OnlyFans is gaining as a platform for tipping and subscribing to creators, new data shows. Here's ho
- A new report on influencer marketing shows the tipping and subscription habits of social-media users.
- Respondents indicated they were generally less inclined to tip influencers in 2023 than in 2021.
- On OnlyFans, however, more people said they liked tipping and subscribing than had before.
A new report shows social-media users in 2023 are less likely to pay creators in tips and subscriptions on the major platforms than had in the past. But, a closer look shows OnlyFans is bucking that trend.
Influencer agency The Influencer Marketing Factory released its Creator Economy Report, which surveyed in April 1,000 social-media users and 660 creators based in the US. Users were polled about their habits paying creators in tips, subscriptions, and for exclusive content, among other things.
When respondents were asked which platform they liked for tipping and subscribing to their favorite creators, OnlyFans had the biggest gains. In 2023, 7.8% of respondents selected the platform, up from 2.9% two years earlier.
YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch were the most preferred platforms for tipping and subscriber overall, but they also saw dips from 2021 to 2023. Twitter and Snapchat had gains. And TikTok was flat.
The Influencer Marketing Factory's CEO Alessandro Bogliari said OnlyFans' subscription-only model, where creators can make both paid and free subscription-based content, holds up better than other platforms that offer subscriptions.
"OnlyFans is the only one where if you want to see a certain type of content, the only way to do that is paying," Bogliari told Insider.
The growth in people who said they preferred to tip and subscribe on OnlyFans could also mean there's less of a stigma around the platform today, Bogliari said. Since skyrocketing in popularity in recent years, the company has made attempts to change its reputation as an adult-content platform, instead emphasizing any type of creator can use OnlyFans to get followers to pay for exclusive content. In 2021, OnlyFans even tried to ban sexual content from its site, but backtracked on the move within days.
Bogliari suggested there could be more OnlyFans creators coming to the platform, too. Amid the recent spate of layoffs and economic downturn, OnlyFans' low barrier to entry could encourage creators to join the platform because they don't need to rely on creator funds or brand partnerships to earn money from their content.
The study also found an ideal rate among users who were willing to pay for content for exclusive content. The sweet spot was $4 to $7 for users 18- to 44-years-old.
But overall, when it comes to tipping, paid subscriptions, and exclusive content, the report found willingness to pay influencers decreased as user age went up. Bogliari said that if creators want to make money through these models, the content they offer should be high quality and consistent.
"Give real value to your users," Bogliari said. "The moment someone starts feeling that their subscription is not valued enough, they will cancel and they will not go back to you."
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