How to Monetize Facebook Videos

Turning your Facebook video views into actual income isn't a pipe dream, it’s a reality for thousands of creators who understand the platform's ecosystem. Whether you’re a vlogger, a business owner, or an aspiring influencer, a smart monetization strategy can transform your passion into a revenue stream. This guide will walk you through the exact requirements, tools, and strategies you need to start earning money from your Facebook videos.

Meeting the Eligibility Requirements: The First Hurdle

Before you can make a single cent, you need to play by Meta's rules. Your Page (not your personal profile) has to meet the standards for monetization, which are broken down into a few key areas. Think of this as your foundational checklist.

Partner Monetization Policies & Community Standards

This is the non-negotiable part. Your Page and content must comply with Facebook’s rules, which cover everything from content authenticity to intellectual property. In short:

• Be Authentic: Don't share misinformation or post clickbait.
• Be Original: Post content you created or have the rights to use. Static images, looping videos, or text montages won't cut it.
• Be Safe: Your content must be advertiser-friendly and free from graphic, violent, or hateful material.

You can check your Page's eligibility and status anytime in Creator Studio or the Meta Business Suite under the "Monetization" tab. This dashboard is your source of truth and will tell you exactly where you stand.

Follower and Engagement Metrics

Each monetization tool has its own specific set of requirements. Here are the most common ones you'll encounter for features like In-Stream Ads for On-Demand videos:

• Number of Followers: You generally need a minimum of 10,000 followers on your Page.
• Eligible Minutes Viewed: You must have a total of 600,000 on-demand, Live, and previously Live minutes viewed in the last 60 days. This is a big one and highlights the importance of consistent, engaging content.
• Active Videos: Your Page must have at least five active, on-demand videos published that you created. Previously Live videos also count, but cross-posted videos from other pages do not.

You must also be at least 18 years old and live in a country where the desired monetization tool is available. Live streams and other features like Fan Subscriptions have some variations on these rules, but hitting the 10k/600k benchmarks is a great starting goal.

Core Monetization Methods on Facebook

Once you’ve met the eligibility requirements, you can start using Facebook’s built-in monetization tools. These are the most direct ways to earn money from your content.

1. In-Stream Ads

In-stream ads are the bread and butter of Facebook video monetization. These are the short advertisements that play before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll), or after (post-roll) your videos. Earnings are based on factors like the number of ad views and the advertiser's bid.

How to Succeed with In-Stream Ads:

• Make Videos Over 3 Minutes Long: While ads can be placed on shorter videos, videos that are at least three minutes long are more likely to earn significant revenue. This is because they are eligible for mid-roll ads, which pay better and provide a better viewing experience than a jarring pre-roll ad.
• Create Natural Ad Breaks: Don't just let Facebook shove a mid-roll ad anywhere. When creating your video, build in natural pauses or transitions where an ad would feel less disruptive. You can even suggest placement points when you upload, for example, pausing for a moment after explaining a key step in a tutorial.
• Hook Viewers Instantly: The first minute is everything. For a video to qualify for an ad impression, a viewer has to watch a portion of the content. A strong hook keeps them around long enough for both your content and the ads to play.

2. Facebook Stars

Think of Stars as a digital tip jar. Viewers can buy "Stars" from Facebook and send them to you during your Live streams or on your on-demand videos with Stars enabled. Facebook then pays you a share for every Star you receive. This feature is powerful because it lets your most dedicated fans support you directly.

How to Encourage Stars:

• Engage During Live Streams: The best place to earn Stars is a Live video session where you can interact in real-time. Acknowledge and thank everyone who sends Stars by name. This encourages others to participate.
• Set Star Goals: Create a fun goal during your broadcast, like "If we hit 10,000 Stars, I'll do a special Q&A session!" This gives your community something to work towards and makes them feel part of a collective effort.
• Enable Stars on All Eligible Content: Don't just limit it to Live videos. Toggle on Stars for your uploaded Reels and on-demand videos too. It gives fans another opportunity to show support.

