YouTube Shorts Monetization in 2024: A Guide for Creators

Since YouTube Shorts monetization was introduced in 2021, creators can adopt different methods to make money on the platform. Advertisements are considered as the primary source of creator earnings but there are several other ways to monetize YouTube Shorts.

If you want to learn how to get paid for YouTube Shorts, then this is the right guide for you. We will start with the reasons to create Shorts, take a look at the YouTube Partner Program and eligibility criteria, how the system works and share several other strategies to make money with YouTube Shorts.

What are YouTube Shorts?

Well, you can think of YouTube Shorts as YouTube’s response to the rise of interest in short-form video content. (Hello, TikTok and Instagram Reels!)

Basically, YouTube Shorts are vertical videos of less than 60 seconds. Here is a quick recap of these attention-grabbing YouTube minions.

• Equipment you need: your smartphone, the YouTube app and a YouTube account. You can create YouTube Shorts directly from the app or make a video on another device and upload to YouTube.
• Duration: up to 60 seconds
• Built-in editing tools: choose a sound, add and edit on-screen text, add a voiceover, use filters

4 Reasons to Create YouTube Shorts

Before delving into YouTube Shorts monetization, let’s share 4 good reasons to create these bite-sized videos.

Increase Reach

Shorts have their own unique section (shelf) on YouTube. Your content is exposed to a broader audience once you upload here. A user who has not seen your long-form videos might stumble upon your Shorts while they scroll.

Tip: Another way of expanding your reach on YouTube is through captions. By captioning YouTube Shorts in multiple languages, you increase the accessibility of the content, which is a great deal on YouTube.

Grab Attention

Our attention spans are getting shorter. Therefore, when it comes to watch time, it’s no surprise that YouTube Shorts have better completion rates. YouTube’s algorithm emphasizes average view duration so your short-form video content has a higher chance of finding its place in people’s feeds.

Easy Content

YouTube Shorts are quick and easy-to-use. The steps are pretty simple to follow. What’s cool is that you don’t need any fancy, high-tech equipment to shoot a catchy Short. All you need is your imagination and unique vision.

Have Fun

Fun for both viewers and creators! Get ready to release your inner child and burst into laughter while making YouTube Shorts. It is a playground with endless possibilities, a vertical canvas to share your creative genius with others.

Can YouTube Shorts monetize?

Yes, YouTube Shorts monetization began in 2021. Let’s take a look at its journey:

Back in July 2021, YouTube offered a $100 million Shorts Fund. It was distributed monthly to top-performing channels according to watch time and engagement. With this incentive, YouTube aimed to encourage the adoption of short-form video content. Creators with the most engaging bite-sized videos started to make money on YouTube Shorts.

There was a problem though. Many creators felt discouraged due to the limited reach of the fund.

As a solution, there was a YouTube Shorts monetization update in February 2023. The platform transformed the fund-based system into a revenue-sharing model. Ads started to get displayed in the Shorts feed like in regular YouTube videos.

Now, creators can earn a share of ad revenue based on their YouTube Shorts views. However, they must first fulfill certain requirements to monetize YouTube Shorts.

YouTube Shorts Monetization Criteria

If you’re wondering on how to make money from YouTube shorts, start by checking out the following YouTube Shorts monetization requirements.

You must first join Youtube Partner Program (YPP) by meeting the following criteria:

• Have a minimum of 1,000 subscribers
• Have 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days
• Comply with YouTube channel monetization policies
• Live in a country or region where the YouTube Partner Program is available
• Not have any Community Guidelines strikes on your channel
• Turn on 2-step verification for your Google account
• Have access to advanced features on YouTube
• Have an active AdSense account linked to your channel

Important: YouTube highlights that any public watch hours from Shorts views in the Shorts feed do not count towards the 4,000 threshold. Therefore, if you’re prioritizing Shorts, it might be better for you to go for the second option.

Once you meet all these criteria, you’ll be eligible to apply for YPP. Your channel will be put into a review queue to make sure it follows all YouTube Shorts monetization policies. YouTube will get back to you approximately in one month.

What if you don’t cross the threshold of subscribers or views? You can still make money with YouTube Shorts but in a more limited way.

YouTube expanded YPP in July 2023. The platform lowered the eligibility threshold so more creators can generate income. If you’re applying to the expanded program you need to have:

• 500 subscribers
• 3 valid public uploads in the last 90 days 
• 3,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months or 3 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days

You also need to meet the other requirements above except having access to advanced features.

Important: The expanded YPP does not allow creators to earn from Shorts ad revenue. Yet creators can still make money by fan funding and promoting their own products with YouTube Shopping.

How YouTube Shorts Monetization Works in 2024

The YouTube Shorts Monetization Module works like this:

• Ads are displayed between the videos in the Shorts feed.
• Each month, revenue generated from these ads goes to the Creator Pool.
• The revenue is distributed to monetizing creators based on view count and country.

Your earnings from the Creator Pool depend on your share of total monetized Shorts views on the platform. Let’s say you get 7% of Shorts views uploaded by monetizing creators. Then you will get 7% of the revenue in the Pool. After YouTube’s share, you keep 45% of your allocated revenue.

7 Ways to Make Money with YouTube Shorts

We’ve mentioned that YouTube Fan Funding and YouTube Shopping are two methods to make money on YouTube Shorts. However, there are also other ways to maximize your Shorts earnings. Some are more indirect than others but they can definitely help.

