The eligibility requirements for the YouTube Partner Program had already changed in 2017: your channel needed to reach a minimum of 10,000 total views. This year, new eligibility requirements are needed: your channel will have to meet two more criteria.
The YouTube Partner Program allows creators to monetize their content on YouTube. Creators can then generate revenue directly via YouTube thanks to the ads served on their videos, via YouTube Red when subscribers watch their content, and thanks to live functionalities (Superchat, Sponsorship...). Each creator can have access to monetization, provided that:
- The YouTube Partner Program is available in their country
- The Creator's channel reaches a minimum of 10,000 total views
Participating in the YouTube Partner Program not only determines the ability to monetize your content, but also your ability to join a network. If a creator is removed from the YouTube Partner Program by YouTube, he will automatically be dissociated from the network he belonged to.
Two new criteria
YouTube is adding two new conditions to join the YouTube Partner Program. In order to be eligible, a channel will also have to :
- Have at least 1,000 subscribers
- Reach at least 4,000 hours of Watch Time on the last 12 months
Channels that already participated in the YouTube Partner Program but that are no longer eligible will have their membership suspended and will automatically be reviewed as soon as they reach the new criteria. If you never were eligible to the program, you will have to apply for the program to join it. The review and validation process by a YouTube team member usually takes one week. This delay can be increased in certain cases: if the channel gets a strike between the moment of the application and the moment of the review, or if there are too many applications to review.
Remember that the review of your channel also includes the compliance to the YouTube guidelines, so make sure your channel does not showcase content that doesn't belong to you, or inappropriate content for viewers.
If your channel already has an active strike or gets a new strike while applying for the YouTube Partner Program, it won't be eligible and you will have to wait for the strike removal before applying again.
A 30-day period is usually required between each application.
Special case
If your channel is linked to a Managed CMS, it will still be linked to Wizdeo and will continue to have access to the same offer except revenues through AdSense (Superchat and Sponsorship will still be available).
New thresholds to be implemented in February
Creators that already are in the YouTube Partner Program but who are no longer eligible according to this new requirements have received an email that notified them of this change. YouTube will apply the new requirements starting February 20, 2018, and will thus let creators some delay to meet the new criteria. Past this date, channels that don't reach the requirements will be removed from the program and will no longer have access to monetization.
Of course, creators will still have access to the Creator Studio, as well as the Help Center.
In order to maximise your chances, Wizdeo is here to assist you and help you developing your channel, for instance thanks to tools such as Wizdeo Analytics. You can for example find out your subscribers' favorite type of videos to increase traffic from your community, see which videos have the best watch time to get inspiration and offer content that will get your audience's attention and will help you reach the 4,000 hours of Watch Time required on the last 12 months.