3. Fan Subscriptions

Fan Subscriptions allow your audience to pay a monthly recurring fee in exchange for exclusive benefits and a supporter badge next to their name. This model creates a predictable, consistent income source that complements ad revenue beautifully.

Ideas for Subscription Perks:

• Exclusive Content: Offer subscribers access to behind-the-scenes footage, tutorials, extended cuts of videos, or members-only Live Q&A sessions.
• Supporter-Only Groups: Create a space on Facebook where your biggest fans can connect with you and each other. Use it to share early announcements or get feedback on new content ideas.
• Special Discounts: If you sell products or services, offer your subscribers an exclusive discount as a thank you for their support.

Monetizing Indirectly: Beyond Facebook’s Toolkit

You don't have to rely solely on Facebook's tools. Your videos can be a powerful marketing engine that drives revenue in other ways. Often, these methods can be even more lucrative.

1. Branded Content and Sponsorships

This is where brands pay you to feature their products or services in your videos. As your Page grows, you can partner with companies that align with your audience. The key is authenticity, never promote a product you don't actually like or believe in.

Steps to Secure a Sponsorship:

• Build a Niche Audience: Brands want to reach specific demographics. A page with 10,000 highly engaged fishing enthusiasts is more valuable to a fishing brand than a general page with 100,000 disengaged followers.
• Create a Media Kit: A simple one-page document outlines your Page's stats (followers, average reach, engagement rate) and tells brands what you're all about.
• Use the Branded Content Tool: When you post sponsored content, Facebook requires you to use its official branded content tag. This adds a "Paid Partnership" label to your video, promoting transparency with your audience.

Example: A food blogger creates a video recipe that highlights a specific brand of olive oil, talking about why they prefer its flavor profile. The post is tagged as a Paid Partnership.

2. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing involves recommending a product or service and providing a unique link for your audience to use. When someone clicks your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission. It’s an excellent way to monetize without needing a massive following.

Best Practices for Affiliate Marketing:

• Choose Relevant Products: Only promote products that genuinely serve your audience. If you review filmmaking gear, link to the cameras and microphones you use. If you're a fitness coach, link to the protein powder or yoga mat you recommend.
• Be Transparent: Always disclose that you're using affiliate links. A simple note like, "(This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase.)" in your video description builds trust.
• Never Just "Drop a Link": Explain why you recommend the product. Use it in your video and detail its benefits, making the affiliate link a helpful resource rather than just an ad.

Example: A DIY home improvement creator posts a tutorial on building a bookshelf. In the video description, they link to the specific drill, sandpaper, and wood stain they used via Amazon Affiliate links.

3. Selling Your Own Products or Services

Ultimately, the most profitable path can be selling your own thing. Your Facebook videos become the top of your marketing funnel, attracting and nurturing potential customers.

Things You Can Promote with Video:

• Digital Products: Use videos to promote e-books, online courses, presets, or design templates. A tutorial video is a perfect non-salesy way to showcase what your course teaches.
• Physical Products: If you run an e-commerce store, create videos showing your products in action, detailing how they're made, or sharing customer testimonials.
• Services: As a coach, consultant, or freelancer, you can create value-packed videos that demonstrate your expertise. End your videos with a clear call-to-action inviting viewers to book a consultation call or visit your website to learn more about your services.

Final Thoughts

Monetizing your Facebook videos is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires a strategic blend of quality content creation, community engagement, and leveraging the right combination of built-in tools and external revenue streams. From in-stream ads to selling your own products, the path you choose will depend on your audience and your long-term goals.

No matter which monetization strategies you pick, staying consistent and organized is what separates thriving creators from those who burn out. For our part, we built Postbase to make that process less chaotic. We designed it with a visual content calendar to help you plan ahead, with reliable multi-platform scheduling that works seamlessly with short-form video, and with analytics that show you exactly what's resonating. By managing the planning and publishing, we help you stay focused on what really matters: creating great content that your audience loves and brands want to sponsor.