Gather Support with YouTube Fan Funding

You can try fan funding if you have established a strong connection with your audience. Your biggest fans can help you monetize YouTube Shorts in two ways:

Channel memberships: Members can have early access to your new Shorts, extended versions and bonus footage. Ask your members what they would like to see in future Shorts content by utilizing polls and calls to action.

Super Thanks: Your viewers can buy an animation (such as an applause) with a customizable comment. They can choose from different price points to show their appreciation for your content. 

Don’t forget to thank your community for their support. You can always give a shout out or reply to their Super Thanks comments with personalized messages.

Sell with YouTube Shopping

With YouTube Shopping, eligible creators can promote their own products as well as products from other brands in their Shorts. Viewers can see a product shelf that showcases featured items in the video along with their prices. The creator will earn a commission when a viewer buys a product from the shelf. There are also other ways to promote products including video descriptions and tags.

You have to be in the YouTube Partner Program to benefit from this feature. Check your Shopping analytics regularly to see the sales performance of your tagged products.

Seek Brand Deals

What if you are not a part of YPP? You can still do brand partnerships which is an effective way for YouTube Shorts monetization. Creative product placements in YouTube Shorts can increase brand awareness and drive sales.

You can reach out to brands in your niche, express why you love their products and want to collaborate with them. Share what your audience gets excited about and how that resonates with the brand you are seeking a deal with.

Don’t be afraid to negotiate your compensation and ensure a clear contract. Establish trust by delivering authentic and high-quality content that reflects the brand’s unique spirit.

Promote Your Own Products

You can also promote and sell your own products via YouTube Shorts even if you are not a part of YPP. For example, you can showcase your products by creating bite-sized tutorials or sharing user-generated Shorts content.

The crucial part is converting views to sales by giving clear directions. Use calls-to-action in video descriptions, end screens and pinned comments to direct viewers to your website, product page or social media account.

Showcase Your Freelance Work

This is an indirect way of YouTube Shorts monetization but also pretty strategic. Just think of YouTube Shorts as a mini portfolio to find new clients.

You can share snippets of your most creative work via Shorts and hook your viewers to learn more about you. Shorts are also ideal for giving actionable and digestible tips, another powerful way to show your value and expertise.

Make sure your Shorts are fast-paced and visually appealing to capture the attention of potential clients. Finally, always include a call-to-action to your portfolio or contact information.

Make Long Compilation Videos

Longer videos mean more time for ads and therefore more revenue. Combining YouTube Shorts in long compilation videos is one smart way to make money on YouTube.

For example, if you’re shooting educational Shorts, one idea can be organizing your videos around a central topic. You can arrange your Shorts in terms of difficulty and provide a step-by-step learning experience to your viewers.

Another idea is asking your audience to join a challenge based on one of your existing Shorts. You can then bring their replies together in one long video. Don’t forget to credit them in the description or within the video.

Tip: When you’re making long compilation videos, you can reach viewers with different languages by using an AI video translator. With Maestra’s video translation software, you can add AI-powered voiceovers to your videos in 80+ languages. Translating videos will not only help you to localize your content easily but it will widen your audience, which means more visibility, more opportunities for new partnerships and therefore more profit.

Share Your Other Social Media Accounts

YouTube Shorts can be a signboard pointing to your other social media accounts that bring money. Let’s say you are a podcaster. Showcase a minor part from your upcoming episode, trigger curiosity and prompt your viewers to listen to the podcast.

Of course, you can do it the other way around and share a bonus part not present in the podcast. This cross-linking strategy will help different accounts to grow together. Such a win-win.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make YouTube Shorts?

You can make YouTube Shorts simply from the YouTube app. Sign in to the app on your smartphone, tap +, hold the red capture button to start and release to stop. You can then trim your video, add music or text, change speed and play with different filters.

How much does YouTube pay for 1,000 views on Shorts?

YouTube Shorts monetization depends on various factors such as location, engagement metrics, channel status and types of ads displayed. The money Shorts creators make per 1,000 views is generally around $0.05-$0.07.

How do I enable YouTube Shorts monetization?

You can check this video to see how to turn on monetization on YouTube Shorts.

Can I make YouTube Shorts on PC?

The main intention behind YouTube Shorts is to connect with audiences just using a smartphone. You can make Shorts on PC by using other apps and software but not YouTube itself. Still, YouTube allows you to upload pre-existing Shorts from your PC.

How do I see my YouTube Shorts earnings?

To see your YouTube Shorts earnings, open YouTube Studio on desktop. Go to “Analytics” in the left-side menu. Then click “Revenue”. Scroll down to find the “Content Performance” table. Click the “Shorts” tab to see the estimated revenue, number of views and RPM for your YouTube Shorts.

Summary

In this guide, we examined YouTube Shorts monetization by mainly focusing on ad revenue sharing and the eligibility criteria for YouTube Partner Program. We also listed several (sometimes out-of-the-box) ways to monetize YouTube Shorts.

As the interest in short-form video content rises, we can assume that a bright future awaits YouTube Shorts. Meanwhile, YouTube Partner Platform is aiming to increase accessibility and diversity. The platform may further revise its eligibility policy for a more vibrant and inclusive YouTube atmosphere. We can’t wait to see what upcoming months will bring for creators and viewers.