Vimeo has announced two new features that enable video creators to monetise their work.
Creators will have two options for collecting money from their audience: Tip Jar enables viewers to give donations after watching videos, and the pay-per-view model places videos behind a pay wall.
Senior Curator at Vimeo, Jordan McGarry explained: "Tip Jar is rather like crowdsourcing funds for film makers, but after the fact of making the video. So if you're watching a short film and you want to support the creator, you can choose to gift them anything between 99c and $500 to show your appreciation for that work. It's open to anyone to make a tip, you can pay with Paypal or a credit card, and anyone with a Pro or Plus account can turn on Tip Jar for their videos."
Tip Jar is launching today, and the pay-per-view service is to be rolled out in beta preview this autumn with a series of curated videos. It will be available to all Vimeo Pro subscribers in 2013. The pay-per-view model is designed to be flexible enough to enable creators to collect money however they choose.
McGarry told us of Vimeo's excitement at launching these features. "It's something we've been wanting to do for a very long time because everyone has been looking for a good way to enable creators to make money from their work.
"We think it's something that's going to generate a lot of interest, and hopefully lots of people are going to be very keen to support the creators who make the amazing work, and enable them to keep making it."
