Going into 2023, YouTube Shorts monetization is offering huge income potential to creators.
These days, Shorts is one of the hottest features on YouTube. Currently, Shorts boasts over 30 billion daily views, with 1.5 billion users flocking to short-form content every month.
For video creators, Shorts has been offering one main income opportunity so far: The YouTube Shorts Fund, which paid out $100M to creators in 2021 and 2022. Depending on engagement on their Shorts, creators could see bonuses anywhere between $100 and $10,000.
Moving into 2023, though, YouTube Shorts monetization is changing. YouTube is not just tweaking the Shorts algorithm, but also its Partner Program, and will soon shift to revenue sharing for Shorts.
Here’s all you need to know.
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Joining the Partner Program With Shorts
First off, YouTube is making it easier for Shorts creators to join its Partner Program.
So far, creators had to have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 valid public watch hours over the past 12 months in order to apply and start getting a share of ad revenue on their content.
Now, YouTube is adding an alternative path. You still need 1,000 subscribers. But instead of accumulating 4,000 watch hours over 12 months, you can also apply if you have 10 million public Shorts views over a period of 90 days.
Getting Early Access to Fan Funding Features
Another way that YouTube creators in general and Shorts creators in particular can earn money on YouTube in 2023 is by getting early access to Fan Funding features.
Getting a share of ad revenue is no longer the only way to make money with the YouTube Partner Program. Features such as Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks, and channel memberships allow viewers to directly contribute to creators. Of course, YouTube is interested in keeping fans – and their spending – on the platform, rather than losing out to the host of tipping platforms out there.
So far, these Fan Funding features have only been available to members of the Partner Program.
Now, YouTube has announced that it will open up an early-access route in 2023. This way, rookie creators can start earning an income from their content, even if they don’t qualify to join the Partner Program yet.
Plus, YouTube is also launching Super Thanks for Shorts in beta and expecting a complete rollout soon:
Revenue Sharing for YouTube Shorts: Replacing the Shorts Fund
Then, there’s the big one. YouTube is introducing revenue sharing for Shorts. This will allow creators to earn a regular income from short-form content on the platform, rather than having to speculate on Shorts Fund payouts.
In the Shorts Feed, ads play between clips. Going forward, creators will get a cut of the revenue on these ads.
According to YouTube, all ad revenue from Shorts will be added together on a monthly basis. This sum will then be used to cover music licensing costs and to pay YouTubers. Creators will see payouts proportional to their share of total Shorts views. This share stays the same, no matter if they use music in their clips or not.
Harnessing Creator Music for Short- and Long-Form Content
Finally, one major change in YouTube’s monetization policy going into 2023 is Creator Music. This goes for both short- and long-form content.
So far, creators haven’t been able to monetize content that included licensed tracks. Later this year, YouTube will be rolling out Creator Music, a feature in YouTube Studio to give users access to a catalog of tracks to use in long-form content. And still make money from it.
According to the latest information, creators will be able to purchase an affordable license to use certain tracks. Or they’ll be able to opt for a revenue sharing model, in which the musical artist gets part of their videos’ earnings.
Final Thoughts: YouTube Shorts Monetization Going Into 2023
With short-form content currently the most viral feature on the platform, YouTube is rolling out a number of changes to make Shorts a creator staple.
Going forward, YouTubers will be able to harness Shorts to join the Partner Program, access Fan Funding, and earn a regular income from ad revenues on the Shorts Feed.
The bottom line? Shorts will pay off long-term.
Yes. Throughout 2021-22, YouTube paid successful Shorts creators from its $100M Shorts Fund. Going into 2023, revenue sharing and Fan Funding will become available for Shorts.
Creator Music is a new catalog YouTube is launching to give creators access to licensed tracks to use in their long-form content. YouTubers can either buy a license or opt for a revenue-sharing model.
So far, Shorts creators got paid from YouTube’s Shorts Fund if their clips were particularly successful. Going forward, they’ll be receiving a share of the ad revenue on the Shorts Feed instead. Plus, Super Thanks for Shorts is being rolled out in beta and will be widely available in early 2023.
