In case you weren’t in the know when this launched, YouTube launched its new Shorts monetization program last month, which essentially pools all of the revenue generated via Shorts ads, then re-distributes around half of that money to the top Shorts creators, based on view counts, eligibility, and a host of other more Shorts-aligned factors. So, without further ado, here’s a preview of how the new scheme has performed in a month’s time.

30 Days Later

So far, this sounds like a more sustainable model than even its current creator funding program being run within other short-form video offerings, which have ended up bristling creators due to inconsistent payouts and diminishing returns (static amounts), as more creators come on board.

YouTube’s more adaptable funding model, in comparison, does sound like the better deal, right? With proportional payouts based on video performance, you’d assume that it makes sense to simply shift over and provide deserving creators with a more reliable, equitable funding source, wouldn’t you agree? Well, the clinch here is the term ‘should/would’.

Despite sounding great on paper, various creators have been sharing their insights regarding the payouts that they’ve been seeing from the new system, and, well, let’s just say it isn’t stellar. One notable name who gave an example is none other than the effects guru, Zach King, who generated about 196 million views with his Shorts clips. He made approximately $2,918 in a month, which is highly disproportionate to the views, but it’s not as bad as you might think.

To be fair, YouTube does state the current conversion values, which seem to sit at an average of $0.02 (2 US cents) RPM per 1k views. King’s results show a little bit less than that, but some creators have reported seeing $0.04 RPM, which doesn’t even scratch how much the same views could make on regular YouTube videos, but, as King stated, is still more than twice what TikTok and Instagram offer. King further notes that there are other benefits in Shorts with regards to exposure and brand building, on top of the raw monetization, of course.

That’s YouTube’s key value proposition in the short-form video battle – in that it pays out billions to creators every year through its Partner Program. Shorts can act as a complementary element which would then drive interest to your main YouTube channel. Given that, the combined monetization potential of YouTube is far higher than any other platform.

The Wrap

Even if the results are less than satisfactory, at least for those who reported their earnings, King reiterates that it’s still the early days, with YouTube likely to improve its short-form monetization model, as it looks to beat out competitors. Even without enhancements, the monetization opportunities on YouTube are more significant than any other platform to date. However, there’s still no clear-cut way to make millions from short-form clips.

Sources

http://bit.ly/3IQnjrH