YouTube is raising the requirements for new creators who want to earn money through ads and subscriptions.
The changes will require creators to build larger audiences before qualifying for certain monetization opportunities.
Starting February 1, new creators will face higher thresholds for entering the monetization system. They will need 8,000 qualified watch hours within the previous year.
Creators can also qualify by reaching 20 million qualified Shorts views within 90 days.
These requirements are significantly higher than the current thresholds. At present, creators need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours within one year.
For Shorts, the existing requirement is 1,000 subscribers and 10 million views within 90 days.
The new changes are aimed at new creators. YouTube said creators already enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program will not be affected.
The platform is also introducing a separate requirement for Shorts creators. Those earning through the Shorts Creators Pool must maintain strong view numbers.
Creators will need 10 million Shorts views during a 90-day period to continue earning through the program.
Channels that fall below the required number will not leave the YouTube Partner Program. They can still earn money from eligible long-form videos.
Shorts revenue will return once a channel reaches 10 million views again.
The higher thresholds could make monetization more difficult for smaller channels. New creators will need to attract larger audiences consistently before earning platform revenue.
YouTube said the changes are intended to keep pace with the platform’s growth.
The company said Shorts now receive more than 200 billion views every day. It also reported more than one billion hours of daily TV viewing.
These figures show the growing scale of video consumption on YouTube. They also reflect the increasing competition among creators for viewers.
YouTube Expands Premium Lite
YouTube also announced an expansion of its Premium Lite subscription service.
The more affordable subscription will become available in all countries where YouTube Premium is offered.
Creators receive a share of subscription revenue based on views and member watch time.
According to YouTube, long-form creators receive 55% of the relevant subscription revenue. Shorts creators receive 45%.
The company said creators can benefit as more viewers choose Premium subscriptions.
YouTube explained that partners generally earn more when users watch content through Premium. This compares with revenue generated through advertisements.
Premium Lite offers an ad-free experience for most videos. Subscribers can also download videos for offline viewing.
The service also supports background playback for videos.
Other Platforms Change Creator Payments
YouTube is not the only major platform changing its creator payment system.
X recently updated its creator payout guidelines under Elon Musk. The platform now places greater emphasis on original content.
Facebook also launched a new monetization program earlier this year. The program aims to attract creators from TikTok and YouTube.
The changes highlight growing competition between major social platforms. They also show increased focus on audience engagement and original content.
In other related news also read Google Introduces AI “Ask YouTube” Search Feature for Premium Users
For new creators, the higher YouTube thresholds could make monetization more challenging. Building a large and consistent audience will become increasingly important.
