Content Creators' Goldmine: Best Social Media Platform to Make Money

Social media platforms have become lucrative spaces for content creators to showcase their talents and earn money. However, not all platforms offer the same earning potential, and creators often wonder which one pays the most.

Understanding the different revenue streams and payout structures on each platform is crucial for maximizing earnings. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok each provide unique opportunities and challenges, making it essential for creators to choose the right platform based on their content style, audience, and monetization goals.

In this article, we'll explore the earning potential of the current top social media platforms and examine the different revenue opportunities available for each platform. 

7 Best Platforms to Make Money From in 2024

1. YouTube 

YouTube reigns supreme in video content viewership. The platform generates over 2 billion logged-in monthly users and is a leading platform for video content creators. It offers multiple revenue streams, allowing creators to monetize their content effectively. Key revenue sources include ad revenue, channel memberships, Super Chats and Super Stickers, YouTube Premium revenue, and brand partnerships:

Ad Revenue

Through the YouTube Partner Program, creators can earn money by displaying ads before, during, or after their videos.

• Earnings Factors: Based on watch time, viewer engagement, and geographic location.
• Payout Rate: Creators typically receive 45% of ad revenue, while YouTube retains 55%.
• Example: A creator with 1 million views per month might earn between $1,200 and $6,000, depending on their CPM (cost per thousand impressions) rates, which can range from $1.2 to $6 or higher.

Channel Memberships

Viewers pay a monthly fee to access exclusive perks such as members-only live streams, special badges, early access to new content, and exclusive Q&A sessions.

• Payout Rate: Creators receive 70% of the membership fee, with YouTube taking 30%.
• Example: If a creator has 1,000 members paying $4.99 per month, they could earn approximately $3,493 monthly after YouTube's cut.

Chats and Super Stickers

During live streams, viewers can purchase highlighted messages (Super Chats) or animated stickers (Super Stickers) to show support and get noticed.

• Payout Rate: Creators receive 70% of the revenue from Super Chats and Super Stickers, with YouTube taking 30%.
• Example: A creator earning $1,000 from Super Chats in a month would keep $700 after YouTube's cut.

YouTube Premium Revenue

Creators earn a share of the subscription fee from YouTube Premium members who watch their content.

• Payout Rate: Varies based on the number of Premium users watching their content and the total watch time.
• Example: A channel with substantial watch time from Premium members can earn several hundred to a few thousand dollars monthly.

Brand Partnerships

Creators can collaborate with brands for sponsored content, product placements, and endorsements.

• Earnings Factors: Based on the creator's niche, audience size, and engagement rate.
• Example: A mid-tier influencer (50k-500k subscribers) can earn $2,000 to $10,000 per sponsored video, while top influencers with millions of subscribers can command $20,000 to $100,000+ per sponsorship.

2. Instagram 

With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram is a dominant platform for visual content, especially popular in niches like fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and fitness. The platform offers a diverse range of monetization options, including branded content, affiliate marketing, ad revenue, Reels bonuses, and shopping features. This variety empowers content creators, allowing them to choose the method that best suits their content and audience and thereby control their earning potential.

Branded Content

Influencers partner with brands to create sponsored posts, stories, or Reels, promoting products to their followers.

• Earnings Factors: Based on follower count, engagement rate, niche, and the scope of the campaign.
• Typical Earnings: $10 to $100 per 1,000 followers per post.
• Example: An influencer with 100,000 followers can earn $1,000 to $10,000 per sponsored post.

Affiliate Marketing

 Creators earn commissions by promoting products through affiliate links in their posts or stories.

• Earnings Factors: These are based on the brand's commission rate and the total sales generated through the affiliate links.
• Typical Commission Rate: 5% to 20% per sale.
• Example: If a creator generates $1,000 in sales from affiliate links, they can earn $50 to $200.

Ad Revenue

Eligible creators can earn money from ads displayed on their content, particularly through Stories and Reels.

• Earnings Factors: Based on views, engagement, and the ad's performance.
• Payout Rates: Creators typically receive 55% of the ad revenue generated.
• Example: A creator with 1 million views on their Story or Reels ads might earn around $800.

Instagram Reels Bonuses

Instagram pays eligible creators for the views on their Reels as part of various incentive programs.

• Earnings Factors: Based on the number of views and engagement.
• Payout Rates: Varies; creators have reported earning up to $800 for 1 million views.
• Example: A creator who generates 1 million views on their Reels can earn up to $800 as a bonus.

Instagram Shop

Creators can tag products in their posts and stories, allowing followers to purchase directly through Instagram Shop.

• Earnings Factors: Based on the number of products sold through tagged content.
• Typical Commission Rate: Varies; creators can earn a percentage of each sale made through their tags.
• Example: If a creator's tagged products generate $1,000 in sales, they might earn a commission of $50 to $200, depending on the agreement.

