YouTube Change Monetization Guidelines Again

YouTube Monetization Guidelines

It’s a move that was bound to annoy the community, but YouTube has decided again to shift the goalposts again in regards to the monetization process of videos. The new changes, however, may see a significant number of low-level YouTube content creators completely expunged from all potential revenue making.

The changes, being applied yesterday, are quite significant and in addition to the already disgruntled community, will see a massive number removed from monetization entirely. The removal of monetization is a big enough problem for some YouTube content creators so this will be, for many, the final coup de gras.

The new guidelines require that for a user to qualify for monetization they must:

• Achieve over 4,000 hours of viewing time over a 12 month period.
• Reach 1,000 subscribers.

This is a massive change from the current rules which only required users to have 10,000 views on their channel. With this, they qualified for monetization in the Partnership Program.

It’s been hard enough for some content creators, but these changes, as reported via Polygon, may have just completely removed them from the system completely. With no possibility of earning money unless they get lucky.

Why the changes?

YouTube has been undergoing various changes to try and make itself more ‘advert friendly’. This after a recent controversy regarding advertisers showing up on videos they deemed inappropriate for the brand. The infamous algorithm has been criticised for many reasons, largely for the arbitrary removal of monetization of videos. It did also, however, include a complete mess up of a supposed kids channel allowing completely unsuitable content to air.

The bottom line is that the change is either to save money, make YouTube more money or to try to get a handle on the advertiser situation. Any way you look at it the bottom line is that the change is going to completely write out a significant number of the low-level YouTube community. A part which, incidentally, is struggling enough as it is.

I honestly really sympathise with them. It’s hard enough to get a community of followers in any format these days. Let alone to, in addition, try to make a living from it. With YouTube continually shifting the goalposts, one fears that it’s only 1 or 2 more changes from causing a mass exodus. Being honest… could you blame them?

What do you think? Is it impossible to make a living on YouTube any more? Are they risking alienating their community and in addition, losing more money? Will a competitor take over? – Let us know in the comments!