Meta has stopped its Reels Play bonuses for Facebook and Instagram creators based in the US. The social media giant launched the program in 2021 in an attempt to compete with TikTok and to encourage content creators to generate more short videos. The bonuses were part of Meta’s $1 billion fund that was announced to go to creators through 2022.
Short-form video creators on the platforms will still have the option to generate money from subscriptions and brand partnerships. Under the Reels Play bonus program, content creators used to earn when they hit certain goals for views on their videos.
“We are evolving the test of our Reels Play bonus on Instagram and Facebook as we focus on investing in a suite of monetization solutions to help creators earn steady streams of income,” A Meta spokesperson told The Verge. “We will look into ways to run the program in a more targeted form, for example in potential new markets,” the spokesperson further added.
As per the Business Insider report, the change will affect creators on Facebook and US creators on Instagram. Meta won’t offer any new or renewed Reels Play bonus deals, however, it will honor existing commitments over the next 30 days.
The social media giant is planning to expand advertising on Reels. Reportedly, the company is trying to expand ads on Facebook Reels for creators to earn ad revenue and grow virtual gifting via Stars on Reels.
In a recent blog post, Tom Alison, the head of the Facebook app at Meta, hinted at this transition, discussing the company’s objectives. The blog post said that the company would expand its Facebook Reels ad tests to assist more creators in earning ad revenue for their Reels.
