As noted by Business Insider, Meta is pausing the Reels Play – a bonus payout program for the Reel creators, introduced to compete against TikTok.
Well, this situation is for the global Facebook creators and Instagram creators in the US only, while the company continues to offer bonuses in more targeted ways – like if Reels enter a new market. Though Meta didn’t state the exact reason for this halt, it could be to focus on the ad expansion in Reels, as noted by a company executive earlier.
Halting a Lucrative Program For Creators
Meta is hitting brakes on a key program for the content creators on its platform; the Reels Play – where users get monthly payments on hitting certain metrics. This is a key initiative by the company to battle competition against TikTok, which is excelling in the short-video entertainment format.
And as expected, Reels Play helped a number of creators earnings side income with their stuff, and the company to lure more and more new users. Introduced in December 2021, Reels Play promised payouts as high as $35,000 a month for the outstanding creators.
Well, the company is now pausing this bonus program, says Business Insider. Confirming this statement, Meta said it’s “evolving” the Reels Play program and will “stop extending new and renewed Reels Play deals for creators on Facebook and for US creators on Instagram at this time.”
Yet, the company said it may still issue bonuses to creators in more “targeted” ways, like if Reels enters a new market. Though the company didn’t specifically mention why it’s hitting a pause on Reels Play, this could mostly be due to the company’s expansion of ads plan, as noted by Tom Alison, head of Facebook app at Meta – earlier this week. Alison in a blog post said that;
“We’ll continue expanding our ads on Facebook Reels tests to help more creators earn ad revenue for their Reels and grow virtual gifting via Stars on Reels.”
Though he didn’t mention when these tests would expand, Meta pausing on the current Reels Play Bonus program suggests the new “ad tests” aren’t so far.
