YouTube has been offering ads on Shorts for one year, and the results have been encouraging thus far. In a blog post, YouTube Director of Product Management for Creator Monetization Thomas Kim revealed that “more than 25%” of the creators in the YouTube Partner Program are currently earning revenue from their Shorts.
Revenue sharing came to Shorts in February 2023, and a revamped Partner Program came with it. YouTube gave creators new ways to qualify for monetization by inviting in channels with at least 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts viewers over 90 days.
Some creators saw quick results. Last March, special effects guru Zach King reported Shorts revenue that came at better rates than what he received on TikTok. The earnings have since become more widespread. Kim’s blog post revealed that 80% of the creators who qualified for the Partner Program via Shorts have also utilized at least one of YouTube’s other revenue streams.
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“[Shorts] is opening the door for creators to earn in other ways on the platform, and they’re seeing the dividends,” reads the post. “Today YouTube is the only platform that gives creators the option to upload content across different formats (Shorts, VOD, Live, Podcast and Audio) and earn money from multiple revenue streams.”
YouTube has highlighted the multiformat approach to monetization since 2022, when it recommended that creators spread their uploads across long-form videos, Shorts, and live streams. To support multiformat activity, YouTube has instituted changes across all of its revenue streams, not just Shorts. Last June, a Partner Program update provided new eligibility requirements for channels that primarily focus on streaming.
Ads on Shorts was one of the major talking points YouTube discussed during its presentation at the NewFronts last year. The platform won’t be turning off the tap on its vertical video hub anytime soon, so the other 75% of Partner Program members will have a chance to try Shorts ads for themselves.
