With over 50 billion daily views, YouTube Shorts stands out as a major player in short-form videos. If you’re a YouTuber looking to capitalize on this success, aiming to monetize your Shorts and boost earnings, you’re in the right place! Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced creator, this guide covers essential steps—from meeting eligibility criteria to giving you 8 different ways to make money on YouTube shorts. We’ll also introduce you to a tool helps you monetize your growing subscriber base. But before we begin let’s understand the eligibility criteria for YouTube Shorts monetization.
Table of Contents:
Eligibility Criteria for YouTube Shorts Monetization:
On YouTube Shorts, it’s the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) that helps creators earn. Let’s understand what a YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is:
YouTube Partner Program (YPP):
The YouTube Partner Program is an initiative allowing creators to monetize their content, including Shorts. Unlike traditional methods, Shorts introduces a distinct model for creators within the broader YouTube ecosystem. We’ll explore that aspect in the upcoming sections, but before we get off track, let’s understand the eligibility criteria.
Eligibility Criteria for YouTube Shorts Monetization:
To unlock monetization in YouTube Shorts, creators need to meet specific criteria, such as:
- Being part of the YouTube Partner Program.
- Accumulating at least 4,000 watch hours in the last 12 months.
- Maintaining a minimum of 1,000 subscribers.
Understanding these criteria is crucial as Shorts integrates into the broader framework of the YouTube Partner Program. This insight helps creators understand the unique monetization model that Shorts offers while aligning with YouTube’s standards.
For creators in select countries looking to monetize their YouTube Shorts without hitting the 1,000 subscriber milestone, a more accessible tier within the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is available. This tier grants access to essential monetization tools, acting as a stepping stone for emerging content creators.
Here’s what you need to qualify:
- 500 Subscribers: Instead of the standard 1,000, this tier requires a minimum of 500 subscribers.
- Content Uploads: Maintain an active presence with at least 3 public uploads over the last 90 days.\
- Watch Time or Shorts Views: Meet one of the following criteria:
- 3,000 Public Watch Hours in the Last Year.
- 3 Million Shorts Views in the Last 90 Days.
Steps to Apply for YouTube Partner Program:
Once you meet the eligibility requirements for the YouTube Partner Program, you can apply to start earning. Here’s a step-by-step guide to applying:
- Sign in to YouTube on a computer (or use the YouTube Studio app).
- Click your profile picture at the top right, then select YouTube Studio.
- In the left menu, click Earn, then choose Apply.
- Click Start to review and Accept the base terms.
- Click Start to set up an AdSense account or link an existing active one. You should then see “In Progress” in the Get Reviewed step.
Remember, YouTube will typically reach out within one month after reviewing your channel. If your application is unsuccessful, don’t worry. You can reapply after 30 days for a first rejection or after 90 days if you’ve previously applied.
Now that you’ve successfully applied for the YouTube Partner Program, let’s explore various ways you can make money on YouTube Shorts.
8 Ways to make money on YouTube Shorts:
Diversifying monetization strategies not only ensures multiple income streams but also offers stability and the potential for growth. Here, we’ll explore 7 different ways you can monetize your YouTube Shorts.
1. YouTube Ad Revenue Sharing:
For YouTube Shorts creators eager to harness ad revenue, the process is straightforward. By enabling ads on your short-form videos, you open the door to potential earnings. Here’s how it works: when viewers engage with or watch ads on your Shorts, revenue is generated, and as the creator, you get a share of that revenue. It’s a simple yet effective way for Shorts creators to monetize their content and start earning from their videos. The revenue share split ensures that you keep 45% of the allocated earnings, providing a transparent and structured approach to monetization.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be part of the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)
- Achieve a minimum of 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months.
- Maintain a subscriber base of at least 1,000.
2. YouTube Fan Funding:
YouTube Fan Funding encompasses three ways for your subscribers to contribute to your earnings as a creator. These avenues include:
- Channel Memberships: – You can introduce a paywall for exclusive content, offering perks such as loyalty badges to your channel members.
- Super Chat and Super Stickers – Viewers engaging in live streams can make small donations, showcasing their messages or receiving animated images in the live chat.
- Super Thanks – For a nominal amount, viewers can purchase a vibrant animation displayed on your video and a customizable, colorful comment beneath it.
Eligibility for YouTube’s Fan Funding Features:
YouTube’s fan funding features, including Channel Memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks, are accessible at both levels of the YouTube Partner Program. Whether you have 500 or 1,000 subscribers, meeting the minimum Shorts views requirements qualifies you to join the YPP and start earning through these engaging fan funding features.
If you fall short of the eligibility criteria, you can leverage tools like CheckYa to receive donations from your fans. This detailed guide will walk you through the process step by step, making it easy to implement.
