How to Monetize YouTube Shorts: Start Making the Money You Deserve!

For a while, content creators weren’t quite sure about whether or not it was possible to earn on Shorts. After all, it’s still unclear how the platform counts views when it comes to bite-size content, so how on earth are the earnings of a creator going to be counted? 

Thankfully, the platform introduced revenue sharing a couple of years ago. And now that everyone has had a chance to dive deep into all the aspects of the policy, we can answer the question “Can you monetize YouTube Shorts?” with a resounding YES.

Here is everything that you need to know. 

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The Basics

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it's important to understand that how you make money off of Shorts is different from traditional YouTube videos. 

The platform has a unique revenue-sharing model designed just for short-form content, so it's essential to understand these differences when you're planning your content strategy.

YouTube Shorts Monetization Policy

If you want to start making money from your Shorts, you'll need to meet some criteria set by YouTube. There are two ways you can do this:

How Much Can You Actually Earn?

While earnings can vary quite a lot, understanding what the typical rates and YouTube monetization requirements for Shorts are can help you set realistic expectations.

Shorts usually bring in between 0.01 and 0.06 per 1,000 views. That means:

• 100,000 views might earn you $1-$6
• 1 million views could generate $10-$60
• 10 million views might result in $100-$600

How Does the Shorts Revenue Sharing Work?

YouTube's approach to monetizing Shorts is pretty unique, with a system called the "Creator Pool" that's quite different from traditional video monetization. 

What’s the Creator Pool?

The Creator Pool is how the platform shares the revenue generated from ads shown between Shorts each month. This is how the money is distributed among the creators:

• YouTube brings all the money from the ads on Shorts Feed together in one pot.
• The revenue is split between the creators and the cost of licensing the music.
• Creators get paid based on how many views they bring in.
• In the end, creators will take home 45% of the revenue, while YouTube will get 55%.

The 55% then gets used to cover infrastructure costs (servers, bandwidth, storage), fund the development and maintenance of the platform, pay for content moderation, and support YouTube's overall operations and business costs.

It’s worth noting that when it comes to the traditional long-form content, the split is 55/45 with creators getting the larger share. This might be because the YouTube Shorts monetization model is a bit more complex. 

What About Music Licensing? 

If you use music in your shorts, the money gets split up differently, further complicating the process:

• If there is no music in the Shorts, the revenue goes straight to the Creator Pool.
• If you have used a song in your clip, the revenue will be split between the Creator Pool and music publishers.
• In case a few tracks have been used, the total will get split up even more. 

These rules work with copyrighted music that has been added to the video via the platform’s audio library. When a creator adds one of the audio files to their video using the Shorts creation tools, a special Content ID claim is generated automatically.

If you add tracks without using these tools, the music authors will not get a part of the revenue. But remember that such tracks are still eligible for standard copyright claims. 

How Do You Get Paid on YouTube Shorts? 

The funds will reach you through your chosen payment method. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how you can finally get your hands on your earnings:

1. Join the YPP.
2. Verify your identity and address.
3. Submit your tax info (yes, it’s a must).
4. Select a payment method (wire transfer, check, Electronic Funds Transfer, etc.).
5. Meet the payment threshold by the end of the month (it’s typically $100). 
6. If you don’t meet the payment threshold, your earnings will continue to accrue. 

You can become part of the YPP if you are a resident of one of these countries.

Is There a Way to Maximize Your Earnings?

Unfortunately, simply creating amazing content is not enough to start earning on your videos. You would also have to develop a posting strategy and consistently monitor the key metrics. 

These tips will help you turn YouTube into a consistent stream of income:

Developing the Right Content Strategy

• You need a consistent posting schedule
• Consider creating series-based content
• Always follow the community guidelines
• Create advertiser-friendly content (your videos should not contain inappropriate language, violence, controversial issues, and so on)

Keep Your Audience Engaged

How to Monetize YouTube Shorts: Alternative Methods

While ad revenue is the main way creators make money, many of them also have other sources of income.

Brand Deals

• It's all about building a consistent niche and personal brand so companies can easily understand and align with you. It doesn't matter if you're creating tech reviews, fitness content, or cooking videos, staying focused helps brands see how you can help them reach their marketing goals.
• Create a strong portfolio of Shorts that have steady viewership and engagement. Most brands want creators with at least 10,000 subscribers and lots of consistent views, but requirements can vary. Show that your audience is active and engaged through comments and shares.
• Put together a media kit that shows off your stats, audience, and any previous wins you've had. 
• Get out there and network! There are all sorts of ways to make connections in your niche: join up with creator groups, go to industry events, and get in touch with brands you'd like to work with. Lots of creators have found their first gigs through sites like AspireIQ or Grapevine, where influencers connect with brands.
• When you're reaching out to companies directly, make your pitch personal. Explain why your audience would like their products and how you can create content that's interesting to them. It'd also be a good idea to show them a short example of your work, so they can see what you're about and get a sense of your creative vision for the partnership.

If you manage to land a great brand deal, you won’t have to fully rely on YouTube Shorts monetization, and that’s always a great thing.

Affiliate Marketing

• The best way to get your affiliate products out there is to integrate them into your content organically. Don't just make promotional videos—focus on providing genuine value through tutorials, reviews, or lifestyle content where the product naturally fits in.
• It's always best to let people know when you're working with an affiliate. Most people are fine with this — they just appreciate a heads-up, either in a text overlay or a quick mention. It actually helps build credibility rather than deterring viewers.
• Since Shorts don't allow clickable links, use memorable, simple URLs or codes. Put these in both your video overlay and description. You might also want to think about creating a link-in-bio landing page that houses all your affiliate offers.

Always Maintain Technical Standards

How much does YouTube Shorts pay for 1k views? The answer won’t really matter if you fail to create quality content that directly impacts its monetization potential. 

Here are a few quick tips:

• Record in at least 1080p resolution for optimal clarity
• Ensure proper lighting (natural light or ring lights work well)
• Maintain steady footage using a tripod or stabilizer
• Film in vertical format
• Keep frame rates consistent (30fps is standard)

Platform Compliance Checklist

To be able to take advantage of YouTube Shorts monetization, you would have to make sure that your content is not violating any community guidelines.

• Original content only
• No watermarks from other platforms
• Appropriate content rating
• Copyright compliance
• Community guidelines adherence

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Can you monetize YouTube Shorts without 1000 followers? Monetizing your videos without a thousand followers is, unfortunately, impossible.

By the way, even if you have the necessary number of subscribers, you might not be able to earn a dollar, if you fail to avoid these common mistakes:

• Reposting content from other creators
• Using copyrighted material without permission
• Artificially inflating views
• Using misleading thumbnails or titles

Creating Shorts Has Never Been This Easy!

If you want to monetize your Shorts content, you'll need to make sure it's top quality and consistent. That's where BigMotion comes in. It's an all-in-one tool that makes your whole content creation process easier. You can use it to write scripts, record voices, and add captions. In minutes, you can have a professional-quality Shorts video.

Our platform helps you:

• Generate unique video content automatically
• Access high-quality AI voiceovers
• Create engaging captions
• Maintain consistent posting schedules
• Scale your content production efficiently