YouTube is changing the ways creators become monetized
For a while, creators could apply to the YouTube Partner Program and get monetized once they hit 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months. But as of September 20th, YouTube revealed new updates to help creators grow on the platform.
YouTube shorts
All of these upcoming changes will start in early 2023, as they stated. The first big change is YouTube Shorts counting towards being monetized. Before, only public videos would count, but now they say that “Creators can become eligible after reaching 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days.” Although that number might seem like a high number, YouTube shorts have proved to be very successful in gaining viewership and subscribers since the platform is pushing them out so much. YouTube Shorts are the equivalent of Reels for Instagram. It’s a much newer way to make videos, and YouTube is constantly pushing them. Plus, it is the best time that YouTube counts views towards monetization instead of watch hours, which makes it much easier.
How to earn money on YouTube?
YouTube’s other update involved fan funding. On YouTube, there are several ways to get money that is not just related to AdSense, such as channel memberships, super thanks, super chats, and super stickers. Most of these features work with live streams. Currently, you only have access to these when you pass that 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours threshold, so essentially, when you join their partner program. But, with this new update, YouTube states, “Later next year, more creators will be able to unlock exclusive benefits sooner in their journey.” There is no information at the moment as to what criteria this involves, but hearing “sooner” is exciting for many creators!
YouTube AdSense
The last update YouTube gave is also related to Shorts. Other than Shorts becoming a way for creators to be monetized, they will also launch AdSense for Shorts. YouTube says, “Very soon, creators in YPP can start earning money from ads that are viewed in the Shorts Feed.” It seems that Shorts is the way to go when it comes to creating content. Still post regular-length videos, but YouTube is making changes that benefit creators specifically involving Shorts, meaning you should take advantage of it. But also, it means YouTube wants the Shorts community to grow, so it’s time to start posting, and YouTube will possibly promote it to hundreds, if not thousands, of members.
If you want to improve your channel and expand your reach, read our article with YouTube Recommended Practices.
