YouTube plans to expand its Partner Program to give 45% of Shorts ad revenue to creators with 1,000+ subscribers and 10M views on Shorts within a 90-day period
YouTube just announced a major change to its Partner Program that will allow its short-form video creators to make a lot more money from its platform.
EngadgetKarissa Bell
Context & Ripple Effects
YouTube had initially used a $100M Shorts fund and later offered payments of up to $10,000 a month for original Shorts. This announcement shifts the program toward a defined ad-revenue share for creators who meet subscriber and viewing thresholds, rather than relying solely on incentive payouts.
Shorts creators with at least 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days gain a route into YouTube's Partner Program and a 45% share of Shorts ad revenue.
YouTube commits part of Shorts advertising income to eligible creators, tying creator compensation directly to ad sales rather than only to a fixed fund.
Second-order effects
Creators deciding where to publish short-form video receive a clearer earnings benchmark from YouTube, increasing pressure on rival short-video services to make their own payout terms competitive.
The eligibility thresholds concentrate the initial benefit among creators already generating substantial Shorts reach, giving them a stronger reason to prioritize sustained output on YouTube.
Third-order effects
The change points to short-form video becoming a standard ad-supported creator business: platform-funded bonuses give way to recurring revenue-sharing programs with formal entry rules.
As the model matures, YouTube can layer other monetization options onto Shorts, as reflected in its later exclusive Shorts offering for paying viewers, reducing reliance on advertising alone.
The trend: Short-form platforms are moving from temporary creator incentives toward durable monetization systems that share advertising and subscription revenue with qualifying creators.
I still think there are big problems with the relationship between video creators and platforms. Creators continue to have minimal negotiating power due to lack of organization and collective bargaining. But for video creators, this announcement is a significant step forward.
BREAKING: YOUTUBE WILL SOON START REV SHARE FOR SHORTS! WOW! This lights a fire under TikTok's ass! Its a 45% ad split for creators - even if they use copyrighted music. The space has already been dramatically changing. This throws gasoline on the fire! https://twitter.com/...
Today, it's a new chapter for creators - read about changes to our groundbreaking YouTube Partner Program & other updates on how we're opening up opportunities through #YouTubeShorts revenue sharing, music licensing/video monetization & more: https://blog.youtube/... (2/2)
This is a very big deal for everyone who makes or consumes video content online. My best guess is that a view on YouTube Shorts will be worth about 10x more money for creators than a view on Tiktok. https://twitter.com/...
This should be landscape-shifting 👀 YouTube Shorts has graduated from a fixed fund to revenue sharing ✅ Creators who get 10M views on Shorts in 90 days can apply ✅ 45% ad split to creators ✅ YT will keep a music library that creators can use and still make revenue https://twitter…
When we introduced the YouTube Partner Program, we made a big bet: we succeed only when our creators succeed. Today we're introducing the next chapter in rewarding creativity: Creator Music, more ways to join YPP & ad revenue sharing for Shorts creators. https://blog.youtube/...
Also, Tiktok is about to find out what happens to a social media platform when your focus is on maximizing short-term revenue rather than fostering an ecosystem where individuals and independence companies can build livelihoods.
Big news! This is a major blow to TikTok as creators will want to put content on YouTube over TikTok. - Shorts revenue split is 45% to creators - Normal videos are at 55% for creators A 10% difference is fine in my opinion for being able to use popular music. https://twitter.com/…
We are excited to announce @believe & TuneCore are early partners of YouTube's Creator Music! The new Creator Music hub is a “digital storefront” that streamlines the licensing process and allows music rights holders to access a new source of revenue. https://www.billboard.com/..…
Oh, baby. Creator Music Licensing is massive as well. Imagine having that one awesome song you've heard on the radio in your own videos, and you can still monetize. Licensing options range from Free, rev-share, and up to $4.99 for a song. This is huge! https://www.billboard.com/.…