In this post, we will go through the steps to enable fan funding on YouTube. Fan funding is a new way for video creators to raise money by asking their viewers and subscribers to contribute “tips” or donations in exchange for rewards. This blog post will answer questions like: how much does it cost? What are the benefits of enabling customer funding on YouTube? How do I get started?
What is YouTube Fan Funding?
YouTube fan funding is a new way for video creators to raise money by allowing their viewers and subscribers to contribute “tips” or donations in return for rewards. This feature was introduced on YouTube in December 2016.
Fan funding is similar to Kickstarter and Patreon, but the money is collected for a specific video creator instead of going toward an entire project or organization.
YouTube fan funding allows viewers to give “tips” (a minimum donation of $0.99) that go towards a rewards system with tiers of contribution. Donors can choose from one reward level at a time – they cannot be halfway done with their current tier before moving onto another one.
You must complete your current tier’s requirements before being able to access the next set of rewards! There are three levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold; each corresponding with different dollar values and benefits given back upon completion of the respective package as well as goals reached.
YouTube has been using a new algorithm this year that places more emphasis on viewers retention rates as opposed to total views which may be part of why they are implementing these changes now and how they might affect creators who rely heavily on ad revenue from pre-rolls? It’s too soon to tell but we’ll be sure to keep you posted.
How to Enable Fan Funding on YouTube?
If you are a video creator and want to enable fan funding on YouTube, the first thing that needs to be done is set up your fan funding page in Creator Studio > Channel > Monetization. You can do this at any time but will need to have more than 1000 subscribers before you’ll see the option!
To start setting up your fan-funding rewards tiers for donations, click “Create Rewards” from the Fan Funding Page section of Creator Studio.
From there, we recommend choosing one reward tier per day so it’s easier to keep track of what has been completed as well as determine which rewards should come next.
YouTube does not currently provide labels or filters that allow content creators to sort by their current fan funding status (e.g. “Fully Funded”).
Benefits of Enabling Customer Funding on YouTube
YouTube fan funding was rolled out in December 2016, with creators able to set up their page and start creating ‘rewards’ for donors.
- Fans can support favorite content creators by donating “tips” or donations through the process described above – This is not just limited only towards video makers themselves though, there are many other ways that you could use it such as someone else making the actual donation instead (e.g., Sponsor A Creator) while still getting credit for every donation received.
Process of Getting Started with Youtube Fan Funding
To start setting up your fan-funding rewards tiers for donations, click “Create Rewards” from the Fan Funding Page section of Creator Studio. From there, we recommend choosing one reward tier per day so it’s easier to keep track of what has been completed as well as determine which rewards should come next.
YouTube does not currently provide labels or filters that allow content creators to sort by their current fan funding status (e.g., “Fully Funded”).
YouTube fans can support favorite content creators by donating tips through the process described above!
This is not just limited only towards video makers themselves though; there are many other ways that you could use this such as someone else making the actual donation instead while still getting credit for every donation received.
Fan funding has been generally available to creators with over 1000 followers. The process is fairly straightforward assuming the channel already meets all the requirements for monetization (e.g., 13+ age requirement, appropriate category). First, go into Creator Studio > Channel > Monetization and click on “Enable Fan Funding” alongside your account name. Then, you can choose what tier of reward you are starting at – Bronze ($1000), Silver($2000), or Gold($5000).
You can also choose how many tiers there will be as well as any other rewards that each level may include! For example, We recommend choosing one reward per day so it’s easier to keep track of what has been completed as well as determine which rewards should come next.
YouTube does not provide labels or filters that allow content creators to sort by their current fan funding status (e.g., “Fully Funded”).
Frequently Asked Questions about Youtube Fan Funding
Is there a limit to the number of donation tiers?
What happens with my video if I don’t reach the $1000 goal on day one?
How will I know when someone contributes?
Once your video is complete or you decide to end your funding initiative early, you can go into Creator Studio > Channel > Monetization and select “Remove Fan Funding.” You still won’t have access to all rewards until after meeting 50% of your total goal.
Do different tiers give you different rewards?
How does YouTube process payments if I have multiple pledges on one day?
You still won’t have access to them unless you’re just waiting to film the video or decide to end your campaign early.
What are some of the benefits of fan funding on YouTube?
Tips for Successfully Running a Campaign on youtube fan funding
- Set up your campaign by creating a video that will introduce what the rewards/rewards levels are, how many tiers you’ll be offering, and when it expires. For example: “Hey guys! My name is Jane Doe and I’m running a fan-funding campaign for my newest project on YouTube called ‘The Ultimate Guide to Fan Funding.’
- The goal of this project is to reach $1000 in 24 hours or 1000 views before time runs out which would allow me to create more awesome videos about things like Youtube Monetization, Social Media Marketing, etc.”
- Make sure all content creators involved in the process have their own email address so they receive notification notifications from youtube as well as updates on contributions made towards each tier.
This way they can keep track of how much they have raised and who has contributed.
- Once the campaign is over, go into Creator Studio > Channel > Monetization and select “Remove Fan Funding.” You still won’t have access to all rewards until after meeting 50% of your total goal.
- Different tiers will give different levels of access to the content creators. For example, a viewer donating at Gold Tier ($5000) may get an exclusive video from their favorite creator while someone donating at Silver Tier($2000) may be entered into a giveaway for signed merchandise and other cool prizes!
- Make sure you are fully aware of any rules that apply before enabling fan funding on youtube or running campaigns in general so as not to break YouTube’s policy.
- YouTube currently processes all donations made during that 24-hour period as long as they are within the first 1000 tips/views since launching.
If you reach your goal before it expires or goes over 50% of your total goal limit, the campaign ends automatically in which case all rewards remain locked until meeting either criterion. You still won’t have access to them unless you’re just waiting to film the video or decide to end your campaign early.
Some youtube channels may find that enabling customer donations will help them create more engaging and interactive videos. Not only can a creator enable tips as rewards for their content, but they also have access to Google AdSense which allows monetization from ad placements into YouTube videos.
You can also check out this video for more details on this topic: