14 DAY TRIAL // Flattr has been around for a few years now. It's gotten some attention, but hasn't become widely known. That may change now with a simple addition to the service, you can now tip any of your favorite artists with a simple favorite or like.
Flattr is a digital tip jar. Artists add the Flattr button to their sites and fans can then click it to send a small tip from a fixed monthly allowance.
The problem was that not a lot of artists used the button or not a lot of fans did. The new Twitter and Instagram integration should help.
"Now you can give and receive microdonations directly on services you use. Connect your Flattr account to Twitter, Instagram, Soundcloud, Github etc and just 'favorite,' 'like' or 'star' to flattr content you appreciate," Flattr explained.
The new system is rather simple. All you have to do, as long as you have a Flattr account, is link up your other accounts. For now, this works with Twitter, Instagram, Soundcloud, Github, Vimeo, Flickr, 500px and App.net.
Flattr said that it was working on adding support for Facebook, YouTube and others. The idea is, you go about, liking or favoriting stuff as usual, and, at the end of the month, the money you put aside for Flattr gets divided among all the artists you liked.
"With new Flattr, supporting creators becomes a natural part of your life. By doing what you already do on service you already use you can easily support the creators that make the internet so valuable for you," Flattr explained.
"We believe in a free and open internet. We want people to value what they get from internet and support creators monetarily / voluntarily, and help them create more awesomeness," it added.
The only caveat is that artists must sign up for Flattr to get any of the money. And it's hard to know whether an artist you like uses Flattr or not. But that only means fans will have to let their favorite artists know they can get some money via Flattr.