Live streaming started years ago and became a hit in recent years, and it all started from live pornograhy. Back then after the internet getting mature, an adult site live stream was introduced but it’s not as famous as it is now.
The live stream commerce was getting a hit when China started and the impact was so strong that it has become a must for most of the e-commerce to be able to sell their products. It’s not just happen in a night. The live stream in China back then started from websites that were mainly for adults. As when mobile devices are getting common, companies shifted from websites to mobile applications and it’s when it has become a habit and influence to the public. By nature humans need entertainment and companions, live streaming in mobile provides these two basic needs that fulfill the emptiness of the people in modern days. In order to attract more live streamers and audience buying virtual gifts and giving it to live streamers from the audience has become the core revenue model of all the live stream platforms, and this is how live streamers has officially become legit jobs in modern society.
The fans economy has the biggest direct disruption towards the traditional media companies whereby anyone with any talent including “good looking” can literally become an “artist” online, but we don’t call “artist” in modern days. There are several terms in the online world which include blogger, influencer, key opinion leader, red people, instagrammer, tiktok er, etc. These online “artists” have a vast appearance in different platforms with a number of fans & followers. Initially fans & followers were not meant to monetise but it’s just a tool for audiences to subscribe to anyone who they think they are interested with. Things doesn’t stop there, as there are more and more “artists” borned in the social media and there are more content direct supplies from the “artist” to the audience, as long as there are subscribers or followers, “artist” can basically make money with any form.
Fans economy is not just merely an idea, but it’s something real today. I’ll give you some ideas how these “artists” make their fortune from this new business model.
1. Becoming Ambassador
When you have a vast number of followers of fans it’s very easy for some brands to invite you to become their brand ambassador to promote their products. Last time becoming a brand ambassador has a higher bar of entry for “artist”, you must become a celebrity, athletics or anyone who is famous in order to carry a brand with you. But as the birth of more online “artists” with a certain number of followers in their social media accounts, there are more brands who would like to work with these “artists” in order to get their brands to be exposed to more people. The entry bar of hiring an ambassador and becoming an ambassador is getting lower as you can see.
2. By selling post space
If you are currently running some high followers social media accounts, there are high possibilities for any businesses to request for putting ads in one of your posts in order to create exposure.
3. By selling opinion
Key opinion leaders are those who are experts in certain areas and give valuable information to its audience. The earlier days it all started from blogs and turned into social media and into youtube channels. These KOL usually will not only share information but also some affiliate links in each of their content so that they can earn commission as well. As there are more fans and trust built by these content creators, there are more brands who would look for them to promote items that are related to its content.
4. Youtube
Youtube ads are not something new anyway. If you have heard of it, even kids can earn hundreds of thousand from their youtube ads revenue. Besides, Youtube content creators can create its own subscription package to allow anyone to subscribe to their channel. With the lucrative kind of return, there are more “artists” started to shift from social media to youtube.
Channels that meet the requirement, they are able to create premier content & selling merchandise as well.
5. Onlyfans
Onlyfans make it so direct that anyone can subscribe to any “artist” with a monthly fee in order to see some exclusive content. You should expect what kind of “exclusive” content you will see.
6. Facebook fan subscription
Facebook recently started its fan subscription for content creator enable page owner to provide subscription service to its fans. This has been inlined with what Facebook planned earlier for publishers to collect subscription fee from anyone to read it’s content. https://www.facebook.com/creators/tools/fan-subs
7. Patreon
Patreon has existed long ago to support independent artists for a sustainable source of income on their creative content. Most Youtubers would request its audience to support its good works in Patreon since Youtube doesn’t have the subscription feature for content creation. Youtuber still heavily relies on ads revenue streams.
8. Micro personally business
Direct selling marketing isn’t something new. The traditional direct selling pretty much induces the multi level marketing elements. While micro business concept its still a direct selling way of doing business, basically sellers are individuals that directly source its stock from manufacturers and sell to its peers for friends and anyway one who found them online either via messenger app or social media apps. The difference with micro business and MLM is that they don’t come with very complicated agent’s plans and it’s more focused on selling its products.
9. Live streamer’s gift
Have you ever purchased some virtual gift for the live streamer before? This is one of the weirdest fan economy businesses that I’ve encountered. Back then with a few famous live stream mobile applications, good looking girls will be creating their own room and having conversation with its audience. Somehow some random guy will be purchasing the virtual gift which cost from one dollar to some large figure and give it to the live streamers. The virtual gift eventually will turn into the actual money and eventually the streamer’s income source. There are several news reports of tragic incidents happening on the audience that have become addicted to the live stream platforms whereby they pay more than what they have.
10. Pornhuber
Pornhub allows and supports more online artists to join their content network program, it works pretty much like youtube but incentive wise are greater than youtuber. Joining the program is pretty straightforward and if you are interested with their payout model you can refer to the list below,
- Ad Revenue – 0.64USD per 1000 views (free videos)
- Video Sales – 65% Sale Price
- Custom Videos – 65% Sale Price
- Tips & Fan Club – 80% recurring
- Model Referrals – 50USD per model
- Pornhub Premium – Unknown revshare
- Downloads – You set the price
- Export to Partners – Unknown revshare
- Contest Prizes
The above is just part of it, there are more to in Pornhub official support page – https://help.pornhub.com/hc/en-us/articles/360046090414-Earnings-and-Payments
What we’ve covered are some of the ways how content creators or online “artists” build their income streams. The main point is that in today’s economy we are not bound by any large organisation in order to earn a living or get famous. Individual making money online has transformed from online commerce selling goods to showing off your talents which include education & entertainment. Welcome to the gig economy era.