The top YouTubers make eye-watering sums of money, with a Forbes list released last year revealing that the top 10 highest earners on the video streaming platform raked in a colossal $300 million between them in the space of a year.
But while the top YouTubers grab all the headlines, there are millions of other creators on the platform working diligently to build up loyal followings with carefully produced content. And while they may have fewer subscribers than YouTube’s big hitters, and get fewer views for each video, they can still earn a tidy sum that allows them to give up the day job, or at the least supplement their main income.
The good news is that the Google-owned platform has just made it even easier for up-and-coming YouTubers to start earning cash from their work after it lowered the bar for entry to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).
Before the changes, a YouTube creator needed at least 1,000 subscribers to apply to join YPP, but now you only need 500.
You also need to have done three public uploads in the last 90 days, and clocked up either 3,000 watch hours in the past 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Before, you needed either 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Joining YPP under the lower bar will give new creators access to various fan-funding features such as channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks, and more.
However, to earn money from ads, creators will still need to adhere to the old rules. YouTube explains: “As these creators continue to grow their channel, they’ll automatically become eligible to earn revenue sharing from ads and even more benefits once they reach the existing YPP eligibility criteria, without having to go through the full YPP application process again.”
The new eligibility criteria for YPP applies first to creators in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Taiwan, and South Korea, with other countries getting the same changes “over time,” YouTube said.
YouTube is also expanding its Shopping affiliate program to all eligible U.S.-based creators who are in YPP and have more than 20,000 subscribers. The Shopping affiliate program lets creators feature products from other brands and creators and offers commission on the sales of products tagged in their videos and Shorts.
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