Can You Monetize YouTube Shorts?
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YouTube has been a platform that allows content creators to share their videos to viewers from across the world for years now. Over time, new features have been added that allow content creators to monetize their content.
The YouTube algorithm has a major say in pushing a channel to the top, and thereby leading to greater earnings. Two key metrics that enable content creators to make more money off from their content are YouTube subscribers and YouTube viewers. A significant number in either of these areas, enable greater growth for YouTube channels.
How Can You Make Money on YouTube?
Content creators can make money on YouTube in various ways:
Views and Subscribers
YouTube subscribers and YouTube viewers play a major role in bringing in money for content creators. The greater the number of real YouTube subscribers you have, the more likely you are to gain more traction. Channels with a higher number of subscribers or views tend to earn more off of ad revenue.
Influencers
Influencers can also benefit off of the YouTube platform. Whether they be YouTube exclusive influencers, or multiplatform influencers with accounts of TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms, ad revenue can assist here as well. On top of that, influencers also make use of merchandise sales as well as product promotions to boost their revenue.
Merchandise
One way a channel’s subscribers can financially help the content creators is by purchasing merchandise. These can be anything from sweatshirts to mugs, necklaces to shoes. The merchandise available is shown in the top right corner of a video from the channel, on the mobile app. Viewers can click on any product they like, and will be redirected to the product’s page.
Membership
YouTube content creators can give their subscribers the option to become a member of their channel. This membership comes with a nominal fee. In return, it provides subscribers with perks in the form of stickers, loyalty badges, early access to new videos, and more.
YouTube Premium
Viewers who have a YouTube Premium subscription can gain access to exclusive content. Content creators who contribute to the Premium platform can provide exclusive content to their subscribers, and earn at the same time.
The usual distribution between YouTube and content creators when it comes to ad revenue is 45/55. This means that YouTube gains 45% of the earnings and the content creators earn 55% of the revenue.
What are YouTube Shorts?
In response to the massively popular short form videos on TikTok, as well as Instagram Reels, YouTube came up with YouTube Shorts. These are short form videos that must be less than 60 seconds in total. They have to be shot vertically, and need to be tagged with #Shorts. The #Shorts hashtag should either be visible in the title of the video or in the description of the video.
YouTube Shorts have the ability to provide content creators with a large number of views and real YouTube subscribers.
It’s important to note that at this point of time, YouTube Shorts cannot be monetized. That doesn’t mean that YouTube won’t change their policy towards monetizing shorts in the future. YouTube is known to change and update its policies regarding the content posted on the platform from time to time.
In addition to this, YouTube is already looking at potential ways to monetize their #Shorts platform. But as of yet, nothing comprehensive has hit the market. This however doesn’t mean that you can’t make money off of YouTube Shorts. Essentially, while you can’t directly make money from YouTube Shorts, it’s still a platform that can lead to greater revenue.
Everything You Should Know About YouTube Shorts
The main benefit of YouTube Shorts is that it allows content creators to bring in greater exposure to their channel and other videos. Two things to note of importance here are:
- The YouTube algorithm doesn’t make any difference between whether the Short posted is from monetized content or not. So even if you post a Short from non-monetized content, the algorithm won’t differentiate. This enables non-monetized content creators to gain greater exposure on the platform.
- YouTube Shorts have no bearing on a channel’s organic growth. The content being showcased to viewers depends on their interests. The algorithm judges whether a certain video would be interesting to a user and showcases the Short in that context alone.
Similarly, if you post a large number of YouTube Shorts, the algorithm won’t count that against you. Using machine learning, the algorithm has been programmed to account for the types on content available on a channel.
This allows content creators to repurpose larger videos in short form content. Content creators can also mix together clips from videos, as long as the length of the video is under sixty seconds. Recent updates allow content creators to also make use of music off of YouTube’s music library in their short form videos.
That way, although content creators can’t get make money direct from their YouTube Shorts, it’s still an avenue that leads towards greater revenue.
Analytics and YouTube Shorts
It is possible for YouTube Short creators to analyze metrics brought in from their videos. It’s necessary to note here that the views on YouTube Shorts don’t contribute towards the 4000 hours of Watch Time necessary for applying to the YouTube Partner Program.
Content creators who truly want to earn from YouTube, ideally want to be a participant in the YouTube Partner Program. It provides access to better monetization features and channel growth.
However, despite this, if content creators are looking to gain more YouTube views and real YouTube subscribers, then YouTube Shorts could be the answer.
There are three ways to view analytics from YouTube Shorts. Two of these methods apply to desktop users, while one applies to mobile users.
For Desktop Users Who Want Analytics on Individual Videos
To do this, content creators will first need to log into YouTube Studio. Then, on the left hand corner of the page, locate the navigation menu.
On the navigation menu, click on the ‘Videos’ button. Once the page has loaded, creators simply need to hover their mouse over videos to locate individual analytics for those videos.
Menu options will appear while hovering over a video, in the form of a bar graph. Creators can turn to the right side of the page to monitor real time statistics related to that video.
For Desktop Users Who Want to View Channel Statistics
The initial method is the same as for individual video statistics. Simply log in to YouTube Studio, and then head on over to the navigation tab on the left of the page. There, creators will find a section called ‘Analytics’.
This section provides details on Watch Time, views, total subscribers, as well as estimated revenue. If creators want to view more analytics and metrics, then they need to scroll down and click on the ‘See More’ button.
This allows content creators to view various statistics related to their page, including analytics from YouTube Shorts.
For Mobile Viewers Who Want to View YouTube Short Analytics
Content creators first need to download the YouTube Studio app. Then, after opening the app, they need to click the ‘Discovery’ button on the top of the screen.
This reveals traffic and sources of traffic for the Shorts videos.
How to Make Money on YouTube With YouTube Shorts
If a viewer views a YouTube Short and then goes on to watch another creator’s video, then no money is earned.
However, if a YouTube Short is viewed as a normal video on YouTube, the money can be earned. This means that the video wasn’t viewed on the Shorts Video Shelf on the platform. In this situation, the Watch Time from the video does contribute towards the 4000 hours required to apply to the YouTube Partner Program.
Conclusion
While YouTube Shorts aren’t monetized at this point of time, there are ways to make money off of them. The biggest boost to income that a Short can bring in is through greater YouTube viewers and real YouTube subscribers to the creator’s channel.
As YouTube continues to experiment with their YouTube Shorts, the possibility of monetization can eventually appear. However, as of yet, YouTube Shorts can be used to boost revenue in other ways on YouTube. Where viewers and subscribers view Shorts content directly, then those views can count towards monetization and partnership.
So far, content creators stand to benefit from YouTube Shorts by increasing their exposure. The algorithm promoting Shorts content doesn’t differentiate between popular and unpopular, or monetized and non-monetized content. This allows new content creators to gain traction on the platform as well. This may change in the future, and YouTube has shown positive indication towards that. As of now, Shorts are a way to bring in more views and subscribers at this point of time.
Content creators can use Shorts videos to increase their exposure on the platform. The increased exposure can net them greater revenue from their channel and videos through the already established ways to make money on YouTube.
