What is Social Video Monetization?

Summary

Social Video Monetization (SVM) allows CD Baby to collect revenue on your behalf when your music is used in videos on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. When someone uses your music in a video on one of these platforms, CD Baby's systems detect the match and collect any revenue generated from that use.

What Social Video Monetization includes

CD Baby's Social Video Monetization program covers three platforms:

• YouTube Content ID — CD Baby delivers your music to YouTube's Content ID system, which automatically detects your music in videos across YouTube and collects ad and subscription revenue from those videos.
• Facebook and Instagram (Meta) — CD Baby delivers your music to Meta's rights management system, which detects your music in videos, Reels, and Stories on Facebook and Instagram and collects revenue from those uses.
• TikTok — CD Baby delivers your music to TikTok's music library and fingerprinting system, which tracks uses of your music in TikTok videos and collects revenue from those uses.

What Social Video Monetization does not include

SVM is a separate program from CD Baby's standard music distribution. It does not include:

• YouTube Music distribution — delivering your music to YouTube Music so people can stream it. This is part of standard distribution, not SVM. (Note: your release must be delivered to YouTube Music for YouTube Content ID to work.)
• YouTube Partner Program (YPP) — YPP is YouTube's direct channel monetization program, which lets creators earn money from ads on their own YouTube channel. CD Baby cannot enroll you in YPP or enable ads on your channel directly. SVM and YPP are separate systems.
• Sync licensing — placing your music in films, TV shows, or advertisements.
• Standard streaming distribution — royalties from Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms are handled through CD Baby's distribution program, not SVM.

How revenue is collected

CD Baby acts as your rights administrator for SVM. When your music is matched in a video, the platform collects revenue from that video and reports it to CD Baby. CD Baby then pays you your share. You keep 70% of all SVM revenue; CD Baby retains 30%. Note that each platform also takes its own cut before revenue reaches CD Baby — this percentage is set by the platform and is not publicly disclosed.

How to participate

SVM is optional. You can opt in when setting up a new release, or through your CD Baby account dashboard for existing releases. Each platform (YouTube, Facebook/Instagram, TikTok) can be opted into separately. See How to opt in or out of Social Video Monetization for step-by-step instructions.