Facebook unveils three-month creator program to take on YouTube, TikTok

Meta-owned Facebook launched a new monetisation program for established creators on Wednesday, designed to offer them increased reach and guaranteed pay for three months on eligible reels to better compete with rivals TikTok and YouTube.

Social media companies have been trying to attract more creators to their platforms, as video content boosts user engagement in a crowded market and helps secure a bigger share of the advertising budgets.

Here are the details about Facebook’s ‘Creator Fast Track’ program:

• Under the program, creators with at least 100,000 followers on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube can earn $1,000 (R17,000) per month, while those with over one-million followers on any of these platforms are eligible for $3,000 monthly, the company said.
• Meta said that participants in the program will also gain immediate access to the Facebook Content Monetisation program, enabling them to earn beyond the guaranteed pay and continue monetising their content after the three-month period concludes.
• Facebook paid content creators nearly $3bn from its creator monetisation programs in 2025, marking a 35% increase from a year earlier.
• Alphabet’s YouTube also offers creators a monetisation program, allowing qualifying creators to earn revenue from ads, subscriptions and fan payments.
• Meta said the number of creators earning more than $10,000 annually on Facebook has grown by more than 30% year over year.