The subscription service will let creators lock a number of their content behind a paywall.
Post+, Tumblr’s new subscription service, will let bloggers put their content behind a paywall. Users pay a monthly fee of $3.99, $5.99, or $9.99 to realize access to subscriber-only content.
Post+ Targets Gen-Z Content Creators
The Wall Street Journal article outlined Tumblr’s new offering, which can allow creators to earn money from their posts. Those included within the Post+ beta will be ready to lock a number of their content behind a paywall.
Creators have three subscription prices to settle on, with Tumblr taking a five percent cut out of the fee. Bloggers do not have to form all of their content exclusive to subscribers either, so users unwilling to pay will still be ready to view some posts for free of charge.
The Wall Street Journal reports that 48 percent of Tumblr’s users are members of Generation Z, otherwise referred to as those born around 1997 to 2012. As a result, post+ has been created specifically for this population.
Lance Willett, the chief product and technology officer at Tumblr, commented on Gen Z’s influence on the service, noting:
When we checked out the younger generation, trying to work out what would be the hook for them, we decided to form Post+ because it will push the boundaries. It’s following the behavior they’re already doing.
Although Post+ is in beta immediately, it’s expected to be unrolled to everyone within the fall of 2021.
Tumblr Joins Other Social Platforms in Rewarding Creators
Tumblr may be a bit late to the social media monetization trend. Twitter has already launched Twitter Blue, a subscription that provides users access to exclusive features, and is even testing Super Follows and Ticketed Spaces to assist creators in earning money.
Meanwhile, YouTube gives creators the power to earn Super Thanks and offers a $100 million fund for the most straightforward YouTube Short creators. TikTok is additionally trying to encourage users to make quality content with its creator fund.
Tumblr has seen declining usage since it banned sexually explicit content in 2018, but perhaps its new Post+ subscription service will bring a replacement generation of young bloggers to the platform.
Is Social Media Really Worth Paying For?
While it’s excellent that hardworking creators are becoming the justifiable share they deserve, it doesn’t necessarily mean that users will want to buy their posts. Plus, how can the typical user be expected to purchase content on several different platforms? Social media has been free for the bulk of its existence, so it’d be difficult getting users to pay.
