# YouTube to introduce tip jar to video channels

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/07/05/youtube-introduce-tip-jar-video-channels/
- Published: 2014-07-05T10:39:29+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

YouTube is to add a ‘tip-jar’-like function to video channels to enable viewers
to make donations to their favourite channels and content. This can happen “at any
time, for any reason”, according to YouTube’s YouTubecreator blog. The announcement
was made by new YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki at the VidCon online video conference
in Anaheim, California. She described the facility as “fan funding”, one of several
new facilities that would be added to YouTube. The facility will enable viewers 
to donate an amount **between $1 and $500**. It seems that the online tip jar is
more appropriate for artists, musicians and other creatives than charities’ video
channels. Charities that are members of YouTube’s Nonprofit Program do after all
have an online giving mechanism already. So perhaps it will be of most interest 
to fundraisers at arts and culture organisations.

## YouTube as crowdfunding channel?

 The introduction has led some to suggest that YouTube might be attempting to compete
directly with crowdfunding services such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Indeed, the
[YouTube Creator](http://youtubecreator.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/look-ahead-creator-features-coming-to.html)
blog compared its new service in those terms:

> “Your fans aren’t just watching your videos, they’re also helping support your
> channel through services like [KickStarter](http://kickstarter.com/), [IndieGogo](http://indiegogo.com/),
> [Patreon](http://patreon.com/) and more. We’ll be adding another option for you,
> where fans will be able to contribute money to support your channel at any time,
> for any reason”. 

 In fact, the tip-jar is more reminiscent of the model employed by crowdfunding 
site [Patreon](http://www.patreon.com/), in that it lets users reward creatives 
on a regular basis for new content, unlike the one-off campaigns with a target of
the other crowdfunding sites. That said, there is far more to crowdfunding than 
simply a transaction mechanism. In addition, YouTube is introducing interactive 
cards for those who use third party crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter. These will
generate a direct link to fundraising pages.

## Staged roll-out

 The facility is currently being trialled with a small number of YouTube channels
on desktop and Android. None of them are run by charities. YouTube is inviting other
channel owners to sign up to trial the tip jar, but it is only open to channels 
and viewers in USA, Mexico, Japan and Australia.   _Photo: [tip jar](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-160538843/stock-photo-using-the-rainy-day-fund-coins-spilling-out-of-a-jar.html)
by Rob Hyron on Shutterstock.com_  

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