25% of YouTube’s paid creators now earning from Shorts

One year after introducing revenue sharing for short-form videos, YouTube disclosed that a notable proportion of creators within YouTube’s Partner Program are now earning from YouTube Shorts, with more than one in four creators earning income through this feature. Considering YouTube’s expansive ad-sharing program, which boasts over 3 million creators, this equates to approximately 750,000 Shorts creators who are actively monetizing their content.

While specific figures regarding payouts to Shorts creators remain undisclosed, YouTube has revealed a staggering $70 billion payout to creators over the past three years, with the majority allocated to long-form content creators. 

The introduction of monetization options for Shorts creators in September 2022 coincided with YouTube’s initiative to expand the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Previously, eligibility for revenue sharing required long-form content creators to attain 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. However, a revised threshold was implemented in early 2023, allowing Shorts creators to qualify with 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over a 90-day period. Under this updated model, creators receive 45% of the ad revenue generated by their short videos.

YouTube highlights that creators enrolled in the partner program for Shorts often explore additional monetization avenues. Over 80% of YPP creators generating income through Shorts also leverage long-form advertising, fan funding, YouTube Premium, BrandConnects, Shopping, and other channels. This indicates that creating for Shorts serves as one aspect of creators’ broader business strategies rather than a standalone endeavor.

With its 16-year-old YPP now encompassing more than 3 million creators worldwide, YouTube’s influence in the creator economy continues to expand. The platform’s commitment to fostering creator success is evident in its substantial payouts, outpacing any other creator monetization platform. This declaration serves as a direct response to competitive pressures, notably from TikTok. The announcement coincides with TikTok’s revelation regarding the remarkable growth of its revamped creator fund, which has experienced a 250% increase in total revenue over the past six months. TikTok’s upgraded fund, introduced to replace the $1 billion Creator Fund, is now poised to exit beta, further solidifying its position in the creator ecosystem.