant articles either directly or via Facebook’s automation, like in-stream ads. 

Additionally, you can add a “Support Now” button to your posts for your followers to subscribe to exclusive content, providing a steady income stream. This is dependent on you being eligible for fan subscription. 

Facebook’s Monetisation Policies

The monetisation policies vary across each feature, as outlined above. However, the general guidelines include complying with community standards, creating original content, generating authentic engagement, and following other specific policies that Facebook has clarified.

Adhering to these rules is non-negotiable as Facebook reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate access to its monetisation features if any policies are violated.