Shorts are the short-form vertical videos with a duration of up to 60 seconds that are created for YouTube. YouTube Shorts was launched in 2020 as a competitor to TikTok. It has quickly become a popular way for creators to make and share vertical short videos on YouTube.
How does YouTube Shorts monetization work?
YouTube announced the YouTube Partner Program monetization for Shorts in 2022. This allows creators to make money directly from their Shorts content. Here is how YouTube Shorts monetization works:
- Creators must be part of the YouTube Partner Program to monetize Shorts. This requires at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months.
- When a viewer watches a Short, revenue from advertisements displayed during or near the Short is added to a global Shorts Fund.
- YouTube will pay creators every month from this Shorts Fund based on their Shorts views and engagement.
- The more views and engagement a creator’s Shorts receive, the more money they will earn from the Fund.
So in summary, creators do not earn money directly from ads on their Shorts. Instead, YouTube pays them from a Shorts Fund based on their views and engagement relative to other creators.
How many views do you need on Shorts to get paid?
There is no exact view threshold a creator must hit before they can start earning money from Shorts. This is because YouTube pays creators based on their proportional share of total Shorts engagement. More views and engagement will result in a larger share of the overall Shorts Fund.
However, most creators estimate you realistically need at least 100,000 Shorts views per month before you can expect to see any meaningful revenue. This ensures your viewership is substantial enough compared to the billions of Shorts views per month to earn a decent slice of the Fund.
Factors that affect Shorts monetization and earnings
While views are critical, there are other factors that affect how much money you can make from Shorts:
- Watch time – longer total watch time leads to higher revenue.
- Engagement – more likes, comments, shares boosts earnings.
- Traffic sources – views from YouTube recommendations monetize better than social media traffic.
- Viewer demographics – developed markets like the US monetize better than developing markets.
So you need a substantial amount of views, but also need your viewers to stick around, engage, and come from YouTube rather than external sites. Higher traffic from the US, Canada, UK, Australia and other developed markets will also improve your Shorts earnings.
Typical YouTube Shorts earnings per 1 million views
It’s challenging to estimate potential revenue per 1 million Shorts views, as it depends on many factors. However, based on current creator estimates, this is what you can expect to earn:
| Views | Estimated Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 million | $100 – $500 |
| 10 million | $1,000 – $5,000 |
| 100 million | $10,000 – $50,000 |
So for 1 million Shorts views, most creators report earnings between $100 to $500. As views scale up to 10 million or 100 million, the potential revenue also climbs.
These are rough estimates only. Earnings vary significantly based on factors like watch time, traffic sources, engagement metrics, and more. But it gives you an idea of potential YouTube Shorts revenue.
How many subscribers do you need to monetize Shorts?
To monetize Shorts through the YouTube Partner Program, you need:
- 1,000 subscribers
- 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months
These are the standard requirements to join the Partner Program and enable monetization across YouTube, including on Shorts. Without meeting these thresholds, you cannot earn revenue through YouTube.
Some creators can reach 1,000 subscribers quickly by leveraging other social platforms to drive viewers to their YouTube channel. But for most, it takes consistency by regularly publishing compelling Shorts content that builds an audience over time.
Tips to get 1,000 subscribers quickly
Here are some tips to reach 1,000 subscribers faster:
- Cross-promote your Shorts on other social platforms like TikTok, Instagram or Facebook to drive viewers to subscribe on YouTube.
- Engage with viewers by replying to comments, which encourages them to subscribe.
- Create consistent Shorts focused on a specific niche or audience.
- Experiment with different types of Shorts like tutorials, POVs, humor and more to see what resonates.
- Optimize your Shorts with attractive thumbnails, titles and hashtags to improve discovery.
- Collaborate with other creators to leverage each other’s audiences.
Gaining 1,000 subscribers enables you to start earning so it’s worth focusing on subscriber growth when starting out on Shorts.
How much watch time do you need for Shorts monetization?
In addition to 1,000 subscribers, you need 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months to monetize through the YouTube Partner Program. Watch time includes both Shorts and long-form YouTube videos.
Here are some key points on the 4,000 hour watch time requirement:
- The 4,000 hours refers to total watch time across your channel, not per video.
- Only public watch hours from the last 12 months count.
- YouTube excludes some inappropriate or fraudulent activity when calculating valid watch time.
- Live streams, Premieres, and Shorts watch time all contribute to the thresholds.
For reference, 4,000 watch hours equates to:
- 1 person watching your content for 40 hours
- 1,000 people watching for 4 hours
- 10,000 people watching for 24 minutes
It can take time to build up watch hours as a new creator. But regularly publishing Shorts and long-form content will gradually accumulate watch time to meet the threshold.
Tips to get 4,000 watch hours for Shorts monetization
Some tips to earn 4,000 watch hours for Shorts monetization:
- Maximize Shorts length closer to 60 seconds to increase watch time.
