YouTube is introducing new monetization capabilities for creators, including Super Stickers and new tiered Channel Membership levels. It’s also adding more merchandising partners. The announcements came during VidCon in Anaheim.
Animated Super Stickers. YouTube channel owners will soon be able to let fans purchase animated Super Stickers that they can post during live streams or Premiere videos (pre-recorded videos posted as a live event). The stickers include an assortment of designs across different languages and categories (gaming, fashion, beauty, etc.), but no prices were given beyond the $5.00 and $20.00 amounts shown in the image below. YouTube said Super Stickers will be available in the coming months.
YouTube’s new Super Stickers can be purchased by fans during live streams and Premiers.
New levels for Channel Memberships. Last year, YouTube channel sponsorships were renamed “Channel Memberships” — a platform offering creators who are part of the YouTube Partner Program and have 100,000 or more subscribers the ability to sell memberships to their channels for $4.99 per month. Paid members receive exclusive content and other perks. Now, YouTube is launching five different price points for Channel Memberships, each with their own set of offerings.
YouTube said the newly established Channel Membership levels were one of the most requested features from creators. One of the creators given access to the new tiered membership levels — Fine Brothers Entertainment — reports membership revenue has increased six-times since intorducing the two higher-priced tiers.
More merchandising options. YouTube is adding five new partners to its merchandising program. In addition to TeeSpring, creators can now use Crowdmade, DFTBA, Fanjoy, Represent and Rooster Teeth to stock their merchandise offerings.
Creators must be U.S. based to sell merchandise via their YouTube channel and have, at minimum, 10,000 subscribers. Previously, YouTube only offered merchandising solutions via TeeSpring.
Why we should care. Marketers and creators often work together, but creators, in their own right, are marketers. These new monetization features from YouTube give creators new ways outside of advertising to generate more revenue on the platform — which competes for creator content with the likes of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.
As influencer marketing continues to grow — and more brands seek out both well-know and niche creators to expand their audiences — platforms like YouTube will continue to do what they can to cultivate invested creator communities.
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