YouTube is not only an entertainment platform but has also become a source of income for many content creators. Understanding YouTube’s monetization policy will help the process of building a channel and generating income more smoothly, effectively increasing passive income.
Requirements to join the YouTube Partner Program
To start making money on YouTube, the first step is to join the YouTube Partner Program. Compared to the old conditions, the updated YouTube Monetization Policy allows content creators to apply for YPP EARLIER. These conditions have been updated and include:
- 500 subscribers
- 3 public video uploads in the last 90 days
- 3,000 valid public watch hours in the last 356 days or 3 million public Shorts video views in the last 90 days.
Additionally, once you have reached the 3,000 watch hours requirement (eligible for monetization), you can upgrade to 4,000 watch hours and meet the following additional requirements to unlock additional monetization features such as ad revenue sharing and YouTube Premium:
- The channel must have at least 1,000 subscribers
- Reach 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million public views for Shorts in the last 90 days.
- Adhere to YouTube policies: Copyright policy, AdSense program policies, and Community Guidelines.
- Linked AdSense account: YouTube’s monetization policy also requires creators to link their channel to their AdSense account to receive payments from YouTube.
Public watch hours are the total amount of time people watch videos in public mode – The system will start counting from the time you publish your first video in public mode and the end time is the 365th day. This means that after 365 days if your channel reaches 4000 watch hours and 1000 subscribers, it meets the conditions.
YouTube Monetization Content Guidelines
According to YouTube’s monetization policy, “Not all videos on your channel will automatically be eligible to run ads.” To ensure ad revenue, your content must comply with our advertiser content guidelines. Some important criteria:
Content is not copyrighted
YouTube values creativity, originality, and authenticity, so all images and sounds in your videos must be created by you. If you want to use any content from others, you must get permission from the owner or choose content that is licensed royalty-free.
>>> You can use music and sound effects from the YouTube Studio Audio Library – royalty-free – in your videos.
Comply with community guidelines
YouTube is enforcing increasingly stringent community standards. Violations can range from removing the offending video to demonetization, disabling the channel, or in extreme cases, removing the channel from the platform entirely.
Content such as: Spam and scams, sensitive content, Violent or dangerous/harmful content, videos that could potentially hurt others, hateful, violent, or gory content, harassment, or cyberbullying.
Additionally, YouTube prohibits spam, misleading metadata, or deceptive practices. In particular, misleading titles, descriptions, tags, or thumbnails are not allowed to be created just to attract views, and impersonating another channel or individual to create content is absolutely prohibited.
Comply with content quality guidelines
- YouTube Monetization Policy stipulates that Content must not be copied or duplicated
- Content such as: Spam and scams, sensitive content, Violent or dangerous content, and Misinformation will not be eligible to run ads.
Content that is allowed to be monetized on Youtube
- Review or analyze content (providing critical commentary or reviews) using video clips;
- Re-scripted and re-voiced film clips: you take a scene from a film and edit it by rewriting the dialogue or changing the voiceover’
- Replays of sporting events with commentary (e.g. explaining in detail the strategies or actions that led to victory, etc.)
- Reaction videos with commentary on the original video – providing personal views or additional commentary on the content;
- Footage from other people’s videos edited and added content to make your content different
- Make money on YouTube from redistributed content on Short videos: Create original content from available resources, such as using songs in the YouTube library, etc.
- Heavily edited footage: Videos with edited footage and added audio and visual effects along with significant editing, highlighting the uniqueness that only your channel can bring, will be considered for YouTube monetization.
Content NOT ALLOWED to be monetized on Youtube
- Non-creative videos: copied, repetitive, valueless content, compiled from other sources, etc., specifically: just re-reading documents from other sources; music, videos that are compiled, edited but not different, videos promoting other people’s content (even with permission); videos that reuse content that many other creators have posted before, mass-produced content with the same general template, etc.
- Sexual Content: YouTube’s monetization policies prohibit jokes that involve sexual themes, as well as partial nudity of anyone in the video.
- Violence: This includes topics ranging from extremism to videos of people being seriously injured, as well as threats and hints of violence.
- Inappropriate Language: Avoid profanity or anything that could be construed as threatening.
- Illegal Substances: Advertising the use, sale, or abuse of drugs and other controlled substances is prohibited.
- Sensitive Topics: Include references to war, racial crimes, natural disasters, and political conflicts, even if you don’t show images of the situation itself.
Ways to make money on YouTube without advertising
When you join the Partner Program, you have many ways to earn:
Working with brands
Influencer Marketing is big business and brands around the world are investing in influencers (KOLs/KOCs). YouTube’s monetization policy allows sponsored videos to feature product content, and promote products from the sponsor, or you can be asked to produce specific content to support the brand’s campaign.
If you want to increase your chances of reaching and working with brands, Ecomobi will support you from the very beginning. Ecomobi’s influencer marketing service is currently connecting with more than 10,000 leading brands, thereby creating a bridge for KOLs to have the opportunity to work with many famous brands and experience millions of products for free
Advertising revenue
You can earn money from ads that appear on your videos, including pre-roll ads, overlay ads, and mid-roll ads. YouTube Premium also gets a share of the revenue from Premium subscribers who watch your videos.
YouTube Monetization Policy: Make Money from YouTube Shorts
Starting in 2023, YouTube has expanded its monetization program for Shorts creators. If your videos meet the required number of views, you can earn money from ads interspersed between Shorts. Videos uploaded after October 15, 2024, with a square or vertical aspect ratio and a maximum length of 3 minutes, will be classified as Shorts videos => monetized according to the Shorts revenue sharing model on the Shorts page.
Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks
These are features that help viewers support you financially during your livestream or video premiere. Super Chat and Super Stickers let viewers buy special messages to stand out during your livestream.
YouTube Shopping
Making money from affiliate marketing has become one of the most popular ways to make money today. This job is quite simple, you create videos, attach product links to the video, and when viewers click on the link, and complete the order, you will receive a commission (similar to Shopee Affiliate, Tiktok Affiliate, Temu Affiliate).
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to be approved for YPP?
The review period can last from a few weeks to a month, depending on the volume of applications YouTube is processing. During this time, YouTube will review your channel to ensure compliance with the necessary policies.
YouTube’s monetization policy states: If you are rejected, you can still reapply (after 30 days from the rejection email). From the second re-application, you will have to wait 90 days to be able to continue submitting approval requests.
[LATEST UPDATE] If your channel was mistakenly rejected for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), you can appeal within 21 days, regardless of the number of times you submitted your application.
Why is my video not monetized even though I joined YPP?
Your videos must comply with our advertiser content guidelines. If they violate these guidelines, your videos will not be eligible to run ads. Additionally, some monetization features may not be available due to your channel’s ineligibility/legal restrictions in your country or region.
Can I make money from copyrighted videos?
You need to avoid copyright infringement to avoid being banned from monetization. Use original content or get legal permission from the copyright owner.
How long does it take to receive earnings from YouTube?
YouTube usually pays via AdSense on the 21st of each month, provided that your account balance reaches a minimum threshold of $100.
The above article has shared the latest and most complete information about YouTube’s monetization policy. Hopefully, the article will help content creators perform the MMO process more effectively. Don’t forget to follow the Ecomobi Blog to update the latest information!
