Earning from your content has never been easier with Gank! However, if you want to monetize your content effectively, you must choose the right features to activate. Each monetization feature that Gank has to offer services a particular niche in content creation. It’s important to remember that every tool has its purpose, and it’s the same for these features. Knowing when to use each feature is key to maximizing your content on the platform. Here are some tips and tricks to guide you in choosing which monetization features suit you and your content.
Know your audience
Before we even get to the different features, it is essential to take a look at your supporters. Just as you tailor your content for them, you also have to tailor your monetization features to their spending habits. Interact with them on the platform and get to know them. Learn about how they want to show their support, what they would enjoy in return, and how to make this process as easy as possible.
It is essential to know your audience before you monetize your content. Generally, it is easier to mold your monetization strategy around your supporters than forcing them to use the features you want. Furthermore, it also helps to establish a positive relationship with your audience so that they become genuinely interested in your growth.
Donations: Empower your supporters
Now it’s time to take a look at the different monetization features available on Gank, starting with the most commonly activated feature, Donations. One of the easiest ways to monetize your content is to ask for donations from your supporters. It requires minimal commitment from your end, but the impetus of donating lies strictly on your fans.
This feature is ideal when you want to EMPOWER your supporters. Give them the ability to decide when they want to show their support and how much it would be. The donation feature is excellent for crowdfunding your content creation goals, such as your next big cosplay project or upgrading your streaming equipment. It’s also the perfect avenue for your supporters to send monetary gifts.
One crucial tip for setting up your donation feature is to be specific with your goals while keeping your community updated. You’ll find that people are more likely to donate when you are transparent with where the money is going. Posting updates on your feed will also highlight just how impactful people’s donations are.
Listings: Creative quid pro quo
If you’re more entrepreneurial, listings might be your best bet to monetize your content. After all, posting listings is very similar to setting up an online shop. What’s great with listings is that you can be very creative in your offerings. This is perfect for creators who want to sell their custom merch, services, and digital goods.
Effective listings often supplement good content in the form of products and services that grow your brand. This means that you can opt not to charge for your content and instead offer alternative means for people to support you while getting something in return. So be CREATIVE with your listings, and make sure you have something for everyone.
Memberships: Steady content, steady income
Now the next two features will present a more direct means of monetizing your content. This means that your content is the actual product people pay for. Of course, opting for these features also assumes that you will be producing sought-after content. If you’re confident that what you produce will give people their money’s worth, these two features can be the most lucrative ones for you.
Memberships, for example, allow you to gate your content across membership tiers. Your supporters will be paying a monthly subscription to access your exclusive content. This is perfect for content creators who are dedicated to their craft and can produce quality content on a monthly basis. Memberships will provide you with a consistent and steady income stream on the condition that you are able to keep your end of the bargain.
The most important characteristic of content creators who successfully utilize memberships is CONSISTENCY. If you’re able to maintain regular release schedules for your content while maintaining its high quality, then setting membership tiers will work wonders.
Pay-per-views: Flexible and Piecemeal
While memberships can be amazing, it may also appear to be a huge commitment for both you and your supporters. The pay-per-view feature offers another direct way of monetizing your content that is more flexible. This is perfect for content creators who would like to set the price for their most exclusive pieces of content individually.
Pay-per-view posting provides amazing flexibility for both you and your fans. It allows you to gate your exclusive on a piecemeal basis without asking for commitment beyond the initial price. Since each pay-per-view post is priced individually, your supporters can cherry-pick which pieces of content they’d like to pay for.
It also softens the commitment between the content creator and the supporters. While pay-per-view income streams may not be as consistent compared to memberships, the total amount earned may still be comparable. Pay-per-view posting benefits both those who take time to release their content and those who are able to produce at breakneck speeds.
Leverage the FLEXIBILITY afforded to you by pay-per-view posting. With pay-per-view, you can explore different content types and posting schedules so that you can experiment to your heart’s content.
Ask, and you shall receive
At the end of the day, these features are just tools that will help you monetize your content. You are still the star of the show, and success depends mostly on you. It is important that you become comfortable with asking for compensation for your work. There is no shame in putting yourself out there as someone who wants to earn from their content. Be confident; you know you’re worth it!
FAQs
Can I combine multiple features?
Of course! We actually recommend activating as many features as you see fit. If it works for your content, then go ahead and use it. There is no hard and fast rule to how many monetization features you can use.
I’m growing so fast! Is there a way to improve/upgrade these features?
Well, the easiest way to upgrade is to subscribe to one of our Boost plans. With a Boost subscription, you’ll get access to post more listings which means having a bigger online shop. You’ll also have more membership tiers to work with so that you can tailor them accordingly. To top it all off, you’ll also have more storage space and increased upload file limits. This means better overall quality for your content which is perfect for Pay-per-view and would entice more people to donate.
