YouTube really wants creators to know it has their backs.
The new way creators can make money from Shorts makes that statement loud and clear.
From Feb. 1, YouTube is introducing a revenue scheme to its Shorts format, meaning eligible creators earn a 45% share of the revenue from the ads viewed around their Shorts videos, while YouTube retains the remaining 55%.
And while one could argue that this percentage split still isn’t as good as the revenue share deals on Facebook (55% creators/45% Facebook for in-stream ads) and TikTok (50/50 split), YouTube is making it far easier for more creators to make money by lowering the eligibility threshold to earn from its Partner Program.
YouTube’s easier entry to earning
Going forward, creators with over 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over the preceding 90 days can earn from Shorts ad revenue, according to YouTube.
In comparison, creators on TikTok must have a minimum of 100,000 followers to have a chance of making any cash. Creators on Facebook must have a minimum of 10,000 followers, at least five active videos on their page as well as a total of 600,000 minutes viewed in the last 60 days.
It’s likely that this new YouTube Shorts revenue split could put pressure on its main rivals: TikTok because its revenue share deals are only accessible to more popular creators; Meta is still weighing what those deals look like for creators amid ongoing tests of ads in Instagram Reels.
It’s safe to say creators are open to new opportunities right now. Their frustrations with TikTok and Meta seem to be getting louder. Indeed, TikTok has been blasted for barely paying its creators at all. In fact, Fortune reported that of the seven influencers interviewed, all of whom had at least 100K followers, not one of these creators earned more than $5.
Top YouTuber Mr Beast, who has 131 million subscribers on the platform, even noted that if he gets one billion views on YouTube Shorts, he’d make $100K, but if he were to get the same amount of views on TikTok, he’d only earn $1,000.
While ForeverSammmy has fewer followers than Mr Beast and those interviewed by Fortune, (she has 25K followers on TikTok, 5,000 on Instagram and 1,000 followers on YouTube), this news of YouTube Shorts monetization exceeded her expectations because platforms rarely pay creators well for views. In fact, she agreed that YouTube’s new Shorts rev share scheme is certainly better than what TikTok offers.
As ever with all things advertising, timing is everything. And it couldn’t be better for YouTube’s short-form video play. Creators aren’t exactly enthralled with what’s on offer elsewhere. YouTube’s new plan clearly plays on this. And chances are this pitch is going to go unchallenged — at least in the short term. It …….
