Youtube Partner Program: Everything you need to know in 2022

• Author: mansi bafna
• |
• Updated Date : May 23, 2022

Overview:

YouTube is an American video-sharing platform that was established in 2005 and was soon acquired by Google in 2006, having seen its potential to grow. Today, YouTube comes across as one of the most powerful social media platforms with over 2.6 billion users generating a revenue of over $19.7 billion yearly.

Did you know that while the YouTube creator ecosystem generated about ₹6.8 Crore to India’s GDP in the year 2020, it currently enjoys a 467 million-strong viewership in India?

With such a high consumption rate of videos in India, YouTube has now become a common platform that users try to leverage to gain reach and ensure that the content they post reaches traction in the manner they seek.

Read this blog to learn how to formulate your own YouTube marketing strategies!

YouTube gives its users an avenue to monetize the content they post through its Partner Program. The Youtube Partner Program is a very simple added feature provided by the YouTube team for their users to monetize their efforts and creative work. 

YPP YouTube translates to the creator being a partner and the platform’s algorithm pushes their videos and channel for higher traction. This is simply done by placing a greater number of advertisements in one’s videos which automatically generates more revenue for the channel.

What is in it for YouTube?

Source: Unsplash

While there isn’t any official YouTube affiliate Program in action as of now, you can still venture into channel monetization via the YouTube Partner Program. But the question is, how is it beneficial for YouTube. Well, the platform simply takes 45% of the revenue a channel makes and leaves the rest of 55% for the creator. This leaves YouTube too with a chance of generating revenue via the YPP from creators seeking greater audiences.

How does it help your channel to grow?

Source: Unsplash

45% sounds like a high proportion to share with YouTube but a bird’s eye view reveals that even the 55% of revenue generated through channel monetizations can leave creators with up to millions. But that of course depends on the quality of content and the number of subscribers that their channel can gather! 

There are six main ways of monetizing a channel and generating revenue from the content that is created.

1. Video advertising and Youtube Premium Revenue: YouTube has a massive client base in terms of advertising. Given the mammoth-sized users of the platform, companies are willing to shred thousands of dollars for advertising on the platform. YouTube bridges this gap between companies looking for videos to place their advertisements in and creators looking to make money from the Youtube Partner Program. While there isn’t any official YouTube affiliate program, creators can still use affiliate links for channel monetization and generate revenue from their content as well. More display, overlay, and video advertisements get more views and awareness for the company and revenue for the creators thus filling this void. And to add the cherry on the cake, Youtube Partners get a part of their subscriber’s subscription fee, when the subscriber watches the partner’s content.
2. Merchandise: Youtube Partner Program also brings its users a unique chance to sell their custom-based merchandise on YouTube to generate revenue. Loyal subscribers and followers of a channel are usually gaga over their favorite content creators. This creates a large pool of potential buyers of custom merchandise which the creators can then leverage. This feature is also a benefit of YPP YouTube.
3. Memberships: Subscribers of a channel can pay a fee and turn into members of the channel which has some interesting perks. Creators can make members-only videos that only these members would be able to see which brings in an exclusive premium feeling. A lot of other exclusive perks such as custom emojis, badges, and access to live chats which work perfectly for community building.
4. Supers: Another medium for generating revenue is through supers. What does ‘supers’ mean? It includes super chat and super stickers. This is not listed specifically, every creator applying to be a part of the Youtube Partner Program automatically has access to these. Super chats and Super stickers are generally the access to send live chat messages and stickers to creators doing a live stream by the viewers of the stream. Viewers have the option of sending a chat message or a sticker for a certain premium fee. There is another option called Super Thanks that gives subscribers another exciting way to exhibit their appreciation for the content whilst this becomes just another way for creators to monetize. These Supers are generally highlighted in the comment sections, such that fans can be recognized, making it easy to connect with them.
5. Youtube BrandConnect: Youtube Partner Program also enables channel monetization by helping brands connect with creators for running campaigns in their videos. Youtube’s BrandConnect facilitates channel monetization by simply including brands advertising content in your videos or even just providing campaign management resources. Note that the creator will always retain control over the creativity and the creator has all rights to choose who he/she wants to work with.
6. Youtube Shorts Fund: Youtube has recently come up with another way of monetizing for their Youtube Partners. It is a $100million fund that will be awarded to creators over 2021 and 2022. To indulge in this YouTube shorts monetization process, creators must be extremely dedicated to making creative and authentic content for their shorts that keeps the Youtube community and most importantly their subscribers engaged. Youtube reaches out to thousands of creators every month to tell them that they qualify for the Youtube Shorts Fund.

Want to find out more about the YouTube shorts monetization policy? Check out our article on how to leverage Youtube Short Vides for influencer marketing.

Note: You might want to learn about Google Adsense sign up as this is an essential aspect of monetizing your content.

These are some of the ways in which YPP YouTube helps creators develop their subscriber network as well as make money off it. Creators are free to avail one or more than one method of monetizing, once enrolled in the YPP.

