YouTube expanded its monetization policies to better support creators specializing in Shorts, aligning with the platform’s emphasis on short‑form video. The updates include:
⚡ 1. Clear Eligibility and Two‑Tier Monetization
YouTube now offers two monetization tiers, making it easier for creators at different stages to earn revenue:
- Tier 1 (Starter/Fan‑Funding Tier):
Requires 500+ subscribers, 3 public uploads in the past 90 days, and either 3,000 watch hours or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days. This unlocks features like Super Thanks, Super Chat, memberships, and affiliate tools reddit.com+15fundmates.com+15stackinfluence.com+15subsub.io. - Tier 2 (Ad‑Revenue Tier):
Requires 1,000+ subscribers, and either 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days, granting full Access to ads revenue, merch shelf, and more pages.creatoreconomyinsider.com+4subsub.io+4trtuneslifestudio.com+4.
These tiers allow creators to start earning earlier through fan‑funding, then graduate to ad revenue as their audience grows.
🎯 2. Ad‑Revenue Sharing on Shorts
Since early 2023, YouTube has shifted from a Shorts bonus fund to an ad‑revenue sharing model. Creators now receive 45% of ad revenue from ads shown between Shorts—upside depends on views and engagement subsub.iotrtuneslifestudio.com+1reddit.com+1.
3. View‑Count and “Engaged View” Metrics
- From March 31, 2025, YouTube counts every play or replay of a Short as a view, following TikTok/Instagram conventions reddit.com+14theverge.com+14searchenginejournal.com+14.
- However, monetization eligibility and earnings still rely on “engaged views”—those that meet a minimum watch threshold stackinfluence.com+15searchenginejournal.com+15theverge.com+15.
This helps creators measure reach while ensuring genuine engagement drives revenue.
4. New Monetization Tools & Policy Adjustments
- Automatic and smarter mid‑roll ads are placed at natural breaks to improve viewer experience and ad performance pages.creatoreconomyinsider.com.
- Human review has been added to adjudicate “yellow‑icon” limited monetization claims, helping creators avoid wrongful demonetization vidiq.com+1air.io+1.
- Inactivity penalties introduced: inactivity of 30–90 days can result in feature restrictions or re‑application to the Partner Program fundmates.com.
🙋♂️ 5. Mixed Creator Sentiment
Reddit creators offer contrasting views:
“Shorts make basically no money… you’ll have to post a ton of shorts to make anything”
“My most viewed short has 140k views and made $14” time.com+7reddit.com+7reddit.com+7
This highlights low RPMs for Shorts compared to long-form content, meaning creators need volume or alternative income tools.
🔍 What It Means for Creators
- Creators can earn earlier: 500‑subscriber tier lets emerging creators access fan‑funding features before waiting years to reach older thresholds.
- Short‑focus channels have clarity: Clear thresholds for Shorts views (3M for Tier 1, 10M for Tier 2) offer transparent milestones reddit.com+2stackinfluence.com+2fundmates.com+2stackinfluence.com+4trtuneslifestudio.com+4subsub.io+4.
- Earnings rely on engagement, not just play counts: High view counts help visibility, but revenue still depends on engaged views reddit.com+2searchenginejournal.com+2theverge.com+2.
- Diversify income streams: Shorts ad revenue is often low; creators should combine ads with Super Thanks, memberships, affiliate tools, or long‑form content.
- Consistency is crucial: Upload schedules and avoiding inactivity ensure sustained monetization privileges