3. Facebook

Facebook, with its vast user base of over 3 billion monthly active users, provides content creators with several monetization opportunities. These include ad revenue from videos, fan subscriptions, branded content, and in-stream ads, as well as various other features designed to support content creators and help them earn money.

Ad Revenue (In-Stream Ads)

Facebook allows creators to monetize their videos by including in-stream ads (ads that play before, during, or after the video).

• Earnings Factors: Based on the number of views, viewer engagement, and ad impressions.
• Payout Rate: Creators typically earn 55% of the ad revenue, with Facebook retaining the remaining 45%.
• Example: If a creator generates 1 million ad impressions, they might earn around $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the CPM (cost per thousand impressions).

Stars

Loyal fans can purchase and send virtual stars to creators during their live streams, which can be converted to cash.

• Earnings Factors: Based on the number of stars received, each star is worth $0.01 to the creator.
• Example: If a creator receives 100,000 stars in a month, they would earn $1,000.

Branded Content

Creators can collaborate with brands to create sponsored content that promotes products or services.

• Earnings Factors: These are negotiated between the creator and the brand, considering factors like reach, engagement, and the campaign's scope.
• Typical Earnings: Can range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars per campaign.
• Example: A creator with a large following might earn $5,000 to $20,000 for a single sponsored post or series of posts.

Facebook Shop

Creators who sell products can use Facebook Shop to showcase and sell their merchandise directly through their Facebook page.

• Earnings Factors: Based on product sales and profit margins.
• Example: If a creator sells $5,000 worth of products with a 50% profit margin, they would earn $2,500. 

4. TikTok 

TikTok has become a leading platform for short-form video content, appealing primarily to Gen Z and Millennial audiences. It provides several monetization options, including the Creator Fund and brand partnerships, which allow creators to earn money based on video performance and collaboration with brands, respectively. Here are some of the opportunities TikTok offers creators looking to make additional revenue:

TikTok Creator Fund

The TikTok Creator Fund provides creators with a direct monetization avenue, compensating them based on the performance of their videos, including metrics like views and engagement. This initiative allows creators to earn revenue directly from TikTok, incentivizing them to produce high-quality and engaging content while fostering a thriving creator community on the platform.

• Typical Earnings: $0.02 to $0.04 per 1,000 views.
• Example: A video with 1 million views can earn $20 to $40.

Brand Partnerships

These collaborations allow brands to reach a creator's dedicated and engaged audience through engaging content, such as how-to videos, product reviews, tutorials, unboxings, or even entertaining skits that naturally integrate the product. 

• Typical Earnings: Earnings vary depending on the brand and how much they're willing to negotiate with you.

Live Gifting

During live streams, viewers can purchase virtual gifts that creators can exchange for real money. These gifts, often in the form of digital stickers or animations, allow fans to support their favorite creators directly. The monetary value of these gifts varies, and creators receive a portion of the revenue after the platform takes its commission, providing an interactive and lucrative way to monetize live content.

• Typical Earnings: Varies widely depending on viewer generosity.

Creator Marketplace

TikTok’s Creator Marketplace connects creators with brands for sponsorship deals, facilitating collaborations between content creators and businesses seeking to reach TikTok's vast audience. Through the Creator Marketplace, creators can browse and apply for partnership opportunities tailored to their niche, audience demographics, and engagement metrics, enabling them to monetize their content effectively while providing brands with authentic and engaging promotion.

• Typical Earnings: Varies; top creators can earn thousands per campaign.

5. Snapchat 

With over 800 million daily active users, Snapchat has become a unique social media platform known for its ephemeral messaging and content. It offers several revenue streams for creators, particularly through its Spotlight feature, Discover, and Snap Ads. These tools enable creators to monetize their content effectively. Here are some of the platform's many revenue streams creators can take advantage of:

Snapchat Spotlight

Snapchat Spotlight showcases user-generated content in a TikTok-like feed. Creators can earn based on the popularity and engagement of their Spotlight snaps.

• Earnings Factors: Based on views, engagement, and region.
• Payout Rates: Snapchat has allocated millions of dollars to pay creators, with top creators reportedly earning over $1 million annually.
• Example: A viral Spotlight video can earn a creator thousands of dollars, with payments varying daily based on performance metrics.

Stories

Snapchat is known to reward users who consistently post stories. The platform distributes a portion of the ad revenue generated by each creator over a month, and creators can cash out their reward whenever they choose. 

• Earnings Factors: In order to earn for Stories, users must have more than 50,000 subscribers on their profile. More than 25 million views or 12,000 hours of view time on your public profile over the past 28 days. Have posted to your public story for 10 days with at least 20 snaps each day.

Snap Ads

Snap Ads are short, vertical video ads that appear between stories and other content. Creators can partner with brands to produce and promote these ads.

• Earnings Factors: Based on the agreement with brands, ad performance, and audience size.
• Payout Rates: Varies widely; top influencers can command high rates for ad placements.

