Ever since YouTube opened the door to earning cash from your views on Shorts, creators have been able to make big money from their short-form videos. Massive creators like Alan Chikin Chow and Horchata Soto are making millions from their share of the 50 billion daily views, so how can you join them and make the most of YouTube Shorts monetization?
First you’ll need to jump through a few hoops and sign up to the YouTube Partner Program, if you haven’t already. But the good news is that joining the YouTube Partner Program and monetizing your channel is straightforward. And once you’re in, there’s no limit to how much you can make.
So read on to find out what it takes to start monetizing your YouTube Shorts. Discover the amount you’re likely to make from your content, and get tips on how to boost your earnings.
- Can you make money from YouTube Shorts?
- How to monetize YouTube Shorts
- What are the YouTube Shorts monetization requirements?
- How to turn on YouTube Shorts ad revenue sharing
- How does YouTube monetization work?
- How much does YouTube Shorts pay?
- Tips to maximize your YouTube Shorts earnings
Can you make money from YouTube Shorts?
Just like regular YouTube videos, you can make money from YouTube Shorts ever since YouTube expanded its revenue sharing to include short-form videos in 2023. This means you can earn revenue from the ads appearing alongside your video and cash in your share of YouTube’s Premium subscriptions.
Basically any YouTubers who opt in to monetization on Shorts will now unlock the opportunity to make money from their channel, based on the number of views their short-form videos get.
Before YouTube launched Shorts revenue sharing in February 2023, creators could make money through the YouTube Shorts Fund. It was a temporary scheme YouTube put in place while they figured out how to pay creators for video views.
Not everyone who uploads Shorts can simply cash in their views though. First, you need to join the millions of creators who have signed up to the YouTube Partner Program. Read on to find out how you can join and start making money from your Shorts.
How to monetize your YouTube Shorts videos
YouTube has made making money from your YouTube Shorts a straightforward process with two key steps. The first is signing up for the YouTube Partner Program, and the second is switching on YouTube Shorts ad revenue on your channel.
Once you’ve checked off both, you’re ready to earn. We’ve broken down the process below, so you can start making money whether you’re new to YouTube or simply looking to make passive income from your existing Shorts.
What are the requirements for monetizing your YouTube Shorts?
To start monetizing your YouTube Shorts, you need to have signed up to the YouTube Partner Program. Which means the requirements for Shorts monetization are essentially the same as joining the YouTube Partner Program.
If you’re yet to enroll onto the YouTube Partner Program you can check out our handy guide, but your channel will need to hit these milestones first:
- 1,000 subscribers for your channel - it might seem daunting but over 10 million creators have already reached this landmark. You can see our guide on how to get 1,000 subscribers on YouTube if you need help getting there.
- Either 4,000 watch hours on your long form YouTube videos in the last 12 months, or 10 million YouTube Shorts views in the last 90 days. Both will unlock monetization on Shorts!
You can check your progress by heading to the Earn tab in YouTube Studio to see how close you are to hitting the YouTube Partner Program requirements.
But ticking off these two milestones doesn’t guarantee you can start earning from your Shorts. There are a few more hoops to jump through before you’re ready to apply for the YouTube Partner Program. You’ll need to:
- Follow YouTube’s channel monetization policies
- Live in a country or region where the YouTube Partner Program is available
- Turn on 2-Step Verification for your Google Account
- Link an AdSense account to your channel
Once you meet the requirements, it’s simply a case of applying to join the YouTube Partner Program and waiting to be accepted.
How to turn on ad revenue sharing for your YouTube Shorts
If you’re in the YouTube Partner Program and ready to earn from your Shorts, all you need to do is opt in to YouTube’s revenue sharing. It only takes three steps to switch on Shorts monetization:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio
- Head to the Earn tab on the left
- Click Get started for Shorts Feed ads, review and accept the terms
How does YouTube Shorts monetization work?
When you’re ready to earn from your Shorts, it’s good to understand how YouTube figures out what amount each creator gets. After all, it’s going to affect how much money you make.
YouTube adds up all the revenue it generates among Shorts creators who have turned on their channel’s monetization. Your share of that revenue, taken from ads and premium subscriptions, depends on how many views your Shorts content gets each month. So the more views you have compared to other Shorts creators, the bigger your slice of the pie.
However, if you choose to use copyrighted tracks in your content, you’ll also be sharing your revenue with YouTube’s music partners too. Which means you get a smaller percentage of the revenue from your content when you use copyrighted music.
