YouTube Shorts are short-form videos of up to 60 seconds that can be created and viewed on YouTube. They are similar to TikTok videos, but they have some unique features and benefits. This includes access to YouTube’s music library, integration with YouTube’s main platform, and exposure to YouTube’s large and loyal audience. Moreover, you can earn money using YouTube Shorts Monetization.

YouTube Shorts are also a great opportunity for creators to earn money from their content. This is because YouTube has introduced various monetization options for Shorts in 2023.

In this post, we will explain how YouTube Shorts monetization works. Therefore, you will learn who are eligible for it and how much money you can make from it. In addition, we will also share some tips to optimize your YouTube Shorts for monetization and increase your revenue through more YouTube views.

How Does YouTube Shorts Monetization Work?

YouTube Shorts monetization is based on two main sources: ad revenue sharing and YouTube Premium subscription revenue sharing. Moreover, these are the same sources that apply to long-form videos on YouTube, but different limitations for Shorts do exist.

Ad Revenue Sharing

Ad revenue sharing is the most common way to monetize YouTube Shorts. This means that you earn from the revenue generated through ads shown between videos in the Shorts feed.

The amount of money you can make from ad revenue sharing depends on several factors, such as:

• The total amount of revenue generated from ad views in the Shorts feed each month
• The number and quality of views your Shorts get in the Shorts feed each month
• The percentage of your Shorts that use music from YouTube’s music partners
• The percentage of your Shorts that comply with YouTube’s advertiser-friendly content guidelines

YouTube Shorts Monetization Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for ad revenue sharing, you need to be a member of the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), which is YouTube’s program that allows creators to monetize their content. Therefore, to join the YPP, you need to meet the following requirements:

• Have more than 1,000 subscribers
• Have more than 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days or have more than 4,000 public watch hours for your long-form videos in the last 12 months
• Follow YouTube’s channel monetization policies, community guidelines, terms of service, and Google AdSense program policies
• Have an approved Google AdSense account linked to your YouTube channel

If you meet these requirements, you can apply for the YPP and accept the Shorts Monetization Module. It’s a set of terms that lets you earn from ads and YouTube Premium in the Shorts feed. Therefore, once you are accepted, you can start earning money from your Shorts views starting from the date of acceptance.

YouTube Premium Subscription Revenue Sharing

YouTube Premium is a subscription service that offers ad-free and offline viewing. Premium subscribers can support the creators they watch, as YouTube shares a portion of the subscription revenue with their creators.

YouTube Premium subscription revenue sharing also applies to Shorts. Therefore, you can earn money from YouTube Premium subscribers who watch your Shorts in the Shorts feed. However, the amount of money you can make from YouTube Premium subscription revenue sharing depends on the following factors:

• Total amount of revenue generated from YouTube Premium subscriptions each month
• The number and duration of views your Shorts get from YouTube Premium subscribers each month
• The percentage of your Shorts that comply with YouTube’s advertiser-friendly content guidelines

YouTube uses a similar formula to calculate your share of the YouTube Premium subscription revenue from Shorts each month:

1. It adds together all the revenue from YouTube Premium subscriptions each month.
2. It calculates how much of the revenue associated with Shorts is needed to cover music licensing for tracks used in Shorts. That money is paid directly to music partners.
3. YouTube allocates the remaining revenue into the Creator Pool, which is the amount of money available for sharing with eligible creators.
4. YouTube distributes the Creator Pool among eligible creators based on their Shorts watch time from YouTube Premium subscribers.

How Much Money Can You Make From YouTube Shorts Monetization?

The amount of money you can make from YouTube Shorts monetization varies depending on many factors, such as 

• The number and quality of your Shorts views,
• Type and performance of the ads shown in the Shorts feed,
• Percentage of your Shorts that use music from YouTube’s music partners,
• Percentage of your Shorts that follow YouTube’s advertiser-friendly content guidelines,
• The number and watch time of YouTube Premium subscribers who watch your Shorts.

YouTube does not disclose the exact rates or formulas for calculating the revenue from Shorts. Therefore, it is hard to estimate how much money you can make from YouTube Shorts monetization. However, some have shared their earnings from Shorts on YouTube and other platforms. Moreover, we see that they range from a few cents to a few dollars per thousand views.

For example, one creator reported earning $0.01 per thousand views from Shorts in February 2023 when Shorts monetization started. Another creator reported earning $0.05 per thousand views from Shorts in March 2023. A third creator reported earning $0.15 per thousand views from Shorts in April 2023.

Tips And Best Practices For YouTube Shorts Monetization

To increase your chances of earning money from YouTube Shorts monetization, you should follow some tips and best practices, such as:

1. Create Original And Engaging Shorts

Use the Shorts camera or upload vertical videos from your phone, and make sure your Shorts are less than 60 seconds long. Therefore, use catchy titles, thumbnails, and hashtags to make your Shorts stand out and reach more viewers. Experiment with different topics, formats, and styles to find what works best for your audience and niche.

2. Use Original Music Or Music From YouTube’s Music Library

Avoid using music from third-party sources or without proper permission. This may reduce your revenue or result in copyright claims or strikes. Therefore, access YouTube’s music library from the Shorts camera or from the YouTube Creator Studio. Here, you can choose from thousands of songs and sound effects that are free to use and monetize.

3. Follow YouTube’s Advertiser-Friendly Content Guidelines

Avoid creating content that is inappropriate, offensive, misleading, harmful, or illegal. Such content may not be eligible for monetization or may result in demonetization, age restriction, or removal of your Shorts. Therefore, you can check the monetization status of your Shorts in YouTube Studio. Moreover, you can request a review if you think your Shorts have been wrongly demonetized or restricted.

4. Grow Your YouTube Channel And Audience By Creating And Uploading Content

Shorts can help you reach new viewers and subscribers. However, long-form videos can help you build a loyal and engaged fan base. Moreover, it lets you earn more revenue from other monetization options, such as channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks, and merchandise. In addition, you can also cross-promote your Shorts and long-form videos to increase your views and watch time. Therefore, use both forms of content to create a successful YouTube channel.

5. Track And Analyze Your Shorts Performance And Revenue

You can access YouTube Analytics from YouTube Studio or the YouTube Studio app. Here, you can see various metrics and reports for your Shorts, such as views, watch time, impressions, click-through rate, audience retention, revenue, and more. Therefore, you can use this data to understand how your Shorts are performing and how you can improve them.

Conclusion

YouTube Shorts monetization is a great opportunity for creators to earn money from their short-form video content on YouTube. YouTube Shorts monetization is based on two main sources: ad revenue sharing and YouTube Premium subscription revenue sharing.

To be eligible for YouTube Shorts monetization, you need to be a member of the YouTube Partner Program and accept the Shorts Monetization Module. The amount of money you can make from YouTube Shorts monetization depends on various factors.