YouTube Partner Program Kicks Small YouTubers
YouTube has become for many people a way to earn an online income over the last few years.
Until now, everyone could start a YouTube channel and earn a small income by displaying ads on their videos if they met the minimum requirements of the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).
The only requirement to be accepted in YouTube’s Partner Program until now was to have at least 10,000-lifetime views for your channel.
In January 2018, YouTube representants Neal Mohan, and Robert Kyncl have announced on YouTube’s official blog that the rules to be accepted in YouTube Partner Program are going to be tightened and the changes will also affect the existing channels that don’t meet these requirements.
The new rules have already started to be applied to the new channels that request to join the monetization program, but this will also take effect for the existing channels since February 20th, 2018.
Therefore, there are only several weeks until the small YouTube channels will be kicked from YouTube Partner program.
According to the official announcement, the new rules for being eligible to monetize YouTube channels are:
- At least 1,000 subscribers
- A minimum 4,000 hours of watch time within the past 12 months
The 4,000 hours of view time seems to be the condition that’s the hardest to meet for many small YouTubers. Many channels that only have short videos published will be affected by this new rule and will lose the right of participating in YouTube’s monetization program.
YouTube representants have argued that the motives behind these changes are the desire of improving the quality of their advertising platform.
Some people have even speculated that these changes took place because the Logan Paul scandal when this well-known vlogger has filmed and posted on his YouTube channel a video with the body of a person who committed suicide.
Despite this event, YouTube representants have decided to allow the popular vlogger to continue to monetize his videos.
How many channels will be affected?
No one knows for sure how many YouTube channels will be affected by the changes of these new rules.
However, as YouTube representants also mentioned, these changes will affect a significant number of channels.
As good news, they have also stated that the channels which no longer meet the new rules will be paid what they’ve already earned before being kicked from the monetization program.
People’s response
As you can probably tell, this news hasn’t made too many people happy. In fact, I don’t think it made anyone happy except the YouTube advertisers.
This decision has caused dissatisfaction and even panic among the people with a small YouTube channel that were active members of this monetization program.
To reach the minimum number of subscribers, people have found an ingenious solution. More precisely, the comments section of the official blog where the new rules have been originally announced has started to be flooded with subscriber exchange requests.
You subscribe to my channel and I will subscribe to your channel.
Now, the comments area looks like a full-fledged exchange market.
Many YouTubers have also expressed their anger, frustration, or upset concerning the changes made to the YouTube Partner Program on videos published on their channels.
The videos covering this subject also seem to have attracted many views (and probably new subscribers). This move might’ve just helped some YouTubers to reach the new requirements.
Conclusion
Honestly, I feel sorry for the people who have put their hopes in YouTube’s Partner Program and now YouTube has kicked them out.
That’s also a strong lesson for all of us (the people who are working online).
You should never put all your eggs in the same basket, especially when your earnings depend on a platform you have no control over.
That’s a powerful example w of why you should start building assets you can control, like a blog, or an email list.
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