Reels Bonus Program vs. traditional ads – which is more profitable for creators?
Instagram pays for reels, but is it really money that will let you breathe easy? Or is it better to play an open hand and set up advertising collaborations that go straight into your account without looking at statistics? That’s the topic of today’s post.
Do they pay for views or clicks? How do you really earn from Reels and ads on IG?
You get the impression that Instagram pays for reels, but you’re not entirely sure what that really means in numbers? That’s exactly the question that arises for most creators who want to figure out how to make money from short formats. The **Instagram Reels Bonus**, first introduced in the US and then in Poland, **promises payouts for activity under your Reels**. Sounds great, but it’s not that obvious. **In practice, bonuses depend on the number of views, engagement, and the duration of the campaign, not on clicks or sales.** Some creators get 300 PLN, others 1300 PLN per month, and still others get nothing because they didn’t meet the limits.
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On the other hand, traditional ads are a model where **a brand pays you specific money for a post, a story, or a longer video**, **regardless of how many people click or watch it to the end.** The settlement is simple: **you set a rate, sign a contract, and create content according to the client’s brief.** On average, you can get from 500 PLN to even 15,000 PLN for a sponsored post, depending on reach and industry. Ultimately, it’s about whether you want to “earn for visibility” with the Instagram Reels Bonus program or prefer specific rates for completed work. **Both models make sense but operate completely differently.**
Reels as passive income? Myth or gamechanger for creators?
Many say that the Reels Bonus is a great way to earn passive income, but does it work as creators describe in podcasts?
The Instagram Reels Bonus **offers the possibility to monetize content you already upload**, which at first glance seems ideal. **But if you plan to base your entire income on it, you might be disappointed.** To earn meaningful amounts, you often need hundreds of thousands of views per month, which requires **consistency, testing formats, and often a lot of time spent analyzing what’s trending.**
It’s not just about uploading a random reel. If your goal is to build a solid financial foundation, **it’s worth treating the Reels Bonus as an addition to other sources of income**, not as the primary earning tool. This is where RefSpace comes in, which allows you **to earn commissions from selling products you recommend in reels**, without having to sign individual contracts with brands. **Combining the Reels Bonus with earning from your own, hassle-free online store within RefSpace can result in a much more stable cash flow**, as you can earn from both the bonus for views and commissions from purchases in your Space for a single video.
Instagram Reels Bonus vs ads – free reach or paid access? Where do you grow faster as a creator?
Organic reach is a topic that can be discussed for hours. Instagram pays for reels, but it pays **mainly for views**, not for real actions by your community. In short: **you might have 200,000 views, but if people don’t click, comment, or buy, the financial effect will be negligible**. Traditional ads work the opposite – here **it’s about whether the ad attracts viewers to the brand’s profile or encourages them to buy or sign up for a newsletter.** A brand pays for real reach to potential customers, and you can earn much more than from a single video that gained 500,000 views but didn’t bring any commission.
If you’re focused on **building a community and personal brand, the Reels Bonus can be a good tool for regularly reminding the algorithm**, but traditional campaigns are often a shorter path to more money. Especially when you use both channels together: you post Reels that capture organic reach and then run a sales campaign, directing to your RefSpace with a ready offer. **This strategy allows you to grow without spending budgets on paid ads, while also giving you a real profit.**
Does CPM or engagement matter? How to analyze the profitability of Reels and ads?
CPM, or cost per thousand impressions, is something that various partner programs, including Instagram Reels Bonus, often use to entice creators. It seems attractive because you can count on **a few zlotys for a thousand views**, but if your Reels don’t go viral, **the final earnings might be symbolic.** In contrast, with sponsored ads, something more than CPM matters – **real engagement, i.e., the number of people who click, go further, stay on the profile, or buy a product.**
In the long run, **a video with fewer views but a high ER (Engagement Rate) might be better than a viral one that doesn’t deliver results.** If you want to manage this wisely, look not only at view numbers but also at the amount of comments, shares, post saves, and if you’re promoting RefSpace – at the number of transitions and final purchases from your Space. **These show whether your content really works, not just gathers empty reach, which will cease to matter when your bonuses are turned off.**
What is the cost of not having a plan? Reels Bonus Program vs conscious ad campaigns
The most common mistake? **Posting reels without a plan just because Instagram pays for reels.** And so what if it pays if you throw everything in without building a sales funnel or a community that trusts you? Lack of strategy is the most expensive thing in the creators’ world. You can post reels every day, hoping for bonuses, but without an idea of what you want to achieve with them, you’ll waste time and energy, and the financial effect will be poor.
Conscious ad campaigns, even with small budgets, can be much more profitable. Why? Because you have a goal: you gather a mailing list, direct traffic to RefSpace, build recognition in a specific niche, and not just rely on CPM. **Instagram Reels Bonus can be one element of your strategy, but if you treat it as the main plan, sooner or later you’ll hit a wall.** So before you post another reel, plan what you want to gain from it.
CEO of RefSpace LTD, a social e-commerce platform that connects creators, brands, and communities in a single ecosystem. With 25 years in digital marketing and e-commerce, she has been a speaker and panelist at numerous industry conferences. Today, she is developing RefSpace as a new destination for authentic recommendations, content, and sales.
