Before you can earn a single penny from your Facebook content, you need to play by the rules. Meta has two core sets of policies that act as the gatekeepers to monetisation: the Partner Monetisation Policies and the Content Monetisation Policies. Think of them as two different layers of compliance.

The Partner Monetisation Policies govern you and your Page as a whole. They look at your overall behaviour, authenticity, and how you share content. It's about being a good citizen on the platform. The Content Monetisation Policies are more granular. They scrutinise every single video or post you want to earn from, ensuring it's advertiser-friendly and doesn't fall into prohibited categories like static videos or embedded ads.

These rules apply whether you're using a traditional Facebook Page or a personal profile switched to Professional Mode. While a Page is designed for businesses and brands, Professional Mode lets individual creators access monetisation tools directly from their personal profile. The eligibility requirements are often similar, but the setup and some available features can differ slightly. For either, you must be at least 18 years old and reside in an eligible country. Facebook's monetisation tools aren't available everywhere, so a quick check on their official list is a crucial first step.

Policy compliance is just the first hurdle. Next, you need to prove you have an engaged audience. Facebook uses specific metrics to measure this, and the targets vary depending on the monetisation tool you're aiming for.

The most common goal for new creators is in-stream ads for on-demand videos. The requirement here is 5,000 followers and 60,000 total minutes viewed on your videos in the last 60 days. This is a significant reduction from the old 10,000 follower threshold, making it more accessible.

However, for monetising live videos, the bar is much higher: 10,000 followers and a massive 600,000 total minutes of watch time in the last 60 days. Critically, at least 60,000 of those minutes must come from live broadcasts. This ensures that only creators with a dedicated live audience can qualify.

Once you meet the policy and performance requirements, you need to handle the financial paperwork. This is non-negotiable. To receive payments from Meta, you must provide valid financial information, including a payout method (like a bank account or PayPal) and tax details.

For individuals and businesses in many countries, this means providing a Tax Identification Number (TIN). This is an official number used for tax purposes, such as a Social Security Number (SSN) in the United States or a National Insurance number in the UK. The exact forms you'll need to fill out (like a W-9 or W-8BEN) will depend on your location and tax status. It's essential to have this information ready, as your application for monetisation won't be approved without it.

You can check your page's eligibility at any time by going to Meta Business Suite and navigating to the Monetisation section. It provides a clear checklist showing exactly where you stand on follower counts, watch minutes, and policy adherence. Once all the lights are green, you're ready to apply and start earning.

Ready to test your knowledge on what it takes to get monetised?

With the rules and numbers clear, you can build a strategy that targets these specific goals for turning your content into a source of income.