Can You Get Paid Just for Posting Reels?

Well, you can, but it’s a little bit tricky. In today’s episode, I’m going to explain to you the Reels Bonuses program and how you can get paid just for posting on both Facebook and Instagram.

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A Look Back: YouTube vs Instagram

For well over a decade, YouTube has had a revenue share program where they split their revenue with the creators who make them said revenue by posting content on YouTube.

A few years ago, Instagram rolled out a similar program called the Reels Bonuses Program where essentially you would get paid based off the performance of your Reels.

Unfortunately, the pay-per-view scale was slightly lower than that on YouTube, but people were able to make up to $35,000 per month just from posting Reels on Instagram.

The program lasted for a little bit over a year, and then in March of 2023, it was announced that they were shutting down the program.

They did honor any existing or ongoing payments, so no one had their money taken away from them, but the ability to earn from your Reels views after that was taken away.

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What’s Happening Now

Since then, Instagram has rolled out a few new programs and so has Facebook, and I want to break down what those are for you in today’s episode, walk you through how you can earn, unlock, or become eligible for certain programs.

There’s actually even a brand-new program that was announced in August of 2024 that I want to let you know about.

And down in the description of this podcast, there’s actually a link to apply to be a part of the program.

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Instagram Reels Bonuses

First, let’s talk about Instagram Reels Bonuses, which again are the program where you can get paid for the views that you’re getting on your Instagram Reels.

That is not currently available on Instagram — at least not on a wide scale. There are some creators who have been invited to a very small-scale program that does pay you based off the views you’re getting on your Reels, but it’s not widespread like it was back in 2022 and the beginning of 2023.

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Two Current Ways to Get Paid on Instagram

Currently, at the time of recording this, there are two ways that you can get paid based off of basically just posting on Instagram.

1. Ads on Profile

• Technically called “ads on profile feed” in your settings.
• If someone scrolls through the posts on your profile, they may see ads between posts.
• These ads do not appear on your grid, only within individual post feeds.

2. Ads on Reels

• Either a short ad plays at the end of your Reel, or a small banner ad appears at the bottom of the video.
• Creators can block certain companies or industries from advertising on their Reels.
• Targeting is not very precise.

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The Reality of Instagram Ads

Both of these programs are not super great.

For example, last month I received 6.5 million views on my Instagram alone and from that I received $8 from Ads on Reels and $14 from Ads on Profile.

In total, I made $22 for getting 6.5 million views.

So, as you can see, it’s not a super lucrative program, but these are two ways that you could make a few extra bucks each month.

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Facebook’s Stronger Push

Instagram’s big brother, Facebook, is really beefing up their monetization and committing to paying creators more — at least they say they are.

According to a recent announcement from Facebook:

• Since launching Facebook-funded monetization in 2017, more than 4 million creators have earned money.
• In just the last year, Facebook has paid creators more than $2 billion for videos, Reels, and text posts.

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The Exciting Part: Facebook Content Monetization

Here’s the big news: Facebook is rolling out Reels Bonuses specifically for Facebook Reels.

To simplify things, they’ve put Ads on Profile, Ads on Reels, Reels Bonuses and more under one umbrella term: Facebook Content Monetization.

Currently, this program is in beta.

• As of October 2024, 1 million creators are being invited.
• More invites will roll out through the end of 2024.
• The program is expected to be available worldwide in 2025.

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What’s Included?

This is not just going to be for Reels. Facebook wants to pay creators for:

• Reels
• Videos
• Photos
• Text posts
• Stories (planned for future rollout)

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How to Qualify

The big question: how do you qualify?

For now, it’s mostly invite-only, but you can increase your odds by applying through the official form linked below the podcast or video.

General Requirements

1. You must be 18 years or older.
2. You must live in a country where the program is available.
   • Starts in the U.S., then expands to countries like Canada, Japan, UK, Brazil, and Australia.
3. You must have no content violations.
   • Posts flagged or taken down reduce eligibility.
4. You must follow monetization policies.
   • No gambling, alcohol, drugs, or minors as primary focus.

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Checking Your Monetization Status

On Instagram:

• Go to Settings → Creator Tools (or Professional Tools) → Monetization Status.
• Green checks mean you’re in good standing.
• Red X’s show violations, which you can dispute.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I hope these programs are a move in the right direction.

It’s no secret that Instagram doesn’t pay as well as YouTube, and my own example of 6 million views = $22 shows why creators are frustrated.

I’m hopeful that Facebook, Instagram, and Meta as a whole will pay out better soon.

There are even rumors about monetization options for Threads coming in the near future.

But here’s the truth: while content creation can be fun and rewarding, the money isn’t great. That’s why all the biggest creators (MrBeast, Kim Kardashian, Logan Paul, KSI, etc.) also build businesses and brands.

If you want long-term financial success, don’t just rely on platform payouts — build your own brand or business.