Getting paid for content by your followers: Six reasons why people will pay for your content

Ask your friends and family if they would pay for online content and the answer will most likely be ‘yes.’ People either have a Spotify premium subscription or a Netflix account or even both. You might think: what does that have to do with me as a content creator? Well, here is the good news: you can get paid for your content as well and you don’t need a massive platform like Spotify to do it. In this article, we will explain how to create an extra income with our Uhmi payment tool for content creators.

People are more likely to pay for content now than in the past and research shows that this number will continue to increase. Uhmi is created to make this payment process more comfortable and accessible. Not only for the content buyer but also for the content creator. Our research has shown that many content creators are not fully aware of the opportunities to create an additional income stream with their content. It is our goal to change this! An important question we should ask ourselves is: why and when are people willing to pay for content?

Get paid for your content with Uhmi.

Uhmi is a free tool that allows people to make quick and secure payments for all sorts of content. The tool can be installed on your website/platform with our Wordpress plugin or API and is very easy to use. Click here if you want to learn more about how Uhmi works.

Who can use Uhmi?

1. Micro influencers/content creators.

Uhmi can be beneficial for any content creator, but it can be very interesting for micro influencers/creators in particular.

There are lots of people that create amazing content, but don’t have tons of followers (yet). Having a small number of followers doesn’t necessarily mean that your content isn’t of value. However, it can mean that your number of followers is too small to make a living out of marketing collaborations or Google ad revenues. With Uhmi, you can be less dependent on these types of income streams. As long as people like your content enough to support your work, you can create an (extra) income with Uhmi.

2. Content creators that offer exclusive content.

A lot of content creators make exclusive content, apart from their “standard” content. Monetize this type of content more easily with Uhmi by making it paid content.

For example, in addition to their usual online content, a lifestyle coach can use Uhmi to publish and sell unique eBooks, containing workouts, recipes, meal plans or exclusive exercises. Uhmi also offers the possibility of dividing these eBooks into multiple components or segments that can be purchased individually.

3. Creators with a specific group of fans.

There are content creators with diehard fans. If you are such a content creator, you can reward your fans by making exclusive content just for them. You can give your fans a glimpse behind the scenes, a video of your private life or you can create an extensive tutorial about a relevant topic. This unique and special type of content will only be accessible after payment. By making this exclusive content, you will not only increase your earnings, but you will also develop a stronger relationship with your fans.

When are people willing to pay for content?

When you ask people to pay or donate money for content, they most likely will have higher expectations. After all, there is a lot of free content available on the internet. That’s why you need to think about ‘why’ and ‘ for what type of content’ your followers are willing to pay.

Based on our research, there are mainly six reasons why people are willing to pay for online content:

Reason 1: Your followers find it essential to be first to have access to the latest news.

If you’re a creator that shares news about any possible topic, you are probably always trying to get ahead of the rest. It’s not only you who wants to get there first, but also your followers. People are willing to pay for this type of content if you provide them with the latest developments, especially if this will help your followers to always be on top of their game. These news items can be about any topic: new fashion trends, marketing insights, global developments, juicy celebrity gossips or new products that are about to launch soon.

Reason 2: It solves a temporary problem.

People are more likely to pay for anything that solves a particular problem. For example, someone has planned a getaway to Italy, but has no idea what activities to do. In this case, we are pretty sure that people are willing to pay for a digital ‘Italy travel guide.’ It will not only save them time, but it also assures that this person will get everything out of their getaway to Italy.

Reason 3: People like exclusivity.

Of course, we all love the fact that there is free content available on the web. However, at the same time, people like to feel special by having access to exclusive content. Let’s take The Bucketlist Family for example. They are a family of five, traveling the world as journalists and posting about their adventures on social media and YouTube for free.

In addition to their free content they’ve created the Bucket List Friends club; a subscription service that gives access to exclusive content and travel deals. The exclusivity of this membership makes fans feel like they are a part of the family and more up-to-date on the latest news. That is what people are willing to spend their money on.

Reason 4: Your content is about a niche.

If someone is interested in a specific niche, they are more likely to pay for content that keeps them up-to-date. Especially when there is less content available about that particular niche, because it is so specific.

Reason 5: Your content is teaching and improving skills.

Nowadays, an increasing amount of people turn to online sources when they seek to gain knowledge on certain topics or wish to improve specific skills. Should you own a website that people access for these or similar reasons, chances are high that you can earn money with your published content.

Reason 6: Simply because your audience thinks you deserve it.

It can also be the case that your followers just want to appreciate you for the effort and time you put into creating great content. They simply want to support you. Therefore Uhmi also offers a donation option, making it easy for your followers to thank you for your efforts.

Start with ‘why’?

As mentioned in this article, there are several ways to earn money with your content. However, before you start selling your content, keep in mind that you should always ask yourself this question: why would people pay for my content?

We would love to help you find the perfect strategy. Keep an eye out for our next article; a roadmap for payment tools.