Video-sharing site Vimeo has launched an on-demand pay-per-view model, letting users make money from video- provided they have a big enough audience.
Launched at the SXSW conference in Texas, the “Vimeo-On-Demand” service won’t offer live streams but will add a new string to the bow for the site in gaining revenue from users.
Previously, Vimeo made money via subscription upgrades, adverts and from transactions, such as people buying music tracks whose video they’ve watched.
The IAC-owned firm company also introduced a “tipjar” last September to let people make voluntary donations.
The new on-demand feature is part of the Pro service; Vimeo takes a 10% cut of the revenues after transaction costs.
One of the first films to be offered through the payment system is called “Such a Beautiful Day”, starting at $2 for per-viewing rental or $6 for a “sale” which lets a member of the site view it when logged in any number of times.
“Vimeo is committed to empowering creators with tools to display and distribute their work in beautiful HD quality,” said Vimeo CEO, Kerry Trainor. “With the addition of Vimeo On Demand, creators can now use Vimeo to control the way they earn revenue and retain a significant portion of the proceeds.”
Videos purchased through Vimeo On Demand are accessible across devices, connecting creators to Vimeo’s 93 million monthly viewers across desktop, mobile (Android/iOs/Windows), connected TV devices (Apple TV/Roku/Google TV/Xbox Live), and major smart TV platforms (Samsung/Panasonic/Phillips).
“What used to be a confusing and labor-intensive process is now open and simple with Vimeo On Demand,” said Blake Whitman, Vice President of Creative Development. “We always strive to provide our community and visitors with the best experience possible, and this opens up a new world of viewable content and support for creators. We are proud of this first phase of Vimeo On Demand, and we’re already working on another suite of creator-focused features to release in the near future.”
Watch a video from Vimeo promoting the new service below:
