Best Bonus Programs for Creators

Want to make money by posting original content on social media? Learn more about the most lucrative bonus programs for content creators, influencers, and bloggers.

There are several ways to earn money online, especially as a blogger or social media influencer.

I've noticed a shift over the past year of creators really doubling down on diversifying their income streams and experimenting with multiple monetization options.

In addition to website ads, brand partnerships, affiliate commissions, memberships, and more – content creators are now able to join incentive programs to make money simply by posting on various platforms.

The eligibility requirements vary platform to platform, as do the payout amounts, however the motivation to create quality, original content that community members engage with is high!

I'm going to be speaking from my personal experience with 3 different reward programs, as well as sharing a handful of others to keep your eye on.

Meta for Creators Bonuses

Meta is the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other products. They announced "by the end of 2022, we plan to invest over $1 billion in program that give you new ways to earn money for the content you create on Facebook and Instagram".

We have seen a variety of bonus programs on FB and IG that include Badges, Stars Challenges, In-Stream Ads, and Badges.

The Reels Play Bonus Program on both platforms allows creators to earn money based on how their reels perform. Both programs are invite-only, so let's dig into each a little deeper.

Facebook Reels Play Bonus Program

The Facebook creator bonus program is available to eligible Facebook creators whose FB Reels get at least 1,000 views over a 30 day period.

The content must be owned by the creator in order to count towards the bonus program. Learn more about eligibility and monetizing on Facebook here.

So, is the Facebook Reel Bonus Program worth it? I think so!

FB Reels is a fantastic way to increase your reach organically. This incentive for posting content I would already post, motivates me to stay consistent, and engage with my audience in new ways.

Instagram Reels Play Bonus Program

Here's what we know about how to get paid for reels on Instagram.

It's very similar to the Facebook Bonus Program!
Instagram Reels Play is invite-only for creators with less than 1M followers.
If you're invited, you'll receive a pop-up notification with an invite that takes you to your Professional Dashboard.

FB vs IG Bonus Program

I enjoy both programs for similar reasons, however it seems like I earn more on Instagram for less views. That being said, keep in mind that these types of things can change at any given moment.

Personally, I prefer posting FB Reels, so for the time being I'll continue posting reels to both platforms and working towards the maximum bonus.

Which for transparency sake, for my accounts, range from $1,200-$35,000 each month. Though my actual payout combined from both accounts for the past 2 months has been under $1,000.

Pinterest Creator Rewards

This is the most lucrative creator program I have joined to date! Here's everything you need to know to start earning money on Pinterest ASAP.

Eligibility

Have a Pinterest business account.
Be a 18 years+ legal resident of the United States.
Have at least 250 followers.
Have created a minimum of 3 Idea Pins in the last 30 days.
Have 150 saves of your Published Pins in the last 30 days.
Create original content!!!

Currently, Creator Rewards on Pinterest are only available on mobile devices on the Pinterest app. Here's how to navigate to see if you're eligible:

Log into your account.
Go to your profile.
Tap Creator Hub on your profile.
Tap the Earn button near the top of your screen.
Set up your payment details and get started!

If you don't see the Earn button, don't fret! Just keep your Pinterest app up to date, and keep checking back.

Pinterest Rewards Program Details

Back at the 2021 Creators Festival, Pinterest Creator Rewards were announced. Over the past few months, only a handful of content creators were given access.

As of May 2022, I was able to join the Pinterest program, and I've been more than happy at how easy the process is to submit content as well as how generous the potential earnings are for each reward.

What to Know about Pinterest's Creator Program

The most important things to know about creating Idea Pins on Pinterest is that they are prioritizing ORIGINAL content.

Pinterest specifically states: Video and image assets cannot have been used in previously published Pins.

Be sure to keep that in mind as you're posting new Standard, Idea, and Video Pins!

How I Earned $600 by Posting on Pinterest

My first month in the program, I was able to earn $600 by reaching 4 of the 6 available rewards. I learned a lot in those 31 days and now I'm better prepared for June 2022 and beyond!

What Type of Rewards are Offered?

Here are the current rewards available for me to join:

Publish Weekly, Get Rewarded: Earn $250 for creating 1 Idea Pin each week in June.
More Saves, More Money: Earn up to $1,000 by earning $25 for each Idea Pin + $2 for each save.
Your Content + Saves: Earn up to $600 by earning $150 for each Idea Pin that receives 50 saves
Bonus Your Content + Saves: Earn up to $1,100 by earning $275 for each Idea Pin that receives 100 saves.

Depending on your bandwidth for creating new content and how engaged your audience is, you have the opportunity to earn up to $2,950!

My strategy is to focus on the publish weekly and more saves, more money rewards.

My Advice

Once you get accepted, start posting and submitting!
Consistency is key.
Create quality content.
Check Pinterest Trends to see what's on the rise.

More Bonus Programs for Creators

While I'm not personally in these reward programs, I'll be keeping tabs on how they stack up to the rest.

TikTok Creator Fund
LinkedIn Creator Accelerator Program
Snapchat Spotlight

Overview

Meta continues to keep their word for supporting creators through several bonus programs available to eligible creators on Instagram and Facebook.

Pinterest offers a well-paying rewards program that is still rolling out to business accounts.

All platforms require content to be original and new to the platform! That doesn't mean you can't repurpose your content (as long as it falls within their eligibility requirements) though. Get creative and make your content work for you!

Final Thoughts

While making money for posting content is amazing, I think it's also important to remember it's not all about the money.

By posting FB Reels consistently every week, I was able to grow my stagnant 1K followers to nearly 33K in just a couple months! The same concept goes for Instagram, however I haven't seen that type of growth over there personally.

Pinterest is a massive driver of traffic for my food blog. By creating new content, I have the potential to reach a new audience and ultimately gain new blog readers and email subscribers.

I'm so happy to see the creator economy heading in this direction and watching social platforms give creators new opportunities. I'm excited to see how bonus programs, rewards, and creator funds evolve over the next years.