How to Get Paid for Reels on Instagram & Facebook?

Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has been investing significantly in the development and promotion of reels, and it shows: the short-form TikTok-like videos are blowing up on the platforms. Due to these investments and their fun and engaging nature, reels have grown to be one of the best-loved content types on both platforms, and are a beloved way for millions of users to spend time in only three short years since their introduction in 2020. And thanks to the same qualities, reels have also become one of the best ways to earn money on the platforms. Creators large and small can now use reels to up their income!

In this article, we are going to take a look at how to get paid for reels on Instagram, how much you can earn, how to qualify for bonuses, and much more. Ready? Let’s dive right in!

Definition of Reels on Instagram and Facebook

First things first, let’s understand what reels are, and what are their main similarities and differences.

Reels on Instagram and Facebook are short-form videos with a duration between 00:03 and 00:90 seconds for Instagram and up to 00:60 seconds on Facebook. Here’s the basic idea: Instagram and Facebook users can upload videos, and edit them using a large library of built-in editing tools, filters, music, and audio/voiceover files. They can also shoot videos in the app itself, managing the creation process entirely in-app. Reels are designed to help users showcase their humor, creativity, and talents, and just get involved with their followers in a more fun way.

You can then choose to add Instagram Reels to your profile or save them in the Reels section. Facebook Reels are similar in this sense, and users have the option to add them to their feeds or only keep them in the separate Reels section. After you upload them, Facebook Reels will appear in people’s news feeds, in the Reels section next to stories, and on Facebook Watch, Facebook’s free video-on-demand service.

There are, however, some differences between the two. For example, you can choose to add your Instagram reels to Facebook. However, people won’t be able to comment on such reels. They’ll need to head to Instagram to do this, which may slightly reduce your engagement rates as not everyone will be willing to make the switch. Another difference is that you can choose who gets to see the reel when you post or repost a reel to Facebook. Lastly, a watermark on the reels posted to Facebook through Instagram will indicate where the reel comes from. By clicking on it, people will be redirected to your Instagram account.

How to Make Money With Instagram Reels

Instagram and Facebook as platforms have always been increasingly creator-oriented, and have been continuously introducing new tools and monetization options for creators to earn from their presence on the platform. As a result of these efforts, Instagram and Facebook now offer many ways to make money as an influencer. The introduction of the reels has only added significantly to those options.

If you are new to reels or want to start monetizing on the reels you’ve been creating for a while, here are a few methods you can consider.

Instagram Reels Play Bonus Program: How to Qualify And Join

Instagram’s investments in reels don’t have to be stopping anytime soon. In July 2022, in a bid to encourage creators to post more reels, Instagram introduces Reels Play Bonus Program – an invitation-only bonus program that allows you to monetize your reels and earn from the views. The idea behind this is simple: the more views you get, the more you will earn. Sounds like the dream job, doesn’t it? Here’s how you can get involved:

Step 1: Become Eligible For The Reels Play Bonus Program

Because Reels Play Bonus is an invite-only program, before you can join it, you need to become eligible. Since the program is still in its early stages, it is yet available only in the territory of US. At the time of writing this article, there is no direct way to apply for the program. However, there are a few criteria that you need to fulfill, after which you have the chance to qualify for the program:

• • You need to have a business or creator account on Instagram

• • Be at least 18 years old

• • Reside in the United States

• • Have fewer than a million followers

• • Your account needs to comply with Instagram’s monetization policies

If your account is eligible, you’ll receive a notification about it. At this point, you can also check whether bonuses are available to you in the following way:

• • Head to your business profile

• • Open your professional dashboard

• • From the menu, select “Bonuses”

• • Press “Get Started” to see if you are eligible. 

If, at this point, bonuses are not available to you, but you are eligible for the Reels Play Bonus program, make sure to check this page occasionally. The feature is rolled out gradually, and you may receive an invite soon!

Step 2: Activate The Bonus Program

Next up is activating your bonus program, and it’s important to do it as soon as possible because if you don’t use it, your eligibility will expire. Setting up the bonus program is quite simple. Here’s what you need to do:

• • Open your business/creator account and access your professional dashboard

• • From there, find the “Bonuses” option, hit “Get Started”, then read and accept the terms and conditions

• • Fill in the required information on the country of your residency (currently only the US is eligible) and whether you are an individual or a business; in case of business, select the business type

• • If you are a business, fill in your tax information

• • You can then choose the payout method or skip this step and add this information later

• • Tap “Activate Bonus” then “Done”

Step 3: Meet The Goals

After you’ve activated the bonus program, the tough part starts: you need to meet the goals established by Instagram to be able to continue with the program. The goals are different from one account to another, so you’ll get an individualized set of goals. You’ll need to achieve them in 30 days to be eligible for the payout. You can check your goals, as well as your progress toward meeting them in your professional dashboard.

