The Rise of Social Media Paywalls

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

If you’ve ever visited a popular media website like Vogue or The New York Times, you have probably seen a paywall asking you to subscribe to read the site’s articles. Paywalls restrict access to certain web content via a paid subscription. Oftentimes websites will offer a free trial or display a preview of the restricted content before asking for a financial commitment. The paywall is a method for content providers to increase revenue and generate income. While paywalls are typically implemented in news websites, they are gaining popularity among many social media sites as well. 

One of the most recent examples is Instagram’s new creator subscriptions. This feature allows influencers to charge their followers anywhere from $1 to $100 for access to exclusive content and a special badge that will help them stand out in crowded comment sections. Currently, only 10 U.S. creators have been invited to test the feature, as Instagram wants to gain feedback from creators and their followers before more widespread use. Back in 2018, Youtube added the “Join” button for subscribers to support their favorite channels. The “Join” feature works similarly to that of Instagram, allowing fans to pay a fee to access member-only content as well as discounts on merchandise and early access to videos. One of the oldest and most widely-used options for influencers to charge their fans is Patreon. Launched in 2013, the platform allows creators to earn a monthly income by charging their fans for access to tiered content. Based on the amount of money subscribers pay, they are granted access to a corresponding level of content. Each tier has additional content and value.  

Paywalls can open up opportunities to generate income as well as create challenges of maintaining a stable subscriber base. For example, influencers will need to be considerate in organizing content between paid tiers. If most of their free content is sponsored, creators may lose followers for not posting quality content outside of paid subscriptions. They will also need to remain aware of which brand deals to accept and work only with quality brands. The companies they work with can make or break their authenticity to provide their followers with the best content and experience. Paywalls should not deter brand sponsorships. While they may be a way for influencers to monetize their content, influencers should not cast out brand deals and rely solely on paywalls. Even more importantly, putting up paywalls should not prevent them from offering their followers quality content.

Although paywalls in influencer marketing are relatively new, they are inevitable to the future of social media.