Eastern European creators ditch ads for direct payments as tech giants siphon revenue
A new analysis of monetization tools in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine reveals content creators are abandoning traditional advertising in favor of direct-payment platforms like Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee. The shift underscores a structural crisis in media economics: as Facebook and Google capture ad spending, independent journalists and creators have no choice but to rebuild business models around audience support.
Originaltitel: Аналіз інструментів монетизації для ЗМІ, блогерів та медіаперсон у Вірменії, Грузії, Молдові та Україні: Вивчення фінансового ландшафту для творців цифрового контенту
<p>In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, media outlets, bloggers, and other content creators are continually searching for effective and reliable payment systems and monetisation tools to support their efforts in producing and distributing content.</p><p>With traditional revenue sources dwindling – largely due to advertising income being diverted to dominant platforms like Facebook and Google – alternative tools and methods for generating income from content production and distribution have emerged and continue to evolve.</p><p>This study explores a variety of monetisation tools and payment systems, including GoFundMe, Kickstarter, Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, and others available in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. It examines their features, advantages, limitations and provides examples of their practical application.</p><p></p>