Luckily, you’ll be able to upload up to 150 reels during the 30 days to meet the target. Here are a few tips you may want to consider to leverage the payout

• • Before you post your real, make sure to head to the “Bonuses” page and select “Reels Play Bonus”. In case you forget to do this, you’ll have a 24-hour window after posting the reel to do this belatedly

• • Don’t delete the reels, as their views only count as long as they are live

• • Do not include branded content in the reels you want to monetize as it goes against the monetization policies

• • Three instances of policy violations will result in losing eligibility Always make sure to stick with the rules established by Facebook and Instagram

After 30 days, if you are eligible and meet the target, Instagram will send you a notification at the beginning of the next month, and the payment around the end of the next month.

ViralMango

Another way to make money from Instagram Reels is through cooperation with brands. Reels are booming, and companies are looking for influencers to collaborate with and create branded reels with them.

You can simplify this process through influencer marketing platforms like ViralMango, where creators and brands look for mutually beneficial cooperation. There, look for the brands in your niche that are looking for creators in your niche to cooperate with them, including in the form of reels. Reach out to them with your reel idea for a chance to get a sponsored deal.

How Much Does Instagram Pay Per Reel View?

Now, let’s move to an understanding of how much exactly you can make through Instagram. As mentioned earlier, the Reels Play Bonus pays by the view, so the amount you will make will primarily depend on how many views you will get on your reels. Views of Instagram reels crossposted on Facebook will count towards the number of total views, and be paid for as well.

Now, there are no official numbers on how much Instagram pays per reel view for various reasons, including the program still being in its first stages of development. However, it’s known that users need to earn at least $100 to be able to cash out and reach a minimum viewing requirement. This number, as mentioned earlier, will vary for every creator.

For example, creator Kitty Parker announced on Twitter that with 20,000-30,000 views per month on average, her payout was totaling $1200/month. Mark Guim, on the other hand, received $1200 for 1 million views in a month. This means that the payment for 1000 views can vary from $1.2 to $40, which is quite a big fluctuation.

There is an upper limit to the number of bonuses creators can receive, but this will also be personalized.

How to get paid for Facebook reels

Now, let’s take a look at how to get paid for Facebook reels. Although significantly connected to Instagram, Facebook is a powerful platform in its own right that can be used for making income through reels.

What is the Facebook Reels Play Bonus Program?

Facebook Reels Play Bonus Program is the analog of Instagram Reels Play Bonus Program, but for Facebook. It launched alongside its Instagram counterpart in July 2022 as part of Meta’s commitment to invest $1 billion in creators. It’s an invite-only program that allows eligible creators to monetize their reels after they’ve met the eligibility requirements.

Facebook Reels Monetization Requirements And Countries

The eligibility criteria for Facebook reel monetization are quite similar to that of Instagram. Similar to Instagram, to be eligible to earn money from Facebook reels, you must be at least 18 years old and live in the US. You must comply will all the monetization policy requirements, as well as with Facebook community rules.

There are, however, a couple of differences. Firstly, to be eligible for Facebook reel monetization, your account must be at least 30 days old. Another difference is that in contrast with Instagram, Facebook doesn’t customize its requirements for each creator: there is a fixed number of a minimum of 1000 views in the last 30 days required for users to be eligible for bonus points.

How Many Views on Reels Are Needed to Get Paid On Facebook?

The minimum number of views to start getting paid on Facebook is 1000 views in a one-month period, as mentioned above. Additionally, to further motivate creators to post original content on Facebook reels instead of only cross-posting Instagram reels, Meta announced expanded monetization options on Facebook reels, including Challenges — a series of sequential, cumulative challenges each month to add to their income. For example, as part of one challenge, creators can earn $30 for creating five reels with at least 1000 views. When one challenge is completed, another is unlocked. With the Facebook Reels Pay Bonus Challenges, creators can, according to Facebook, earn as much as $4000 per month.

Conclusion

If you decide to invest the time to create valuable content, social media can be a lucrative business. The Facebook and Instagram Reel Play Bonus Program is a great opportunity for you to start earning from your reels while also engaging your audience with fun-to-watch content they’ll love. If you are not yet eligible, make sure to keep a lookout on the eligibility requirements so as not to miss the opportunity to join the programs once they become available.