Sponsored Filter and Lenses

Snapchat's Lens Creator Rewards Program pays creators for augmented reality (AR) lenses that drive high engagement on the app. 

• Earnings Factors: Creators in the program can earn up to $7,200 per month based on a sliding scale that considers views and other metrics.

Brand Partnerships and Endorsements

Creators can partner with brands for sponsored content and endorsements, sharing branded snaps or stories.

• Earnings Factors: Based on the creator’s following, engagement rate, and niche.
• Example: Influencers with substantial followings of 10,000-50,000 can earn anywhere from $500 to $2,000 per sponsored post. Influencers with upwards of 100,000 followers can make up to $10,000 per post.

6. Pinterest 

Pinterest is a visual discovery platform known for its collections of images, known as "pins," that users can save and organize on themed boards. While Pinterest does not offer direct monetization options like ad revenue or creator funds, creators can still leverage the platform to drive traffic to their websites, promote their products or services, and collaborate with brands.

Affiliate Marketing

Creators can use affiliate links in their pins to promote products or services from partner companies. When users click on these links and make a purchase, the creator earns a commission.

• Earnings Factors: Dependent on the commission rates set by affiliate programs and the number of successful referrals.
• Typical Commission Rate: This varies widely depending on the affiliate program, ranging from 2% to 20% or more.
• Example: If a creator promotes a $100 product with a 10% commission rate and generates 10 sales, they could earn $100 in commissions.

Promoted Pins

Creators can pay to promote their pins to a larger audience on Pinterest. Promoted pins appear in users' feeds, search results, and related pin sections.

• Earnings Factors: Based on the advertising budget allocated to promoting pins, the targeting options are chosen.
• Cost Structure: Typically operates on a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) basis, where creators pay for clicks or impressions generated by their promoted pins.
• Example: A creator might allocate $100 to promote a pin, targeting users interested in their niche. Based on the campaign's performance, the creator might receive a certain number of clicks or impressions.

E-commerce Integration

Creators who sell products or services online can use Pinterest to drive traffic to their e-commerce websites or platforms. By showcasing their products through pins, creators can attract potential customers and increase sales.

• Earnings Factors: Directly tied to the sales generated through Pinterest referrals and the profit margin on the products or services sold.
• Example: If a creator sells handmade jewelry and generates $1,000 in sales from Pinterest referrals, they could earn a profit based on their product costs and markup.

7. Twitch 

Twitch is a leading live streaming platform predominantly focused on gaming, but also expanding into other content categories like music, art, and lifestyle. Streamers on Twitch can earn money through various revenue streams, including subscriptions, donations, ads, sponsorships, and merchandise sales.

Subscriptions

Viewers can subscribe to a streamer's channel by paying a monthly fee, typically ranging from $4.99 to $24.99, to access exclusive perks like emotes, badges, and ad-free viewing.

• Payout Rate: Streamers usually receive a 50% cut of subscription revenue, while Twitch retains the remaining 50%.
• Example: If a streamer has 1,000 subscribers paying $4.99 per month, they would earn approximately $2,495 monthly after Twitch's cut.

Donations

Viewers can donate money directly to streamers during their live streams as a form of support or appreciation.

• Payout Rate: Streamers typically receive the full amount of donations minus any transaction fees charged by the payment processor.
• Example: A streamer might receive donations ranging from a few dollars to hundreds or even thousands of dollars per stream, depending on viewer generosity.

Ads

 Twitch allows streamers to run ads on their channels to generate revenue. Streamers can choose when to run ads manually or opt for automatic ad insertion.

Payout Rate: Streamers receive a share of the ad revenue based on factors like ad impressions and viewer engagement.

Example: Streamers might earn a few dollars to several hundred dollars per month from ad revenue, depending on their viewership and ad frequency.

Sponsorships

Brands may sponsor streamers to promote their products or services during live streams or through sponsored content.

Earnings Factors: Negotiated between the streamer and the brand, considering factors like audience demographics, engagement metrics, and the scope of the sponsorship.

Typical Earnings: Streamers can earn anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per sponsored stream or campaign, depending on their influence and the brand's budget.

Merchandise Sales

Streamers can sell branded merchandise, such as apparel, accessories, and digital goods, to their audience through e-commerce platforms like Fourthwall or their own websites.

• Earnings Factors: These are determined by the streamer's profit margin on merchandise sales and the volume of sales generated.

Monetize Your Content With Fourthwall!

Fourthwall offers an all-in-one solution for creators looking to diversify their revenue streams and take control of their monetization efforts.

By launching their own websites through Fourthwall, creators can leverage e-commerce functionality, offer exclusive memberships to subscribers, and sell branded merchandise directly to their fans.

With features like customizable e-commerce sites and seamless integration with various payment gateways, Fourthwall empowers creators to maximize their earning potential and build sustainable businesses around their content.

Join Fourthwall today and unlock the full potential of your content monetization journey!