What a time for creators! After certain channels were affected by sudden penalties and demonetization, the pressure was on for YouTube to look into unique solutions to keep creators engaged with the platform. In a keynote address delivered at VidCon, YouTube Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan discussed several new features that will help creators reel in more money outside of ad revenue.
Memberships
With YouTube’s new Membership feature, fans will be given the option to pay $4.99 per month to access exclusive content from their favorite channels. If creators want to drive revenue, they will have to get creative with the types of content they deem membership-worthy. Exclusive content can include live streams, paid shoutouts, behind-the-scenes footage, and so much more.
Community
Have you ever experienced that moment when you watch a mind-blowing season finale and NEED to talk to someone about it? YouTube definitely has. In addition to exclusive content, members will also be able to engage in member-only threads under the Community tab. This feature will allow members to discuss recently launched content, talk about their favorite creators, ask questions, share insight, and more. On top of that, members will also have access to unique emojis and badges; and you know how much we love emojis!
Merchandise
As for merchandise, YouTube has partnered with Teespring so creators with 10k subscribers and up can easily sell customized merch directly from their channels. Creators are currently using third party sites like Shopify and Red Bubble. YouTube’s new Merchandise feature will become a one-stop-shop for fans’ favorite creators soon enough, making things simple and easy to navigate through.
While no specific timeline for the Channel Membership expansion was disclosed, we can confidently say these tools will be helpful for YouTubers who are looking to make money beyond ad revenue.
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