Creators on X to see higher payouts with premium engagement focus

X, formerly known as Twitter, announced changes to its 'Creator Revenue Sharing Program', now focusing on engagement from 'X Premium' users rather than ad views. The update takes effect from November 8.

Creators! We’re excited to unveil our biggest update to Creator Revenue Sharing yet.

Payouts are increasing and you'll now be paid based on engagement with your content from Premium users - not ads in replies.

Here’s what’s changing:

— X (@X) October 9, 2024

Under the new system, creators will be paid based on the interactions, replies, reposts, and likes, of the platform's premium subscribers, who pay for the platform’s subscription service. Previously, revenue was tied to the number of ads viewed by premium users in replies to content.

The platforms' move to monetise based solely on premium users aims to boost subscriptions to its paid service, which has struggled to attract large numbers since its launch after Elon Musk’s acquisition. The platform has seen a 40% drop in advertising revenue as advertisers have withdrawn over content concerns.

The platform claims that creators could see larger payouts due to the growing number of premium subscribers, incentivising engagement from paying users rather than relying on ad impressions.

And, because X Premium is growing, your payout is too.

The more Premium subscriptions overall, the more revenue you earn.

— X (@X) October 9, 2024

The shift is expected to impact platform dynamics, potentially encouraging more clickbait content, as creators could be motivated to provoke engagement from subscribers. Controversial posts have already increased since the platforms' monetisation programme began, with some creators using divisive content to generate high levels of engagement and revenue.

Previously, content deemed unsuitable for advertisers, such as pornography or violence, was not monetised. With ads no longer tied to revenue generation, concerns have been raised that the platform could become more permissive with controversial content, leading to an 'anything goes' environment.

The platform has not commented on how the new monetisation system may affect content moderation. The platform’s future content policies remain unclear following these changes.