YouTube shorts monetization update: 8 new ways for Indian creators to make money

YouTube shorts monetization: In good news for YouTubers in India, the Google-owned popular online video sharing and social media platform YouTube on Wednesday announced a new programme that will allow creators to monetise their long-form videos with licensed music in 2023. The company has introduced 'Creator Music', that gives YouTube creators easy access to an ever-growing catalog of music for use in their long-form videos.

"Today, we introduce the next chapter in rewarding creativity on our platform, no matter what that looks like. We’re announcing more ways for creators to become partners, new ways to make money with Shorts, and a reimagining of how the music industry and creators work together," the company wrote in a blog post. 

"YouTube now offers 8 ways for our partners in India to make money. Today, we're expanding our partner program, meaning more creators and artists will have the opportunity to make money on YouTube across different creative formats," YouTube added.

The popularity of short-form video has exploded on YouTube, with over 30B daily views and 1.5B monthly logged-in users, bringing an ascendant creativity across every topic, vertical, and region of the world. 

"To start rewarding this new creative class, we launched a temporary Shorts Fund. Now, we're expanding our unique business model to this new format: revenue sharing is coming to Shorts," the platform said.

Here’s how it'll work:

- Beginning in early 2023, current and future YouTube Partner Program (YPP) creators will be eligible for revenue sharing on Shorts.

- In Shorts, ads run between videos in the Shorts Feed. So, every month, revenue from these ads will be added together and used to reward Shorts creators and help cover costs of music licensing.

- From the overall amount allocated to creators, they will keep 45 per cent of the revenue, distributed based on their share of total Shorts views. The revenue share remains the same, no matter if they use music or not.

- This brand new approach allows us to reward all YPP creators who make up the Shorts experience, not just to those with videos running next to ads.

-  In addition, since Music fuels some of our most vibrant and memorable Shorts, it simplifies the complexities of music licensing, so that creators don’t have to worry about whether or not they use music in their Short.

- YouTube expect the majority of the Shorts Fund recipients to earn more money under this new model, which was built for long term sustainability. 

- Instead of a fixed fund, YouTube is doubling down on the revenue sharing model that has supercharged the creator economy and enabled creators to benefit from the platform's success. 

Revenue sharing on Shorts ads is yet another way for creators to make money—it adds to our full suite of products, which enabled us to pay creators, artists and media companies over $50B over the past three years.

"We’re also launching Super Thanks for Shorts in beta to thousands of creators, with a complete rollout expected next year. Viewers can show their appreciation for their favorite Shorts, and creators can interact with their fans through purchased, highlighted Super Thanks comments," the brand added.