Facebook Is Testing Paid Subscriptions in Groups to Attract Creators

Facebook is testing methods for creators to become profitable by way of Facebook Groups, reminiscent of customers paying charges for unique entry to content material or conversations inside subgroups, the corporate mentioned on Thursday.

Facebook, which lately modified its title to Meta, mentioned the test was part of its broader paid subscription effort. The social media firm is one in every of many tech giants which have been working to woo social media creators and their giant followings by way of funds and new instruments.

Facebook, which has lately targeted on constructing communities as a tactic to drive engagement on the location, mentioned Group directors will be capable of run e-commerce retailers to promote merchandise or create neighborhood fundraisers, which might offset the prices of operating a Group.

On Wednesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg additionally mentioned that creators would be capable of share customized hyperlinks permitting them to just accept funds immediately, in a swipe at Apple’s subscription charges. Facebook launched its subscriptions service final 12 months.

The firm introduced a sequence of updates to its Groups product throughout its live-streamed Communities Summit. It mentioned the subgroups function, which will be free or paid, would enable members to interrupt off inside teams to deal with sure areas or matters.

Facebook Groups have been beneath scrutiny from lawmakers and researchers who argue that they supply closed areas for well being misinformation, violent rhetoric and extremism to proliferate with out being correctly policed.

An organization spokesperson mentioned Facebook was testing neighborhood fundraisers with choose Groups and that Groups created within the final 30 days, violate its content material guidelines or regularly share dangerous content material or misinformation weren’t eligible.

Facebook mentioned Group directors would get instruments to customise their group’s look and members would quickly be capable of give “community awards” for beneficial posts.

The firm additionally teased a brand new expertise combining “the best of Groups and Pages in one place,” and mentioned it could enable directors of Pages to make use of the identical moderation instruments as Groups. It mentioned this was in early testing over the following 12 months.

© Thomson Reuters 2021