Youtube Partner Program
What is Youtube Partner Program ?
The YouTube Partner Program allows creators to monetize content on YouTube through a variety of ways including advertisements, paid subscriptions, and merchandise. In addition to joining the Partner Program, Creators can take advantage of the variety of resources, features, and programs that YouTube provides to help you build your channel(s) and your audience.
Benefits of the YouTube Partner Program
As a YouTube Partner, your eligible videos may earn money from relevant ads and/or fees. Other benefits of the Partner Program include:
Expand your earning potential - YouTube is the largest online video community in the world, allowing you to reach a global audience with your monetized content.
Gain flexibility through a non-exclusive agreement - YouTube doesn’t restrict where partners can upload and distribute their content, allowing you to monetize your content on YouTube and elsewhere.
Track and manage your performance - YouTube Analytics provides a variety of reports to help you track your YouTube performance and earnings, and gain insights that may help you improve.
How to join the YouTube Partner Program
You can now sign up for the YouTube Partner Program in more than 60 countries. Please ensure that you meet the criteria for YouTube partnership and then follow the steps to become a partner.
Criteria for YouTube partnership
Your YouTube channel may be eligible for the YouTube Partner Program if it meets the following criteria:
The program has launched in your country.* (If the program is not available in your country, you will see a notification in your monetization settings.)
Your account is in good standing and hasn't previously been disabled for monetization.
You upload original, quality content that is advertiser-friendly.
Your video content complies with our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines.
You have reviewed our copyright education materials.
If you meet these criteria, learn how to become a partner here.
Please note: you may not be able to monetize videos which use any of the following without the explicit permission of the person who created or produced all material:
Music (including cover songs, lyrics, and background music)
Graphics and pictures (including photographs and artwork)
Movie or TV visuals
Video game or software visuals. Click here for details.
Live performances (including concerts, sporting events, and shows)
Users in some countries may still need to apply through an application form.
Become a YouTube partner
Becoming a partner is easy: if your account is eligible, you may opt yourself in to the YouTube Partner Program.
Enable your channel for monetization
To check your channel's eligibility and opt in:
Visit the Monetization tab in your account settings.
If your account is in good standing and hasn't been previously disabled for monetization, click Enable My Account.
Follow the steps to accept the YouTube Monetization agreement.
You may see a different message if your your account is not enabled for monetization.
Monetize your videos
You may enable eligible videos to earn money from relevant ads after you opt in your channel for monetization. This guide has more information about how you can enable monetization for specific videos.
To be considered a YouTube partner and access promotional and skill-building opportunities, you must have at least one video approved for monetization.
Note: you may have applied for partnership but it's not required anymore unless you live in Turkey, Russia, Italy or Ukraine.
More Information Here
Multi-channel networks (MCNs)
Multi-Channel Networks (MCNs, or “networks”) are entities that affiliate with multiple YouTube channels, often to offer content creators assistance in areas including product, programming, funding, cross-promotion, partner management, digital rights management, monetization/sales, and/or audience development. MCNs are not affiliated with or endorsed by YouTube or Google.
Whether or not to join an MCN is an important decision. You should do your homework and make the decision that works for you. Thoroughly investigate the MCN’s track record and evaluate the benefits being promised against your obligations to the network.
Considerations when joining a Multi-Channel Network
If you're not currently a YouTube partner, you may want to learn about the benefits of becoming a individual YouTube partner, including monetization and international support. If you're already a YouTube partner, think about whether joining an MCN is likely to improve your performance. Check out the Ad Performance reports in your YouTube Analyticsto understand your current performance as it relates to what an MCN offers.
Here are a few questions to consider when evaluating whether to join an MCN:
MCN value proposition: How is the MCN different from other YouTube MCNs in terms of services they're offering, creators in the MCN, vertical focus, location, contract, and payments to you? Are their services consistent with your goals?
Contract: What are the terms around leaving the MCN or termination from the MCN? What is the contract length? Note that we discourage contracts that include perpetuity clauses.
Partner support: What type of partner support will you be receiving? Will they help you optimize your channel? Whom can you contact if you have an issue and what is the support turnaround time?
Promotion: How will they promote your channel? Will there be collaboration opportunities with other creators in the MCN, and how likely are you to participate in those?
Transparency: Will you get visibility into your earnings once you join the MCN?
