Monetizing YouTube Shorts in 2024- All You Need to Know!

It is not a stretch to state that this particular moment in marketing belongs to vertical short-form videos. Popularized by TikTok, this content format has been adopted by other popular social media platforms, such as Instagram and YouTube. The latter is going to be our subject of interest in this blog—YouTube Shorts (launched in 2020, the feature reached two billion monthly global users as of July 2023).

HubSpot’s 2023 Video Marketing Report states that among video content, it is the short-form video that enjoys the highest ROI and engagement. Thus, if you haven’t considered monetizing YouTube shorts yet, you must do so as soon as possible. Not quite sure how to go about it? Fret not; we’ve got you covered!

As industry experts, Mavlers has helped businesses across diverse verticals take their social media marketing to the next level. In doing so, we’ve picked up handy tips and tricks of the game that we’re always eager to share with you!

Today’s blog will attempt to walk you through all the different aspects involved in monetizing YouTube Shorts, enabling you to capitalize on the platform’s vast user base and significantly boost your business. Ready to get started? Let’s go!

Understanding how YouTube Shorts monetization works

None of us are strangers to YouTube; we all understand that the platform allows you to earn money from your published content. The question is- does the monetization of shorts work in the same manner as that of a regular video? Not really.

The Shorts ad revenue model is a bit complicated. Allow us to break it down for you.

• All YouTube Shorts creators are part of the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Every creator gets a share of the revenue generated from ads shown in the Shorts feed (between videos).
• YouTube pools in all the revenue from the ads shown.
• Next, it calculates the amount required to compensate for the music licensing costs of the tracks used in the shorts; this sum is transferred directly to the music partners.
• Whatever remains at the end of this transaction is added to a “Creator Pool” (if your video has no music, all the revenue corresponding to your total views is taken into this pool). Now, each creator is assigned a percentage of the total pool based on video views in each country (for instance, if your Shorts have accounted for 10% of all views, 10% of the funds in the Creator Pool will be credited to you).
• The creators receive 45% of the total earnings, while the remaining 55% is kept by YouTube. Goes without saying, of course, that Shorts violating intellectual property guidelines and YouTube’s advertiser-friendly content guidelines aren’t deemed eligible for monetization.

Eligibility requirements of Youtube Shorts Monetization

Every creator needs to meet a certain set of criteria in order for their YouTube shorts to be monetized. The first and most obvious requirement is that they must have a YouTube account and be enrolled into YPP. Once that is taken care of, creators will come across two levels of monetization. In the following section, we take a detailed look at YouTube Shorts monetization requirements:

1. Fan funding access

With fan funding access, creators can sell their products on YouTube. Additionally, you get access to a host of fan funding features too, such as Super Chat, Super Thanks, paid channel memberships, and Super Stickers.

To be eligible for this program, you must have either:

• 500 subscribers, three public posts in the last 90 days, and 3 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.

OR

• 500 subscribers, three public posts in the last 90 days, and 3000 valid public watch hours on your long-form videos in the last 12 months (Hours from unlisted, private, and deleted videos, as well as livestreams and ad campaigns won’t be taken into account).

2. Ad revenue and fan funding access

To be eligible for this program, creators must have either:

• 1000 subscribers and 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days.

OR

• 1000 subscribers and 4000 valid public watch hours on long-form videos in the last year. 

As soon as you satisfy the criteria stated above, you can apply to YPP. Consequently, your channel will be reviewed and within a month a verdict regarding your eligibility will be passed.

Besides the conditions stated above, there are a few additional eligibility requirements for YPP, too. Let’s take a look at them.

• Your channel must comply with all YouTube channel monetization policies.
• Your channel must not have any community guidelines that strike against it.
• If you don’t already, you must obtain an AdSense account.
• You must reside in a country where YPP is available.
• Your channel must have two-step verification turned on. Moreover, you should have enabled advanced features.

Getting started with monetization

After you are deemed eligible for the YouTube Partner Program, you need to execute the following steps to begin monetizing your Shorts.

• Sign in to your account.
• Click your profile picture. From the options that appear, click YouTube Studio.
• Here, you should be able to see a host of options on the leftmost side of your screen. Click Earn.
• If your channel is eligible, you’ll be able to see an Apply button. Click it. However, if your channel is not eligible yet, you’ll need to click the Get Notified button. Then, you would need to circle back and wrap up the process.
• Click Start to review the Base Terms. Once you’ve read them carefully, click Accept.
• If you already have an AdSense account, link it. If you don’t, click Start to set up a new one.
• Now, your application will be sent for review. Typically, this takes around a month.
• Once you receive your approval, navigate to the Earn section (as discussed in the steps above) and accept the Shorts Monetization Module.

Creating impactful Shorts

Now that we have wrapped our heads around the intricacies of monetization, it’s time we channeled our focus toward the curation of YouTube Shorts. After all, if your Shorts aren’t top-notch, how can you ever make money out of them?

• Make sure that your Shorts are high on quality. If you want people to engage with your shorts, you must provide them with content that is original, visuals that are impeccable, editing that is professional, and music that is appealing (and which coherently binds all the other elements in your Short). Moreover, always look to produce content that aligns directly with the needs and requirements of your target audience. 
• Look to partner with other creators. This move can be mutually beneficial, allowing either of you to leverage the other’s reach and expand their viewership in the process. When no man’s an island, why should any YouTube Shorts creator be?
• Even if you’re working with a real estate of a mere 60 seconds, ensure that you’re filling every single one of them with value for your viewers. An absent-mindedly constructed montage promising only superficial stimulus will not go down well with your audience.
• After preparing the first draft of your Short, ask yourself one question- does it have a rewatch value? Pat yourself on the back if your answer is in the affirmative. If it’s not, well, you know what to do!
• Do not treat Shorts as a space for presenting mere teasers or trailers of your long-form videos. This approach will never allow you to make the most of this unique and powerful format. It’s alright, of course, to use Shorts strategically to ramp up the videos for your long-form videos, but their scope shouldn’t be confined to just that; the ideation and execution of your Shorts should be independent to that of your long-form videos.
• Steer clear of fluff. As mentioned earlier, you only have 60 seconds to communicate with your audience; so, if you aren’t getting straight to the point, you will severely harm your viewership chances. 

Making money from YouTube Shorts- Some alternative ways

While signing up for YPP is mandatory to monetize your shorts, it isn’t the sole way through which you can make money from your Shorts. Here are some other ways.

• Enroll in an affiliate program. If your subscriber count is upwards of 20,000 and you’re based in the US, you could consider signing up for the official YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program. Once you are a part of this program, you can use YouTube shopping to market products from other brands and earn a commission. If you aren’t meeting the criteria for this particular program, you can always join an external affiliate program.
• Leverage fan funding features like Super Stickers and Super Chat to monetize your livestreams. Your fans can pay to send animated stickers or highlighted messages through these features.
• Capitalize on YouTube’s built-in monetization tools. With the help of these tools you can configure ad placements, sell your merchandise, and create memberships. 
• Foster brand partnership opportunities. This can pave the path for you to become an influencer and work directly with brands, thereby giving you more control over your earnings.

Wrapping it up

In the days to come, the penetration of YouTube Shorts is only going to increase; hence, as a creator you must look to be savvy with YouTube Shorts monetization guidelines at the earliest! We hope the insights shared above will help you embark upon this journey in a smooth fashion. To get expert help and opinion get in touch with us.