In this article, you'll learn all about how to monetize your music when it's played on Facebook. We'll look at a real earnings report of mine so you can find out just how much Facebook pays musicians per stream.
Note: some of the links below may be affiliate links, meaning that I receive a commission if you purchase through them.
Can Facebook Be Monetized?
Yes, Facebook can be monetized. In this article you'll learn one of the easiest ways to monetize Facebook, which is by streaming music you own. That's because Facebook pays songwriters and song owners each time a song is streamed on Facebook, if you've signed up.
Watch this video to learn the ins and outs of monetizing your music on Facebook.
Facebook Music Monetization
However, Facebook doesn't pay that much per stream. It is not a get rich quick scheme! Maybe not even a get rich scheme....
For example, one of my songs got played 8,500 times on Facebook. I owned the underlying song and was the songwriter. You may be shocked to see what I earned.
How Much Does Facebook Pay Per Stream
In my experience, Facebook pays about $.00003 per stream, if you own all the rights to the song and were the songwriter.
So let's say your song was streamed a million times on Facebook.
How much would year earn?
$30.
Actually, $30.59.
So even if you have a breakthrough hit on Facebook, you wouldn't be able to fill up your gas tank.
Still, every bit counts.
How Do You Monetize Your Music on Facebook?
About half of the money you earn from streams comes from your ownership of the song recording, and the other half comes from being the songwriter. By default, you'll need to take separate steps to collect each share.
You monetize your music on Facebook by using a music distributor. Here's an in-depth guide on how to release an album online, including on Facebook.
Music distributors place your music on all sorts of online platforms, from Spotify to Facebook. Your distributor will ensure that you get paid as the song owner every time your song is directly streamed on Facebook. The two best distributors, in my opinion, are DistroKid and Tunecore, so be sure to check out this comparison of DistroKid vs. TuneCore to see which is better for you.
To be paid for the streams as a songwriter, you need to be sure to be a member of a performance rights organization (PRO), like BMI or ASCAP. Then you'll need to register that song with your PRO.
Of course, there's an easier way to do this.
SongTrust Facebook Monetization
If you create an account with SongTrust, they will administer your song rights as a song writer and a recording owner with a lot more ease. You'll still need to use a distributor, like DistroKid, and you'll still need to join a PRO.
But once you've done those things and released your song, you'll need to go register at SongTrust. SongTrust will then register the song with your PRO, so you don't have to.
The big benefit of SongTrust is that it knows when someone else uses your song in one of their videos, so you can get paid for those uses too! In fact, most of the money I've received for streams on Facebook is the result of getting SongTrust finding other people using my music and paying me for it.
Distrokid Facebook Monetizaton
When you distribute your music via DistroKid, it will automatically be added to Facebook. If someone officially streams your song, then you'll get paid as the song owner, via DistroKid! However, you still need to be registered with a PRO to collect your songwriter share.
TuneCore Facebook Monetization
When you distribute your music via TuneCore, it will automatically be added to Facebook. If someone officially streams your song, then you'll get paid as the song owner, via TuneCore! However, you still need to be registered with a PRO to collect your songwriter share.
Concluding thoughts about Monetizing Music on Facebook
Facebook can be a great resource for getting discovered. But as you've seen, Facebook pays almost nothing for music streams, so it can't be the main part of your strategy to make it as a musician. I recommend focusing on playing live, and then on learning how to license your music, so that you can actually get paid to be a musician!
From a Frustrated Producer in a Ragtag Bedroom Studio to Major Placements on TV Earning $1,000s!
My name is Evan, and I've been making music since around 3rd grade. I'm from San Diego, California, but I've lived in Washington, DC for the last 20 years.
While I still have a full-time day job, I have created systems that have allowed me to produce dozens of songs a year in my spare time.
My songs have been on Netflix, TV shows like the 90 Day Fiance, an award-winning indie film, and NPR’s “All Thing Considered.” They've also been streamed millions of times.
In addition to being a music producer, I am passionate about teaching people how they can make professional-sounding music and earn money licensing it, all in their spare time.
Thousands of musicians, like yourself, have trusted me to guide their musical journey. My YouTube videos have been watched nearly a million times. And my story has been in Forbes, Side Hustle Nation, and the Side Hustle School.