There are other Non-monetary benefits that youtube partners receive from the Youtube Partner Program. These benefits are just the extra perks creators get for being consistent.

1. Copyright Protection: There are many people out there who in the name of posting, pick up content from a genuine creator and post it on their page. This is a major reason why many YouTubers fail to reach a wider audience and lose out on revenue.
   
   Copyright Protection helps identify these thefts based on your content. Once the original creator confirms that there is theft of content, Youtube requests them to fill out a form for the removal of that video by the other party. Youtube also helps in sending out a prewritten email to the video uploader.
2. Tools and Education: Youtube is a hub of knowledge. It is a library that caters to all the needs of creators who are genuine and working hard towards making their channel a success. YPP provides creators with access to analytics which helps them track Estimated Revenue vs Ad Revenue, Revenue per mille (revenue per 1000 views), and Cost per mille. YPP also has a huge resource deck that contains videos and documents that can help creators improve their performance. You can also monitor your channel and its performance using the YouTube Analytics tool.
3. Creators Support Team: The Creators support team is a help forum that has qualified content creators that connect with other creators on an online platform and help them with real-time and achievable solutions to similar setbacks, providing them with information about the latest trends and new products that they can leverage.

YouTube Partner Program Requirements:

Source: Pixabay

Although becoming a partner is essentially easy as it is beneficial for YouTube as well, the platform practices very strict monitoring before approving the application of a creator. The support team manually scrutinizes every application before approving or denying the request. But what does it look for in a channel before approval?

1. First and foremost, the platform has a rigid set of guidelines that must be adhered to such as political views, harmful or dangerous speeches, manipulative content, harassment, cyberbullying, and nudity & sexual content. Videos or channels posting content violating any of these guidelines are immediately disapproved.
2. The channel must have a minimum of 1,000 subscribers to be eligible to apply to be a part of the Youtube Partner Program.
3. The channel should have more than 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months which must be organically generated.
4. The channel must also have an active Google AdSense account that is linked to the Youtube handle.
5. The creator must make sure to sign the Youtube Partner Program terms.

These form the mandatory criteria that must be fulfilled in order for a channel to become eligible to apply to be a partner under the YouTube Partner Program.

Apply to be a part of the YPP

Source: Pixabay

All this information brings us to one final question, How to enroll to be a part of the Youtube Partner Program? Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the YouTube website and login into your account
2. Click the top-right corner on your profile picture
3. Open YouTube studio
4. Go to the Monetization tab
5. If your channel meets all the above-mentioned Youtube Partner Program Requirements, go to the Review Partner Program Tab. Otherwise, click on ‘notify me when I’m eligible.’
6. In the Review Partner Program tab, accept the contract once you have read all the terms and conditions and click on ‘Done.’
7. Link your Google AdSense account to your YouTube account or follow the on-screen instructions to create one.
8. Voila! You have officially applied for the Youtube Partner Program.

After this Youtube will manually check if you meet all the requirements and if you are not violating any community guidelines. If you are found violating any of the requirements, you will be rejected from the YPP. Note that despite being rejected once, you have a chance of applying again to the program but only after 30 days. Check out this video to better understand the application process for Youtube Partner Program – How to Apply Youtube Partner Program in 2021 (for the First Time!)

Things to keep in mind while applying:

While not mandatory, there are a few sets of practices that one is advised to follow for easier approval of the application.

1. Ensure that all the content you post follows the same theme. YouTube would prefer a channel with synonymous content rather than a channel that is a compilation of random videos.
2. YouTube also observed the most viewed videos of a channel so as to make sure that the video is not violating any of its guidelines and is not misleading. Hence, it is advised to strictly adhere to the code of conduct.
3. YouTube also monitors the biggest proportion of watch time that can be checked in the Analytics tab (Traffic Source Types).
4. There is a lot of emphasis that YouTube lays on the relevance of the title, description, and meta tags of the videos of a channel before approval.
5. The ‘Google Adsense Signup’ is an essential step for you to get paid. Take a look at the terms and conditions for a Google AdSense Signup.
6. You must also ensure that you are following all the guidelines of the Youtube monetization policy at all times throughout your partnership with Youtube.

Can I opt-out of the Youtube Partner Program?

Yes, you can opt-out of the YPP whenever you want by going into the Monetization tab in Youtube Studio and clicking on Youtube Partner Program options in the Overview tab. Then click on ‘Leave Youtube Partner Program’ and select Proceed and confirm. By doing this you will no longer be able to monetize with YPP. Note that once you leave the Youtube Partner Program, it can take up to a few days for monetization of your videos to be completely stopped. To re-join the Youtube Partner Program, follow the instructions to apply again.

The benefits of YPP are enormous and there seems to be no reason why a Youtube creator should not be a part of this program. It just makes monetization much simpler and easier with a fair way to analyze revenue.