Distribution of income from social media platforms
Play fair, reel fair
Whether it’s the dance challenge reel on TikTok, the new make-up tutorial on Instagram, or the cat video on YouTube, music is everywhere. When our members’ songs are played on these social media platforms, they receive distributions in the mixed online platforms (GOP & GOP VR) categories.
To understand which works were used and how often, we require comprehensive usage data from these platforms. Regrettably, we don’t always have access to these usage reports. This can occur, for instance, when YouTube’s music recognition system fails to identify a song.
Our mission is to distribute revenues as accurately and fairly as possible to our members, even in the face of missing information. That’s why we’re continually refining our model. Interested in learning more about how our model works? Keep reading.
Mixed online platforms at a glance
What is the source of our revenues?
From online platforms with user-generated content, we collect licensing income (e.g. YouTube, Facebook and TikTok).
Which usage data is used?
Usage reports from online platforms, e.g. from YouTube's Content ID system.
This is how we distribute our revenues:
Distribution is based on the dual distribution model. On the one hand, direct distribution takes place if usage reports are available and complete. On the other hand, missing and insufficient reports are compensated for by a supplementary distribution across almost all categories.
The dual distribution model in detail
The distribution of income from the online categories is based on usage reports. The more detailed the information provided, the more accurately we can allocate the income to your works. Unfortunately, this data is often incomplete or missing, which is why we distribute the income in two parallel ways: usage-based and supplementary. The ratio is determined by the supervisory board (quota).
The income in the online categories in the fiscal year 2023 is distributed based on the following quotas:
- YouTube: 65% usage-based, 35% per supplement
- TikTok: 85 % usage-based, 15 % per supplement
- Instagram & Facebook: 75 % usage-based, 25 % per supplement
The remuneration for the use of works on a platform is the sum of the usage-based distribution GOP and the GOP supplement.
Usage-based distribution: If we have all relevant information about a work’s usage on a mixed online platform, we distribute based on usage. We calculate the royalties of the rights holder(s) based on the number of views of the reported work. Wondering how much the clicks of your works on a social media platform are worth? Determine this quickly and easily with our royalty calculator.
Supplement distribution: In order to be able to compensate for missing or unusable usage reports, we distribute a part of the income in the form of a supplement. This ensures a payout for the works of our members that are played on a social media platform, but for which we do not have any reports.
How do we calculate the supplement? We assume that popular and frequently played works in other categories occur to a similar extent on social media platforms. Therefore, the supplement is based on the volume of uses in other categories.
The distribution of revenues from YouTube
From YouTube, we currently receive only partially usable usage reports via Content ID. That is why we distribute revenues from YouTube in a dual distribution model.
For the distribution of the years 2019 and 2020, the Supervisory Board has determined the revenue split to be 70% for supplement and 30% for usage reports. For 2021 and 2022, the applicable share is 65% / 35%.
What are views of my work on YouTube worth?
Your song or piece of music is featured in a YouTube video? Here, you can determine the approximate monetary value of these views over the past year.
For more fairness and transparency in the streaming market
In the online sector, and especially in streaming, there is a lack of fairness and transparency for creators. The digital market for creative content must be tailor-made to the needs of the creatives and enable them to earn their economic livelihoods. Therefore, we advocate for better participation of music creators in the revenues of major online platforms. So that our members earn what they deserve.
How GEMA distributes your YouTube royalties
Go to the GEMA Online Portal and click on My financial details to access your account statements.
There, you will find your YouTube distribution amounts for the respective financial year. Due to our dual distribution model, we distribute the click-based and usage-based distribution under the category designation GOP/GOP VR (1st semester and 2nd Semester). You can find the supplementary distribution under GOP/GOP VR (YouTube supplement).
In short: Click-based distribution + supplementary distribution = Total YouTube royalties
If you have any further questions, we are happy to help. Just write to mitgliederservice@gema.de.
A quick conversation with...
Josef Eschker. He is departmental manager at GEMA of VR/A Service -Distribution mechanical rights, online and international income.
Together with his team, he is available to members and sister organisations for their queries and claims regarding distributions from YouTube, Spotify or Netflix, regarding CD or DVD mechanical reproductions, and uses of the GEMA repertoire abroad.
Repeatedly, we receive questions related to the GOP distribution by our GEMA members. We would like to take this opportunity to answer them here.
The GOP Claiming-Tool from GEMA
Rich in streams, but poor in royalties?
Your works are being clicked massively on the platforms YouTube, Meta or TikTok? But you don’t receive any payout from GEMA for this? The reason for this is that the mentioned platforms do not provide usable usage reports. For these cases, we have developed the GOP Claiming Tool.
