Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has announced a significant update that will allow content creators in Kenya to earn revenue through short-form videos on its platform.
This marks a pivotal moment for Kenyan creators as they can now benefit financially from their creative efforts.
Monetisation Options Unveiled
On Tuesday, Meta revealed two primary monetisation avenues for Kenyan creators. The first option includes in-stream ads, which appear before, during, or after videos posted on Facebook.
The second option involves ads on reels, short-form videos posted on the platform.
Expansion Across Africa
Kenya is now one of 12 African nations where Meta has implemented this revenue-sharing model. Other countries in this initiative include Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana, and the Seychelles.
According to Moon Baz, Meta’s global partnerships lead for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey, this expansion will empower Kenyan creators in the dynamic creative industry, setting a high standard for creativity globally and positioning Meta’s suite of apps as essential tools for all creators.
The Journey to Monetisation
The journey to bring these monetisation features to Kenya began in March, when Meta’s President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, visited the country.
During his visit, he met with President William Ruto, laying the groundwork for this significant development.
Although the plan was to roll out these features on both Facebook and Instagram by June, only Facebook has been included in the announcement, with Instagram creators needing to wait a bit longer.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the new programme, creators must meet specific criteria: they need at least 5,000 followers on Facebook and a total watch time of over 60,000 minutes in the past two months.
These requirements aim to ensure that the programme benefits active and engaging content creators.
Popularity of Meta Platforms in Kenya
Facebook remains the most popular social media platform in Kenya, with usage statistics showing that 52% of Kenyans aged 15 and above are active users.
Other popular Meta-owned platforms include WhatsApp, with 48.5% usage among the population, and Instagram, used by 11.5% of Kenyans.
Current Revenue-Sharing Platforms
Before this announcement, only YouTube and X were known for sharing ad revenue with creators. This new development by Meta is a significant step in expanding monetisation opportunities for content creators in Kenya and beyond.
Conclusion
With Meta’s introduction of monetisation features in Kenya, content creators have new opportunities to earn revenue from their creative work. This move not only highlights the growing influence of digital content in Africa but also sets a precedent for other social media platforms to follow.