In the world of social media and online platforms, the fediverse has emerged as an alternative to traditional closed networks. While the fediverse has the potential to create enduring and interoperable social networks, one major challenge that creators and businesses face is monetization. The lack of direct ways to make money from their audiences within the fediverse has pushed many towards bigger, closed platforms. However, Sub.club is aiming to change that by offering a solution to enable creators on ActivityPub-based platforms like Mastodon to offer paid subscriptions and premium content while taking a 6 percent cut in addition to payment processing fees.
Currently, it is not easy to make a living solely within the fediverse as creators often have to direct their followers back to existing closed platforms like Patreon. This process not only diminishes the open and decentralized nature of the fediverse but also creates barriers for both creators and users. Bart Decrem, one of the founders of sub.club, highlights the importance of bringing money into the fediverse ecosystem to support creators and believes that this work is crucial for those who believe in the promise of the internet.
If the fediverse can successfully create what sub.club adviser Anuj Ahooja calls “one last network effect,” it could revolutionize the way people interact online. This idea revolves around the concept of everyone joining fediverse platforms built on open protocols, allowing for seamless interaction across various networks and platforms. The potential for driving innovation around social media is immense, as users would have the freedom to move between networks without losing their profiles or connections.
As of now, sub.club is only available for Mastodon users, offering different ways for creators to integrate paid subscriptions into their content. On Mastodon web clients, creators can direct users to a subscription page, while in clients like Mammoth and Ice Cubes, creators can add a subscribe button to their profile for easy access to subscription pages. Additionally, creators need to send a direct message to their sub.club account to make posts visible to subscribers.
Sub.club aims to streamline the monetization process for creators by integrating with other paid subscription products in the future. By providing a standard and portable solution, sub.club is looking to work alongside existing services rather than competing with them. The platform also plans to launch an API that allows for the creation of premium bots, offering unique and engaging content for subscribers.
Beyond enabling creators to monetize their content, sub.club also seeks to support the maintenance of Mastodon servers. By allowing server admins to use the tool for funding instead of relying on user support through platforms like Patreon or Ko-Fi, sub.club aims to reduce the burden of free labor within the fediverse. This approach not only helps sustain the ecosystem but also encourages the growth and development of open and decentralized social networks.
Sub.club brings a new opportunity for creators within the fediverse to monetize their content and build sustainable online careers. By addressing the challenges of monetization and integration, sub.club has the potential to reshape the way creators interact with their audiences and contribute to the growth of open and interoperable social networks. As the platform continues to evolve and expand, it holds the promise of creating a more vibrant and commercially viable fediverse for all users and creators.