YouTube's revenue-sharing model for creators primarily works through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), allowing eligible creators to earn money from ads, memberships, and other monetization features. Here鈥檚 a breakdown of how it works:
1. Ad Revenue (Main Source)
- Revenue Split: Creators get 55% of the ad revenue, while YouTube keeps 45%.
- How It Works: Ads (display, overlay, skippable, and non-skippable) are shown on videos, and revenue is generated based on factors like views, engagement, and ad types.
2. YouTube Premium Revenue
- If a YouTube Premium subscriber watches your content, you earn a portion of their subscription fee.
- This revenue is distributed based on watch time from Premium members.
3. Super Chats & Super Stickers (Live Streams & Premieres)
- Viewers can pay to have their messages highlighted during live streams.
- Creators keep 70%, while YouTube takes a 30% cut.
4. Channel Memberships
- Fans can subscribe to a channel for exclusive perks (badges, emojis, members-only content).
- Creators get 70% of the revenue, while YouTube takes 30%.
5. YouTube Shopping (Merch Shelf & Affiliate Sales)
- Eligible creators can showcase and sell merch directly on their channel.
- Revenue depends on the partnership with the merch provider.
6. YouTube Shorts Revenue Sharing (Since Feb 2023)
- Instead of a traditional ad revenue split, YouTube pools ad revenue from Shorts and distributes it to creators based on views.
- Creators receive 45% of the revenue, while YouTube keeps 55% (opposite of long-form videos).
Eligibility for Monetization (YPP Requirements)
To qualify for YPP, creators must meet either of these:
- 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, 3,000 watch hours in the past year or 3M Shorts views in the last 90 days (basic monetization).
- 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 watch hours in the past year or 10M Shorts views in 90 days (full monetization access).
Other Ways to Earn (Outside YouTube鈥檚 Revenue Sharing)
- Brand Deals & Sponsorships (direct partnerships with companies).
- Affiliate Marketing (linking products in descriptions).
- Crowdfunding Platforms (Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, etc.).
YouTube鈥檚 revenue-sharing model is generous compared to some platforms, but success depends on engagement, niche, and audience loyalty. Do you think it鈥檚 fair, or should creators get a bigger cut?
