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When will Instagram begin monetizing livestreams?

April 9, 2020

This thread of tweets makes for very interesting reading on that score. It’s from Neer Sharma, co-founder of mobile game HaikuJam, and is a series of ideas for how Instagram could help artists monetise livestreams.

The option for fans to buy merch while watching; paid ‘meet & greets’ using Instagram’s ‘go live with’ feature; virtual gifting and tips; and a ‘VIP’ mode for paying fans’ comments to stand out (as seen on other live-video platforms like Twitch) were among the suggestions.

Here’s the good news: Sharma’s thread has already come to the attention of Instagram’s upper echelons. “I appreciate the level of thought put into this thread. We are investing a lot into Instagram Live and have been thinking about many of the areas you’ve highlighted,” replied VP of product Vishal Shah on Twitter, before the head of Instagram Adam Mosseri also weighed in. “We have some plans in the works to support creators and artists using Live. Stay tuned.”

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