4 Ways to Monetize Your AR Filters
Most smartphone users have social media accounts on the most popular platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. These apps have plenty of cool features, a popular one being filters and lenses.
Filters and lenses on apps like Snapchat and Instagram have become increasingly popular. The augmented reality (AR) filters are computer-generated effects superimposed on real images, such as a person's face or the surrounding environment.
When the average person creates an AR filter or lens on Snapchat, Instagram, or Facebook, they can make a profit – but not from the platform itself. Continue reading to learn about how you can monetize your AR filters on some of these popular smartphone apps.
4 Ways to Profit From AR Filters
Some tech-savvy creators are looking to build AR filters to make some cash. Consider Ana Casciello, an official lens creator on Snapchat. Casciello was able to create around 30 AR Snapchat lenses and earned more than 214,000 followers on her social media platforms.
Since AR filters have become so popular, more helpful programming tools are emerging for creators who want to try their hand at building AR filters for a social media platform.
CB Insights tells us that funding for AR companies has increased, beating out their VR "cousins" in the past couple of years. Creating AR filters or lenses can help young entrepreneurs get their start in the tech industry. Below are some of the ways you can profit from building AR filters.
1. Use an Online Selling Platform
Even if you design an AR filter specifically for Snapchat or Instagram, you are not limited to those platforms to sell the filter. In other words, you can sell filters on other digital platforms.
Some popular platforms creators will sell their filters on are sites like Etsy, Gumroad, and Tutobay. There are plenty of customers looking for specific or personalized AR filters, and once you create one, you can put it up for sale on one of these platforms.
2. Partner With a Brand
One benefit of creating AR filters on Snapchat is that the platform will connect you to brands. Once you create filters, the app may directly link you to a brand to work on sponsored content or AR projects. On top of that, Snapchat does not take any of the profit from these creations – all income goes directly to the creator.
Some content creators have made thousands of dollars after partnering with brands to create AR filters for Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat.
3. Create a Personal Website
Another way to monetize your AR filters is to create a digital portfolio of your work and set it as the main feature on your website. You can link to your website on your social media accounts to encourage followers to visit and browse your AR filter creations.
While creating a website does not guarantee you'll earn money, it's a good first step if you're looking to form brand partnerships.
4. Freelance on Fiverr
One final way to monetize your AR filter or lens is to hop on Fiverr, an online marketplace for freelancers to showcase and sell their work. Fiverr has an entire graphic design category dedicated to AR filters and lenses, featuring creators who will create custom AR filters or lenses.
You'd have to sign up as a seller and understand some of the conditions and requirements of working through Fiverr. However, you can sign up for free, set up a gig, and market your services to a global audience.
Apps won't directly pay any user who creates an AR filter, so it's critical to understand how you can profit from creating a filter. Building the next viral AR filter takes time, energy, and effort – and it makes sense that you'd want to get paid for your work.
Turning AR Lenses Into Profit
As AR technologies improve, so will AR filters and lenses that emerge on apps like Snapchat and Instagram. You can learn the ins and outs of AR, how to create an AR filter and sell it online, or partner with a major brand. It's also possible to work for a company specializing in AR product creation as a way to use these tech skills and earn cash for your filters or lenses. Consider some of the options above when looking to monetize your AR filters.