Vimeo Sets Up Tip Jar, Paywall

How can you make money from content on the Web? Vimeo recently added two new features that can help to answer that age-old question for its videomakers.

Here's a Quarter for the Video Tip Jar

One new revenue-generator is Tip Jar, which provides a way for satisfied viewers of Vimeo videos to contribute money to the maker. Tips can be added to the online jar at any point before, during or after watching a video, with 85 percent of the gross revenue going to the maker.

The option to activate a tip jar is available to any Vimeo Plus or Pro members. To make a donation, ranging from US$ 0.99 to US$ 500, the viewer will be required to enter credit card information into fields on the same screen where the video plays.

Vimeo Pay-For-View On Its Way

The site has also announced that, over the next few months, it will roll out a pay-to-view service that allows video makers to set up a paywall around their work. The pay-to-view service will feature customizable options, with control over pricing, rental duration, distribution, location and other settings.

The open platform will become available later this fall, in beta preview with a curated series of films. It will become available to all Vimeo Pro subscribers in early 2013. Analytics will be provided for both Tip Jar and the paywall.

The site said that makers will be able to mix-and-match Tip Jar with the paywall, so that, for instance, one episode or segment could be offered free as a “taste” with donations accepted, while the rest of the series is available for a fee. Alternatively, a video or video series could initially be offered for free with donations — to build up word of mouth — followed by paid access only.

Making Money from Videos

The payment mechanisms could have a significant impact on the finances of some video makers. Vimeo is in the top ten of video-based websites — it has more than 75 million unique visitors each month and boasts over 13 million registered members.

CEO Kerry Trainor said in a statement that “empowering creators to make money from their videos is a logical next step for Vimeo as a service.” Trainor added that such a marketplace boosts creators who can connect directly with their audiences “without the need to conform to industry standards around video format, price or timing releases.”
 

 

 

Source : cmswire[dot]com