The Ultimate Guide to Making Money on YouTube with the YouTube Partner Program

The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is designed to help content creators monetize their channels and foster a thriving business that also encourages community engagement. Our detailed guide covers the YPP’s qualifications, application process, robust features, and the myriad of revenue opportunities it offers.

Qualifying for the YouTube Partner Program

To become a part of the YPP, creators must meet the following criteria outlined by YouTube:

• Compliance with YouTube’s channel monetization policies
• Residency in a country or region where the YPP is available
• A clean slate with no active Community Guideline strikes
• Activation of two-step verification on the associated Google account
• Access to advanced features on YouTube

Additionally, creators must be ready to either create a new AdSense account or connect an existing one to YouTube, and meet certain eligibility thresholds.

Eligibility Thresholds

1. For Ads and Shopping Features:
   • Attain at least 500 subscribers
   • Achieve three valid public uploads in the last 90 days
   • Amass either 3,000 valid public watch hours in the last year or three million valid public Shorts views in the past 90 days

   These requirements ensure that only creators with an active and engaged audience can begin monetizing their channels through ads and shopping features.

2. For Sharing Revenue from Ads and YouTube Premium:

   Upon reaching 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last year or ten million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days, creators become eligible for shared ad revenue and earnings from YouTube Premium subscribers. These milestones symbolize that your channel has made a significant impact on viewership. Track your achievements using the ‘YouTube Studio’ under the ‘Earn’ tab.

Applying for YPP and the Review Process

Once you believe your channel meets all the necessary requirements, you can start the application process through ‘YouTube Studio’ by selecting the ‘Earn’ tab. If you aren’t eligible yet, this page provides an option to monitor your progress towards eligibility. Once your application is submitted, it undergoes a review by a combination of automated systems and human reviewers to ensure compliance with YouTube’s policies and guidelines. You should expect a decision within approximately one month, and you’ll be notified via email.

Check the status of your application anytime in the ‘Earn’ section of ‘YouTube Studio.’ If your application is not approved on the first try, you have two options:

1. Appeal the decision within 21 days.
2. Continue to upload original content and reapply after a 30-day period.

For those who have been rejected previously or have reapplied, they must wait 90 days before another attempt. YouTube provides constructive feedback for rejected channels to help creators understand and address the reasons for non-compliance.

Once approved, you’ll gain access to the central dashboard in ‘YouTube Studio’ under ‘Earn,’ where you can activate and manage the diverse features available for earning revenue on YouTube.

The Ultimate Goal

The ultimate aim of the YouTube Partner Program is to support creators in crafting varied, sustainable businesses with their channels while providing value to their engaged community of fans. Now let’s explore the different monetization methods offered by the program.

Earning Opportunities within YPP

Advertising Revenue: Earn from Watch Page Ads and Shorts Feed Ads.

YouTube Premium Revenue: Participants earn a share of premium subscription fees from viewers subscribed to YouTube Premium.

Channel Memberships: Offer exclusive perks and content to viewers who sign up as monthly paying members.

Super Thanks: Allows fans to show appreciation by paying to highlight their messages in the comments section of your videos and Shorts.

Super Chat & Super Stickers: Enable viewers to purchase message highlights or animated images during live stream chats.

Shopping: This feature allows viewers to see and purchase your products and other brands that you recommend.

Keep in mind that each earning feature has its own set of eligibility requirements. For an in-depth look at these features, as well as more details on the YouTube Partner Program, be sure to explore the resources linked below.