You can avoid splitting your hard-earned revenue simply by using copyright-free music from platforms like Uppbeat.
You can check out YouTube’s explanation for exactly how Shorts revenue is split, but the main thing to remember is you’re going to earn more if your videos rack up more views.
The best way to maximize your Shorts earnings is by showing your content to as many people as possible, which you can do by following our 8 steps to getting more views on YouTube.
How much does YouTube Shorts pay for your videos?
It’s the big question YouTubers want to know, how much will YouTube pay for Shorts? Your total earnings will be affected by things like where your audience is based or the number of views you have.
It makes it difficult to predict how much any single video will generate, but it’s possible to get a rough idea. Revenue per mille (RPM) is a metric that shows how much money you make for every 1,000 views your videos get.
YouTubers are reporting RPMs on Shorts ranging from as little as $0.01 through to $0.10. It’s significantly less than creators might make from their long-form videos, where YouTubers can make as much as $30-$40 for every 1,000 views depending on their niche. But then again, YouTube Shorts have the potential to rack up significantly more views.
Generally creators will find an RPM for YouTube Shorts is likely to be between $0.03 and £0.07. Now we know what the typical YouTube Shorts RPM is, you can use this to calculate how much you might earn.
Once you’re earning from Shorts, you can head to YouTube Analytics to see exactly how much you’re getting paid.
How much does YouTube Shorts pay for a video with 1,000 views?
Most creators will find YouTube pays between $0.03 and £0.07 for 1,000 Shorts views, although this depends on different factors like where the audience is based. That being said, we’ve seen YouTubers get as little as $0.01 per 1,000 views, and as much as $0.10.
How much does YouTube pay for 1 million views on Shorts?
Typically, YouTube will pay between $30 and $70 for a video with 1 million views. And when you think about how Shorts videos can easily get discovered, these views can soon add up. Take Nas Daily as an example, uploading videos each day that often get view counts in the tens of millions, stacking up his earnings at the same time.
We calculated the amount creators can make from a million views on Shorts based on a typical RPM of around $0.03 to $0.07 for their Shorts, although some creators have been getting anywhere from $10 to $100 for 1 million views.
How to maximize your YouTube Shorts earnings in 5 steps
Now you know how much your Shorts videos are likely to make, you can work on boosting your earnings. The main thing to remember is that increasing your views will snare you a bigger cut of the YouTube Shorts revenue.
So if you want to make the most of your earning potential on YouTube Shorts, make sure to follow these key steps:
1. Create engaging Shorts 😁
This might sound obvious, but more engaging videos have a better chance of keeping people hooked all the way through. This shows YouTube’s algorithm they’re worth sharing further, and you’ll get more views as a result.
2. Upload consistently 🗓️
Every time you upload a new video, you’re giving your channel another opportunity to rack up views. It’s good practice as a creator to upload regularly anyway, but it’s going to increase your chances of earning some decent cash too.
3. Grow your audience 👥
When you have a ready-made audience who love watching your content, getting them to view your latest upload is much easier. Give yourself the best chance of scoring an instant hit by investing time in growing your channel’s subscribers. Help boost your audience by checking out our 27 tips to get more subscribers on YouTube.
4. Keep more of your earnings 💰
If you choose to use copyrighted tracks in your videos, YouTube is going to split your revenue with its music partners too. The best way to keep as much of your earnings as possible is to use copyright-free music from websites like Uppbeat.
5. Embrace different ways to make money from your YouTube channel 🧢
While passive income is a wonderful thing, there are loads of ways to make money on YouTube. You can work with brands to make partner content, sign up to affiliate programs, or even sell your own merch. See how you can start earning more from your channel by checking out our article on different ways to make money on YouTube.
Earn more from your channel with YouTube Shorts
Once you’re making money from your YouTube Shorts, there’s no limit to how much you can earn. It’s exciting to think your next viral clip could rack up tons of views and land you with a healthy pay packet.
Before you get to that point, you need to join the millions of creators enrolled on the YouTube Partner Program. But once you’ve ticked off the milestones and applied to join, it’s simply a case of turning on ad revenue sharing, and watching the money roll in.
And if you’re not happy with the amount you’re making, simply work on racking up more views to boost your earnings. We’re here to help you on your way, with 8 tips to help you get more views on YouTube.
