Meta is testing paying out cash bonuses to creators who make engaging content for its Twitter-like app Threads, a company spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider.
The program is testing with a small batch of creators in the US, but the company did not elaborate on how long it will run.
Eligible creators can earn money from Threads content based on the "performance" of posts or the "number of posts" shared to the app, per Instagram's help desk. The site also says Threads posts with "less than 2,500 eligible views" are not eligible for payouts.
The invite-only program is the latest sign that the company is taking its text-based app seriously. Paying creators to post on Threads could help it retain users as it competes with Elon Musk's X and newcomer platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon. X, formerly called Twitter, has also been experimenting with an engagement-based payment program for creators.
Threads saw a surge in downloads at its July launch, and it's currently the No. 1 app in the Apple App Store. X, for comparison, is ranked at number 26. Threads has been growing steadily over the past nine months, and had more than 130 million monthly active users in February, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said during the company's Q4 earnings call.
"I'm optimistic that we can keep the pace of improvements and growth going and show that a friendly discussion-oriented app can be as widely used as the most popular social apps," Zuckerberg said during the call.
The Information reported in November that Instagram was beginning to offer creators, specifically reality TV stars, "special prizes."
Outside of Threads, Meta is also testing a new "Spring Bonus" program for Instagram where it will pay creators for engagement on reels, photo carousels, and single-image photo posts.
The company previously shut down a bonus program for reels in March 2023. But in October, Instagram head Adam Mosseri teased that the company might bring back bonuses.
