Google revamps the eligibility requirements to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) overnight. It has switched from 10,000 lifetime views to 4,000 hours of watch-time within the past 12 months and 1,000 subscribers.
The major factors for making these changes overnight are protecting the creator ecosystem, preventing bad actors, and inspiring original creators who make their living on YouTube.
Google said “We’ve arrived at these new thresholds after thorough analysis and conversations with creators like you. They will allow us to significantly improve our ability to identify creators who contribute positively to the community and help drive more ad revenue to them and prevent potentially inappropriate videos from monetizing which can hurt revenue for everyone.”
Marissa, Google’s YouTube Community Manager, said in the YouTube Help forums:
- If you haven’t yet applied to the YouTube Partner Program: You can apply and we’ll review your application as soon as your channel reaches the new threshold. During the review process, we evaluate your channel activity –things like uploaded videos, strikes, views, subs, and watch time— to ensure it adheres to the YouTube Partner Program policies, YouTube Terms of Service, YouTube spam policies, and our Community Guidelines.
- If your application is currently pending review: We know many of you have pending YPP applications. If you meet the new threshold, your pending application will be reviewed in the next few weeks so look out for an email update around then. If you do not meet the new threshold then your application will be reviewed once you reach the 4,000 watch hours / 1,000 subscribers milestone.
- If you’re currently part of the YouTube Partner Program: This new requirement applies to existing channels who are currently part of the YouTube Partner Program so if you’re below the threshold, you’ll have until February 20th, 2018 before ads stop running on your videos. If you reach the new threshold during the grace period, you will not be removed from the program.
- If you reach the new threshold some time between now and February 20th, 2018, you will automatically be re-evaluated for the program (without needing to re-apply). Our YouTube Creator Academy has many tips on how to build your channel, such as how to make great original content and growing your audience.