3. YouTube Shopping:
YouTube Shopping offers creators a dynamic way to showcase and sell products directly through their Shorts. By tagging a product within your Short, a product overlay appears on your video with a link redirecting viewers straight to the store’s website. This feature not only enables creators to sell their own products by linking their store (e.g., Shopify,CheckYa etc) to their YouTube account but also allows them to endorse products from other brands.
Eligibility for YouTube Shopping:
YouTube Shopping caters to creators across both YouTube Partner Program thresholds, but with a crucial distinction:
- Lower YPP Tier: Creators meeting the requirements for the lower YPP tier can promote only their own products on their channel.
- Higher Threshold (Minimum 20,000 Subscribers): Creators who meet the higher threshold, particularly those with a minimum of 20,000 subscribers, gain the added privilege of promoting products from other brands.
Important Note:
Currently, YouTube Shopping’s feature allowing creators to promote products from other brands is limited to creators based in the U.S. and South Korea. As YouTube Shopping evolves, creators can leverage this tool to not only monetize their content but also offer an interactive and seamless shopping experience to their audience.
4. YouTube Premium:
YouTube goes beyond ad revenue sharing by distributing a portion of the revenue generated from paid subscriptions directly to creators. This revenue-sharing mechanism is based on the amount of time that YouTube Premium members spend watching your content.
Eligibility for YouTube Premium Earnings:
To start earning from YouTube Premium, creators need to meet the higher thresholds of the YouTube Partner Program. This means having at least 1,000 subscribers and meeting either of the following criteria:
- Accumulating 4,000 public watch hours in the past year, or
- Reaching 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days.
YouTube Premium provides creators with an additional avenue for earning, rewarding them for engaging content and attracting a dedicated audience within the subscription-based ecosystem.
5. Selling Digital Products:
In addition to ad revenue, creators can boost earnings by selling digital products like eBooks or exclusive content. Using tools like Checkya makes this process easy. Digital products, such as eBooks, videos, or music, can be sold online. Whether it’s PDFs of your scripts or tutorials, Checkya allows you to list and sell these products on your YouTube channel or website. Plus, Checkya doubles as a convenient link-in-bio storefront tool, enabling you to manage and sell your digital products all in one place. All you need to do is share the link to these digital products in your YouTube shorts description. Below is an example of how your CheckYa digital storefront would look like.
For a step-by-step guide on selling with Checkya, check out the tutorial below.
Eligibility:
Open to all creators, irrespective of YouTube Partner Program status.
6. Offering Paid Consultations:
Consider monetizing your expertise on YouTube Shorts by offering paid consultations. Whether you provide real estate insights, investment tips, tax advice, or coaching, there’s potential for earnings. Educational content creators can capitalize on their audience’s willingness to pay for YouTuber’s personalized time and expertise.
Below is an example of a sprint coach using CheckYa for offering personalized consultations. This not only benefits the audience’s fitness journey but also generates income for the coach’s valuable time. Explore this avenue to offer paid consultations into your Shorts, adding value and boosting your revenue.
Eligibility Criteria:
Open to all creators, regardless of YouTube Partner Program status.
7. Affiliate Programs:
Collaborate with affiliate programs to promote products or services. This allows creators to team up with brands, promoting their products or services and earning commissions for each sale made through unique affiliate links placed in Shorts descriptions. It’s a win-win, enabling creators to align with products they genuinely support while earning extra income.
Top Affiliate Programs for Creators:
- Amazon Associates: Earn commissions by showcasing Amazon products in your Shorts.
- ShareASale: Connect with a variety of affiliate programs across different niches.
- CJ Affiliate: Explore partnerships with numerous brands through this extensive network.
- ClickBank: Monetize Shorts by promoting a diverse range of digital products.
- Rakuten Marketing: Partner with well-known brands in the affiliate marketing space.
Simplify the way your viewers access affiliate links and promotions in your Shorts by utilizing link-in-bio tools like CheckYa. With CheckYa, you can consolidate all your affiliate and promo links in your Shorts description, making it effortlessly convenient for your audience. Check out this example of a CheckYa link-in-bio page to visualize how it enhances user accessibility.
Eligibility Criteria:
Open to all creators, regardless of YouTube Partner Program status.
8. Brand Partnerships:
As your YouTube Shorts audience grows, consider teaming up with brands for sponsored content. This collaboration allows you to feature a brand’s product or service in your Shorts, earning compensation in return.
Eligibility Criteria:
Unlike the YouTube Partner Program, there aren’t specific metrics for brand partnerships. However, having a sizable follower base and strong engagement increases your appeal to brands. Focus on building a dedicated and engaged community on your Shorts channel to attract potential collaborations.
Conclusion:
This blog highlights various ways to make money with your YouTube shorts. Diversify your approach, use tools like CheckYa for organized links, and join affiliate programs to boost your earnings. As Shorts continues to evolve, as creators capture audiences and turn your content into a source of lasting success.
