New ways creators can make money on YouTube

At its inaugural Made on YouTube event, YouTube announced that it’s expanding the platform’s monetization system, the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), to allow more creators to join the program, introducing new ways for creators to earn revenue through Shorts, and opening up ad monetization for those who feature music in their videos.

Expanding access to YPP

Starting in early 2023, Shorts 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 monetization across Shorts and long-form YouTube videos.

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. 

First-of-its-kind revenue sharing model for Shorts

Beginning in early 2023, YouTube will be 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.

Creator Music

For years, creators have had to struggle with adding a soundtrack to their videos; either they have to use instrumental or stock music—and still make money—or use a licensed song but have to do so knowing that all the revenue from their video would go to the rights holder for that track.

To build a bridge between the music industry and creators, YouTube is introducing Creator Music, a new destination that will introduce an ever-growing catalog of music that creators can browse through and purchase for their videos, while providing artists and music rights holders with a new revenue stream for their music on YouTube.

With Creator Music, creators can buy affordable, high-quality music licenses that offer them full monetizing potential—they will keep the same revenue share they’d usually make on videos without any music. Meanwhile, creators who don’t want to buy a license up front will 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 U.S. and will expand to more countries in 2023.