Claiming platforms
You can claim your played works on the social media platforms YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Claiming requirement
You can claim up to 10 videos for each fiscal year. Videos on YouTube must have at least 100,000 views/year, videos on Facebook and Instagram.
To the Claiming-Tool
To get to the “GOP Claiming Tool”, simply follow the link to theOnline Portal and go to “Claim”. Then click on "No distribution received" and then on "Digital". There you can insert the link to the video you want to claim.
GEMA Pilot project „YouTube Claiming-Tool“
Your works are used on YouTube to a relevant extent, but you do not receive any distribution from GEMA for them? For these cases - in which YouTube usually does not provide GEMA with usable usage reports - we have launched the GEMA pilot project "YouTube Claiming Tool". With it, we give our members the opportunity to make credible uses of their works on YouTube that are not uploaded to their own channels.
For uses in the previous year, you can receive an early distribution for up to 10 videos with at least 100,000 views per year in each case. To do so, send us the video links via the "YouTube Claiming Tool". Please note: The distributions for this will be made during the course of the year, but will be offsetagainst the GOP supplement for the fiscal year in question.
To access the YouTube Claiming tool, simply follow this link to the Online Portal and go to "Claim". Then click on "No distribution received" and then on "Digital".
Important dates and deadlines
Annual distribution dates:
In the online categories (mixed online platforms -usage-based distribution) we make distributions twice annually, on 1 April and 1 October.
NEW from 2024: We will increase the distribution frequency in the mixed online platforms (GOP, GOP VR - usage-based distribution) divisions from half-yearly to quarterly. In future, royalties will be distributed on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October of each year.
In addition, a supplementary distribution in the mixed online platforms categories is generally made on 1 December of any given year, along with a supplementary distribution of income generated by the assignment of the synchronisation right for non-commercial user-generated content on 1 February of the year in question.
Registration periods for new works and changes to existing works:
The established deadline is one month following the end of the month in which the usage took place.
Claim periods:
In the GOP and GOP VR categories, the three-month period begins on the respective distribution date for the supplement distribution (currently: 1 February 2024 for uses in 2022).
To learn how this works and what you need to know in order to proceed, see our claims page.
FAQ - frequently asked questions about distributions in the mixed online platforms categories
Supplement means: you will receive a percentage supplement based on your royalty earnings in other categories. For example, if you received €100 in the online categories, you will receive a supplement of €5.27, as you can see in the table below.
The supplementary distribution is made in accordance with § 182e of the distribution plan as a supplement for the respective annual income of the person entitled to receive the distribution for the financial year 2020. It will be carried out separately according to the following category groups: Performance & communication to the public (BM, DK, DK VR, E, ED, EM, KI, U, UD); radio (R, R VR); television & presentation (FS, FS VR to 1/10, T, TD, TD VR, T FS, T FS VR, VOD, VOD VR); mechanical reproduction & distribution (BT VR, PHONO VR); online (KMOD, KMOD VR, MOD, MOD VR, WEB, WEB VR) and international income (A, A VR).
The rounded, average percentage supplement rates for 2020 income are:
TikTok Triller
TikTok Triller
Facebook Instagram
Facebook Instagram
YouTube
YouTube
The three-month claim period for pan-European uses on YouTube in 2020 starts with the supplementary distribution as of 1 January 2022. There are two special conditions, which have been determined by the GEMA Supervisory Board:
In order to make use of your works in the categories GOP and GOP VR credible, objective data is required showing for each work the number of retrievals, the usage period and the countries from which the retrievals were made. Apart from that, § 59 of the distribution plan shall apply.
If the rightsholder has already received royalties in the course of the supplementary distribution for mixed online platforms, it will be offset against the distribution claim resulting from a successful claim.
You can submit a claim for an incorrect distribution quickly and easily:
- Log in to the Online Portal and use the Claims service.
You don’t have access to the Online Portal yet ? Register as a music creator here. You will then receive an e-mail with an activation link to set your password. After that, just fill out the registration form displayed in the Online Portal, and submit it to us. We will inform you after successful activation. Then you can start the service under GEMA Download and download the detailed breakdowns.
FAQ - frequently asked questions about distributions in the mixed online platforms categories
You can submit a claim for an incorrect distribution quickly and easily:
- Log in to the Online Portal and use the Claims service.
You don’t have access to the Online Portal yet ? Register as a music creator here. You will then receive an e-mail with an activation link to set your password. After that, just fill out the registration form displayed in the Online Portal, and submit it to us. We will inform you after successful activation. Then you can start the service under GEMA Download and download the detailed breakdowns.