YouTube monetization is a great way to make money while doing something you are passionate about. Chances are, you found this article because you are already making content and putting it on YouTube, as it is one of the most used search engines in the world. However, you may not yet be making money from your videos, music, content, etc. In this article we explain the requirements for YouTube monetization and how you can get to that point.
YouTube monetization is the process of making money from your YouTube videos. In essence, companies/ businesses will pay to advertise at various points throughout your videos. Each time a viewer sees the full advertisement in this way, the creator is compensated.
The first step to get to the above point, is becoming a member of the YouTube Partner Program. Google AdSense relies on you being a part of the YouTube Partner Program. Once you are set up with a Google AdSense account you can then submit your videos to make money. Your video will need to meet several requirements for monetization.
Requirements:
- Have at least 1,000 subscribers
- Have at least 4,000 hours of watch time in the past 12 months
- Must be U.S. based (or based in a country with access to the program)
- Have created an AdSense account (mentioned above) that is linked to your channel
- Cannot have any community guidelines strikes on your channel
- Must abide by YouTube monetization regulations
YouTube will then verify that these requirements are met as they do an overview of your application. Waiting for this verification can sometimes take up to a month. With this all set, the only step left is to switch on advertising on your YouTube account.
YouTube will check the following while verifying your account:
- Main theme
- Most viewed videos
- Newest videos
- Biggest proportion of watch time
- Video metadata (titles, thumbnails, descriptions)
If all goes well and you are approved in the YouTube Partner Program, you will be able to start making money through these ads on your videos.