It works the way you want it to
There's no single 'right' way to use Spotlite — the whole point is that you configure it around your community. You choose how promo slots are sold, who can use them, and how many you run:
- Free — no charge, first valid claim books the slot. Great for curation, not cash.
- A symbolic price — say $5 — enough to keep things intentional without being a barrier.
- Pay-what-you-want — let people give what they think it's worth.
- Flat fee — a fixed price per slot.
- Bidding / auction — when demand is high, let the slot find its own price.
Run one slot channel or several. Open it to everyone, or gate it behind a role. Mix and match — a free 'welcome' slot in one channel, a paid feature slot in another.
It's your community; Spotlite just gives you the rails.
A few ways communities use it
Small, close-knit servers — keep it about people, not money.
Run a free or pay-what-you-want 'Member of the Day' slot where someone new introduces themselves, shares what they're into, and says hi in voice later. A warm welcome with simple rules — curated quality without the moderator busywork.
Active, high-demand communities — let the market breathe.
When lots of members and creators want the spotlight, fixed pricing and the built-in bidding system let the slot's price reflect real demand — so the feature goes to whoever values it most, automatically, with no haggling.
Any community — raise funds for something that matters.
Because the money flows straight to your community, you decide what it's for. Split it among the mods who keep the place running. Buy the server some Nitro. Or point it at a cause your community cares about and let a featured slot double as a fundraiser. Spotlite doesn't take that decision — you do.
The anti-spam part (why members don't mind it)
Most server promotion is a flood of self-promo that gets buried in minutes — nobody reads it, nobody benefits. Spotlite flips that: one promotion at a time, featured for its window (usually 24–72h), clearly labelled, then gone. It turns 'scroll past another plug' into a small event worth paying attention to — and keeps your main channels clean.
Why communities trust it
- You're paid directly. Money flows buyer → your community through Stripe Connect, the same payments infrastructure trusted by major marketplaces. Spotlite never holds your funds — we only take a small fee on paid promos. (You'll connect a Stripe account once, in about two minutes, to receive payments.)
- Moderation built in. Approve, request changes, or reject every promo before it runs. Reporting and auto-hide protect your members.
- Always opt-in, always disclosed. You control if, where, and at what price. Every promo is labelled.
A note on earnings: any money your community makes through Spotlite is yours to manage, and you're responsible for any tax or reporting that applies where you live. Spotlite is the tool, not your accountant.