YouTube announces new ways for creators to make money, supporting the next wave of entrepreneurs

23 Sep 2022

YouTube has recently introduced the next chapter in rewarding creativity on the platform. At its inaugural Made on YouTube event, YouTube shared that it is introducing new ways for creators to earn revenue through YouTube Shorts and by opening up ad monetisation for those who feature music in their videos.

Source: Pexels

The key announcement includes:

Expanding access to YouTube Partner Program (YPP): Starting in early 2023, Shorts-focused creators can apply to YPP by meeting a threshold of 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days.
These new partners will enjoy all the benefits YPP offers, including ads monetisation across Shorts and long-form YouTube videos. This is another option to the existing criteria where long-form creators can still apply to YPP when they reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours.
Creators can choose the one option that best fits their channel while YouTube maintains the same level of brand safety for advertisers.
To support creators who are early in their YouTube journey, YouTube will also introduce a new level of YPP with lower requirements that will offer earlier access to Fan Funding features like Super Thanks, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Channel Memberships.

Introducing a revenue-sharing model for Shorts: YouTube is moving away from a fixed fund and doubling down on a unique revenue-sharing model for Shorts for both current and future YPP creators.
Because ads run between videos in the Shorts Feed, every month, revenue from these ads will be added together and used to reward Shorts creators and help cover costs of music licensing.
From the overall amount allocated to creators, they will keep 45% of the revenue, distributed based on their share of total Shorts views. The revenue share remains the same, no matter if they use music or not.

Launching Creator Music: YouTube is introducing Creator Music, a new destination that gives creators access to an ever-growing catalogue of music for use in their videos while providing artists and music rights holders with a new revenue stream for their music on YouTube.
Creators can now buy music licenses that offer them full monetising potential—they will keep the same revenue share they’d usually make on videos without any music.
And for creators who don’t want to buy a license up front, they’ll be able to use songs and share revenue with the track’s artist and associated rights holders. Creator Music is currently in beta in the US and will expand to more countries in 2023.