YouTube is expected to announce this week that it will be offering subscription option for channels, according to some reports from New York Times and other publications.
The rates could be as low as $1.99 per month, according to the reports. A subscription plan would be a secondary revenue source for the platform and its content creators, who have up till now earned their revenue through a number of advertising schemes.
At the national/international level, this will give superstar channels an appealing enticement to stay with the platform. It may also drive media companies with large libraries of video content to consider posting to YouTube in addition to or separately from Netflix or Hulu.
At the local level, you can expect some time to elapse before this option is rolled out across the system.
However, when it does, some businesses may benefit through the subscription service. Off the top of my head, I would think educators could use the system to charge for those lessons, whether they are guitar lessons, sewing lessons, photography tips or helping folks curb their bad habits. Others that could benefit could be bands, storytellers, or perhaps any business that offers consulting services.
What kind of businesses do you think could benefit from a subscription option on YouTube?