Google’s Area 120 lab has been secretly working on an events-centered crowdfunding service called Fundo, opening a new way for YouTubers to make money.
According to a recent report from Variety, Fundo is a service that allows creators to invite their fans to virtual meet and greet sessions and other paid online events. A Google spokesperson confirmed this report in a statement to Variety.
Here’s the statement: “One of the many projects that we’re working on within Area 120 is Fundo, an audience engagement and monetization platform for YouTube creators. Like other projects within Area 120, it’s a very early experiment so there aren’t many details to share right now.”
Where did Fundo come from?
Even since 2016, Area 120 has been working on and testing a number of different apps and services. Some of them have been released to the public. But Fundo has come as a bit of a surprise. No other reports have been made about it before Variety.
You can go to Fundo’s website, but don’t expect to get more information there. The site keeps it simple and simply says its “an experimental project within Area 120, currently in beta.” It also suggests all creators interested in learning more about Fundo to contact the team.
What will Fundo do for creators?
Fundo is looking to give creators a chance to sell special online events to fans willing to pay. The feature has already been tested by a few creators. For example, Jessi Vee used Fundo and set up a virtual meet and greet. The session was done through video chat with a few of her fans.
Mexican YouTube star Key Riqué is another example. She started selling personalized shoutouts to her fans for 80 Mexican peso per video. Another YouTuber, KreekCraft, has held numerous meet and greets, charing $10 per ticket.
More fan participation
Besides the monetary gain, creators will be engaging with their communities more. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in these events to support their favorite creators. Interacting with their favorite YouTubers will keep them coming back and helping the channel move forward with their support.
“Creators spend a lot of their time making your favorite videos, and to continue to do that they rely on support from viewers like you,” reads a FAQ document available to potential participants. “The earnings from Fundo events go directly to support their channels and creativity, so they can continue to make you feel all the feels.”
When is it coming out?
Currently, we do not know when Fundo will be released to the public. Google has filed for a Fundo trademark earlier this month. That means there will be some sort of branding coming. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Image courtesy Tech Advisor
