The Social Media Monetisation Playbook

"This social media ecosystem opens new questions about content monetisation for public interest journalism."



The Social Media Monetisation Playbook contains practical strategies and tips for creating and monetising content on social media - in particular, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Intended for media managers and journalists who are looking to monetise their social media channels and diversify their income, it is especially designed for media professionals working in smaller countries with less widely spoken languages and in countries where English is not the predominant language.



The playbook was written based on the experiences - both the successes and failures - of On.ge, a digital media outlet based in Georgia, in the Caucasus region. Despite operating in a region and language not favoured by most social media platforms in their official monetisation programmes, On.ge has leveraged their social media assets to create a viable and sustainable source of income.



As explained in the playbook, in Georgia, as in many other markets, many of the traditional methods of monetising social media are not readily available. "Advertising revenue from large corporations is limited, due to the small size of the market, and sponsored content can be ineffective due to the language barrier. Therefore, media managers and journalists in a country like Georgia need to be creative and think outside the box when it comes to monetising their channels. This can include developing unique content and building a loyal following in order to leverage partnerships and collaborations, or exploring alternative revenue streams such as affiliate marketing and e-commerce."



The playbook is divided into three sections:

1. Section 1: Context
   • 10 Principles of Engagement - discusses principles that any media outlet should keep in mind to ensure success.
   • On.ge: A Brief Overview - offers a short description of the organisation (with specific project case studies included throughout the playbook).
2. Section 2: Tactics
   • Monetising Social Media Assets - provides an overview of how to assess one's social media assets.
   • Monetising Community Assets - looks at monetising assets, such as Facebook groups and Instagram communities around a range of content topics.
   • Monetising Packages - focuses on how to consider selling social media assets through potential partnerships - e.g., with non-governmental organisations such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
   • Direct Monetising of Social Media - examines opportunities and criteria to monetise content directly from platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
3. Section 3: Implementation
   • The Team - offers guidelines on setting up a team.
   • How to start - outlines first steps such as assessing social media channels and considering pricing.
   • The Process - looks at what to do when a potential client is interested in social media campaigns on a media organisation's channel, including preparing an offer and preparing agreements.
   • Budgeting - outlines important elements to consider when drawing up a budget and risks to avoid.
4. Section 4: Toolkit - provides list of free online tools for developing social media content.
5. Section 5: Takeaways - offers a list of key takeaways from the book. Example: Foster a sense of community among your followers and encourage them to interact with each other. Building a community can help increase engagement and reach, which can ultimately lead to more monetisation opportunities.