- Use captions and visuals in Shorts to boost watch time.
- Make engaging long-form videos to supplement your Shorts.
- Check your Analytics to see which videos get highest average view duration.
- Ask viewers to rewatch your Shorts and playlists to increase total watch time.
- Reply to comments to encourage viewers to stay on your videos longer.
Meeting both the 1,000 subscriber and 4,000 watch hour requirements allows you to join the YouTube Partner Program so you can start monetizing your Shorts.
Do YouTube Shorts pay for likes or comments?
YouTube does not directly pay creators for likes or comments on their Shorts. However, likes and comments do factor into the algorithms that determine how much creators earn from the Shorts Fund.
More likes and comments signal that a Shorts is resonating with viewers. This increases the likelihood that YouTube will recommend that Short to more viewers, resulting in more views and engagement. More viewership and engagement in turn leads to higher revenue from Shorts.
So while likes and comments don’t directly trigger payments, they help boost a creator’s Shorts distribution and viewership. This indirectly increases the potential earnings from YouTube Shorts over time.
How to get more comments on YouTube Shorts
Here are some tips creators use to get more comments on their YouTube Shorts:
- Ask viewers direct questions to encourage comments.
- Respond to comments already left – interaction begets more interaction.
- Use CTAs like “Comment below your favorite part.”
- Leverage trends and hashtags around viral topics.
- Create controversy and debate in your niche to spark comments.
- Foster a community that expects two-way discussion with you.
While YouTube Shorts payment isn’t directly tied to likes or comments, they remain an important metric for growing your viewership and potential earnings over time.
Do brands pay YouTube creators for Shorts?
Major brands will sometimes directly sponsor or pay creators to produce Shorts content promoting their products or services. The financial arrangements vary but can include:
- Product placement fees – Brands pay for visibility and mentions in Shorts.
- Branded content pricing – Fixed fees to produce specific Shorts for brands.
- Revenue sharing – Creator gets percentage of sales driven by their promo Shorts.
Rates depend on factors like creator audience size, industry, and whether sponsorship is exclusive. But brand sponsorships can be very lucrative revenue streams for top Shorts creators.
Smaller creators may also secure free products from brands in exchange for organic Shorts promotions. Building an audience first makes you more attractive for eventual paid brand partnerships.
Examples of sponsored YouTube Shorts
Here are some examples of sponsored Shorts content from top creators:
- MrBeast – Quidd limited edition collectible unboxing
- The Hodgetwins – Promoting Barton watches
- Emma Chamberlain – Trying Oreo cookie flavors
- Brent Rivera – Teasing Bang energy drink campaign
These creators have produced Shorts promoting products from brands relevant to their demographics. Brand sponsorships let creators diversify income beyond YouTube Shorts monetization.
Other ways YouTubers make money from Shorts
Beyond the YouTube Partner Program and brand sponsorships, here are some other ways creators can monetize Shorts:
YouTube Community Tab
YouTube Community Tab lets creators engage directly with their audience. Creators with over 10k subscribers can use Community posts to:
- Promote affiliate links, products or paid content
- Drive traffic to monetized platforms like Patreon
- Share exclusive previews driving YouTube memberships
Shorts creators can leverage Community Tab to generate revenue through affiliate marketing, selling merchandise, paid channels, and more.
YouTube Super Thanks
The Super Thanks feature allows viewers to tip creators between $2 to $50 for videos they love. Creators can promote Super Thanks in Shorts descriptions to unlock an additional income stream.
YouTube Memberships
By offering Memberships, creators provide exclusive perks and content to subscribers willing to pay a monthly fee. Shorts can promote Memberships to monetize their most loyal fans.
Combining multiple monetization models maximizes the revenue potential for creators using the Shorts format.
Key takeaways
Here are the key points to keep in mind about monetizing YouTube Shorts:
- Creators earn Shorts revenue from a YouTube Shorts Fund based on views and engagement.
- You likely need over 100k views per month before seeing meaningful payouts.
- 1 million views can potentially generate between $100-$500.
- You need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours (Shorts + long-form) to monetize.
- More likes, comments, and watch time boost future earnings potential.
- Brand sponsorships are another lucrative way top creators monetize.
- Memberships, Super Thanks, affiliate links open up additional income streams.
YouTube Shorts presents a new way for creators to build an audience and ultimately monetize it through the Partner Program, brand deals, and other methods. Focusing on high-quality, engaging Shorts content is key to maximizing both viewership and long-term revenue.
Conclusion
YouTube Shorts introduces a whole new creative and money-making opportunity for YouTube creators. While achieving significant viewership is a challenge, those able to consistently produce viral Shorts can leverage that audience into meaningful income. Combining YouTube Partner Program payouts, brand sponsorships, and other monetization models allows top Shorts creators to earn substantial revenues.
