TL;DR: Don’t Sleep on Facebook Video, Gen Z
Short form Facebook video: The new influencer moneymaker? 🤷 Stranger things have happened, right? In an effort to keep up with TikTok, Facebook’s blessing us with new Facebook video monetization tools designed for videos as short as 60 seconds.
Facebook content creators everywhere (yes, they exist) are rejoicing: More ads = more ad revenue! Now, Facebook is adding monetization features for short form content and Stories – because short video is KING. They’re also broadening ad eligibility criteria, so more creators can qualify for Facebook ad monetization.
Which Facebook Videos Qualify For Ads?
Previously, Facebook only allowed ad monetization on videos over three minutes. Moreover, ad breaks could only be placed after the first 60 seconds of a video. As the average time spent watching a Facebook video is about 10 seconds, that meant creators missed out on a ton of $$. For this reason, many creators choose to skip Facebook altogether, focusing their time on other social media networks.
Now, however, creators can earn ad revenue from Facebook videos as short as one minute.
Where In Facebook Videos Can Ads Be Placed?
Ad breaks can be placed in Facebook videos according to these rules:
One minute video: One “minimally interruptive ad” at 30 seconds (read: a short 4-5 second ad)
Three minute video: Ads can be inserted by Facebook creators from the 45 second mark, 15 seconds up from the old 60-second limit
More Facebook Short Form Video Benefits Are Coming
With short form video dominating all social platforms, it’s unsurprising that Facebook is jumping on the short video bandwagon. That’s not all, though – Facebook is on a mission to diversify revenue streams for creators.
Facebook is also testing & implementing these Facebook creator & video monetization tools & upgrades:
- Sticker ads for Stories
- Ad breaks for videos of ALL lengths
- A $7 million investment to educate users about the Facebook onsite creator tipping currency, Facebook Stars
- Expanding Facebook Fan Subscriptions
- Opening live events to more countries around the globe
- New eligibility criteria for Facebook Gaming creators
I’ve Never Uploaded Video Directly To Facebook Before; What Are Facebook’s Monetization Minimums?
Along with new ad break offerings, Facebook is updating the monetization threshold for ads. In order to earn money off of ads on your Facebook creator videos, you must meet the following requirements:
- 10,000+ followers on your Facebook page
- 5+ active video uploads (crystallized live stream videos)
- 600,000 total minutes view time from any combination of video uploads in the last 60 days (on-demand, Live, and previously Live videos)
Can’t I Just Share Existing Videos From Other Platforms to Facebook?
Yes… and no. These new Facebook creator monetization tools are great, but keep this in mind:
Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes native video uploads, i.e. video that’s not shared directly from YouTube. You can upload the same video to YouTube and Facebook, BUT, do it separately, with a slightly different title and description.
MagicLinks creator Bailey Sarian frequently re-uploads videos from her popular Murder, Mystery & Makeup YouTube series to Facebook, re-branded as “Murder & Makeup” with updated titles and descriptions. It’s a great way to reach new fans, earn more ad revenue, and get more clicks & sales on your MagicLinks – WITHOUT having to film more videos!
*Cover images: Jasmin Melendez, Bailey Sarian, and Patrick Ta
