Digitalage’s Live-First Beta (Jan 5–6, 2026): How Creators Should Treat a 70–85% Revenue‑Share Promise — a Tactical Playbook

Why this matters right now

Digitalage publicly activated live feeds and began controlled beta testing in early January 2026, pitching itself as a “live‑first” media system that prioritizes continuous programming and creator economics — and explicitly advertising a 70–85% revenue share to creators. That’s a meaningful shift in the framing of creator economics and a clear signal: platforms continue to use higher headline splits to attract creators who are frustrated with declining payouts elsewhere. ^[2]

Real numbers: how headline splits translate to payouts

Never trust a single percentage without knowing who pays, which revenue streams it applies to, and what fees remain. Below is a practical comparison using an illustrative $10,000 gross revenue month (choose any month figure — the math scales):

Bottom line: Digitalage’s 70–85% headline sits in the top tier of platform splits and, on paper, looks competitive with subscription sites like OnlyFans and better than YouTube ad splits — but “apples‑to‑apples” depends on which revenue streams are included and what other fees apply. ^[10]

What creators should *ask first* before moving time or audience

• Which revenue streams are covered? (Ads? Tickets? Tips? Subscriptions? Sponsorship marketplaces?). Get explicit confirmation. ^[11]
• How is “revenue” defined? Is the split applied after payment‑processor fees, taxes, advertising networks, or platform‑level reserves? The difference between “gross” and “net” matters. ^[12]
• Payout cadence & minimums — daily, weekly, monthly? Are there holding windows or verification holds? ^[13]
• Audience discovery & traffic source — does the platform provide native discovery, or will you need to bring all your viewers? Early betas often have low organic reach. ^[14]
• Exclusivity & IP terms — any clauses that limit cross‑posting, ownership, or use of your content? Read TOS carefully. ^[15]
• Brand safety & advertiser readiness — can major sponsors run ads or sponsor streams? What moderation tools protect advertiser spend? ^[16]
• Company health & enforcement — who’s behind the product, what’s the business model, is the company financially stable? Digitalage is a subsidiary of Hop‑On, Inc. (OTC), and many press placements are press‑release based — validate runway before migrating audience. ^[17]

90‑day tactical playbook: test fast, risk low, win if it scales

Week 0–2: Discovery & legal checklist

• Sign up for beta only after reading the Terms of Service and payment FAQ; capture screenshots of any promises (revenue split, promos). If a rep offers a written incentive, get it in email. ^[18]
• Ask product/partner manager these specific questions: which revenue types the split covers, payout schedule, dispute procedure, and data access (audience emails/IDs). ^[19]
• Create a landing page and email capture (your site or Substack/Patreon) so followers outside the platform remain reachable. Publishers and legacy outlets are building independent creator networks for this reason — control your fan contact. ^[20]

Week 2–6: Low‑risk experiments to validate demand

• Run one live show that’s low‑cost: 60–90 minutes, a ticket or tip goal, and a clear CTA to join your email list. Use the event to measure conversion (views → paying viewers). Track: live viewers, paying viewers, average revenue per paying viewer (ARPPV). ^[21]
• Price experiments: test $5, $12, $25 ticket tiers (or tips). For example, 200 viewers with a $10 ticket yields $2,000 gross => at 70% creators keep $1,400; at 85% keep $1,700. Compare to the same show monetized on Patreon/OnlyFans. ^[22]
• Short‑run sponsorship test: negotiate a single sponsor read for one stream at a flat fee. Compare sponsor CPM on Digitalage vs alternative placements on YouTube/Twitch for the same audience. If the platform lacks advertiser demand, sell sponsorships direct. ^[23]
• Use the test to quantify two numbers: net take per demo paying fan and the % of your existing audience that follows you to the new platform. If fewer than 10–15% of your active fans follow in early tests, scale cautiously.

Week 6–12: Scale or consolidate

• If tests show >15–25% follow rate + acceptable ARPPV, increase cadence: weekly live show + 1 premium paid special per month. Continue to email‑capture everyone.
• If follow rate is low but ARPPV is high, focus on direct‑sold sponsorships and ticketed events instead of chasing scale.
• Keep key community interactions (membership hubs, DMs, posts) on a platform you control (Substack/Patreon/email) and use Digitalage for performance events that benefit from a live audience & higher split. ^[24]

Risk assessment — what to watch for

• Press release vs. product reality: Many outlets republished the company press release — confirm end‑user docs. Treat publicized numbers as marketing until you’ve validated payout receipts. ^[26]
• Payment processors & chargebacks: high headline splits can hide high payment‑processing exposure or reversals; find out who absorbs chargebacks. ^[27]
• Advertiser demand & brand safety: even if a platform offers high creator splits, brand dollars may not follow. If your content depends on ad CPMs, validate advertiser inventory. ^[28]
• Small company / OTC risk: Digitalage is a Hop‑On, Inc. (OTC) subsidiary — smaller public companies can have limited runway. Don’t migrate your entire funnel until revenue is proven and contracts are solid. ^[29]

Opportunities creators should exploit now (if you test)

• Sell scarcity: limited‑seat paid events, backstage access, or tiered tip rewards that convert live attention into immediate cash.
• Hybrid monetization: combine platform ticketing with off‑platform subscriptions (Patreon / Substack) so fans who miss live shows still pay for replays or bonus content. ^[30]
• Sell sponsor packages that include pre/show live reads + post‑show on your owned email list — use the platform as the “engagement engine,” not the only revenue source. ^[31]
• Reduce production cost with AI tools and credits: events like the PixVerse + GMI Cloud hackathon (Jan 17, 2026) show rising availability of credits and tools to prototype promo clips and event assets cheaply. Use credits to produce polished promos that convert attendees. ^[32]

Rule of thumb: Treat new high‑split platforms as experiments for live, ticketed, or tip‑driven events — not as the sole home for your core membership or email list.

Verdict — should you move audience to Digitalage now?

Action checklist (printable)

• 1) Ask product team for: revenue stream definitions, payout schedule, and TOS clause copy.
• 2) Build a 1‑page sign‑up/redirect so fans can join via email (retain ownership).
• 3) Run 1 low‑cost paid live event (60–90 min) and measure conversion into paying attendees.
• 4) Compare net per paying fan to same event on Patreon/OnlyFans/your own checkout.
• 5) Decide: scale, pivot to sponsorships, or archive learnings and wait.

Sources & further reading

• Digitalage / Hop‑On press release & beta announcement (Jan 5, 2026). ^[36]
• NetInfluencer coverage of Digitalage & creator platform context. ^[37]
• YouTube Creator ad‑share overview and background on ad splits. ^[38]
• OnlyFans fee summaries and creator take rates. ^[39]
• Twitch subscription splits and partner negotiation context. ^[40]
• Patreon pricing and changes (2025) and platform fee context. ^[41]
• Why publishers are building creator networks (context on owned channels & email lists). ^[42]
• PixVerse + GMI Cloud AI video hackathon (credits) — quick way to prototype event promos. ^[43]

Note: All platform percentages, payout examples, and company references in this post reflect announcements and reporting available as of January 6, 2026. Always confirm the platform's current documentation and get written confirmation for any commercial commitments.