Location/Language: Is the MCN based in your time zone and will this impact support turnaround time? Will they be able to assist you with local opportunities? Are there any language barriers?
Ad sales: Do they have an ad sales team for your region or vertical, and how will that benefit you?
You may wish to consult legal counsel before entering into any agreement with an MCN, so that you fully understand (1) your commitment to the network and (2) what benefits they are committing to you. Note that YouTube is not involved directly in these agreements, as they are between the MCN and you, the channel owner.
Considerations when leaving a Multi-Channel Network
Most MCNs may ask you to enter into a binding agreement when you join. YouTube has no involvement in your agreement, and will not be able to terminate your relationship with that MCN.
If you wish to leave an MCN, you'll need to ask the MCN to release your YouTube channel from their account. YouTube is unable to provide advice regarding disputes between channel owners and MCNs.
Regaining partner status
If you leave an MCN, your channel will revert back to its partnership status from before joining the MCN.
If you weren't a partner before joining the MCN, you may become one, and you can learn more here. If you were a partner before joining the MCN, your account will revert to its original partnership status. It's your responsibility to work with the MCN to ensure all relevant assets are released or transferred to your new account. Assuming you meet all the other criteria for YouTube partnership, you'll need to submit your videos for monetization review.
Monetization is Not available for my account
You can check whether your account is available for monetization on the Monetization tab in your account settings.
Users in some countries may still have to apply for the YouTube Partner Program via an application, in which case the message "This feature is currently not available in your country" will appear.
If you see the message "Your monetization tab has been disabled," this means your account isn't eligible for monetization as it may not be in good standing or may have been disabled for monetization previously.
Opt in to YouTube partner updates
Periodically, the YouTube team will send out updates and optimization tips via email newsletters. In order to receive these updates and tips, you'll need to opt in to receive email communications.
To do this:
Sign in to YouTube.
Visit the Emails section of your Account Settings.
Under the YouTube Newsletters heading, check the box next to General updates (including YouTube Broadcast).
Click Save.
Once you've opted in to receiving these occasional updates, we'll include you in our next partner newsletter and other updates.
Opt out of the YouTube Partner Program
To opt out of the YouTube Partner Program, you may disable ads on your monetized videos. You can do this either from your Video Manager or from your Channel Settings page, by selecting the radio button next to "Do not allow advertisements to be displayed alongside my videos."
YouTube Partner Features
Channel features for YouTube creators
There are many channel features available to help you customize your channel and support your brand. These features are available to all creators who have verified accounts and are in good standing.
Below you’ll find a list of creator features, along with descriptions, criteria and links to instructions. To view what features you are currently eligible for, visit your Account Features page.
Channel features Description Other criteria
Monetization Allows you to earn money from your videos. Meet monetization criteria
Longer videos Allows you to upload videos longer than the standard 15 minute limit.
External annotations Lets you link annotations to external sites or merch partners.
Custom thumbnails Lets you choose your video's thumbnail.
Paid subscriptions Allows you to earn revenue by charging a subscription fee to users who want to watch your videos. Listed here at the bottom of the page
Content ID appeals Lets you appeal rejected Content ID disputes. Have an account older than 30 days
Unlisted and private videos Lets you make your video(s) unlisted or private.
Live events Lets you create a live streaming event.
Series playlists Lets you create a playlist of your videos. Listed here at the bottom of the page
Channel customization Lets you customize your channel with things like branded banners and channel trailers. Hangouts On Air Lets you create a live Hangout On Air event. Have a Google+ profile
Scheduled Publishing
Scheduled publishing allows partners to schedule a private video to go public at a later time. The video will remain private until the specified scheduled publish time.
You can schedule a video publish time only if you set the video as private or scheduled on the upload landing page. The scheduled publishing feature allows you to precisely choose the date, time, and time zone at which you want your video to be sent to subscribers.
After you have selected a scheduled publish time, you can adjust the scheduled time, or publish the video immediately by setting it as public in the video manager.
Go to your Video Manager page. You will see a Scheduled icon next to the video in question.
Click the Edit icon next to the scheduled video
In the Privacy settings, you can adjust the scheduled publish time accordingly, or change the video to Public to publish it immediately.
Merch annotations
Merch annotations provide creators a way to promote their licensed merchandise directly in their videos. To use Merch annotations you need to verify your account and make sure it is in good standing. You can check if your channel meets this criteria on the YouTube Settings/Features
Enable external annotation links
To create Merch annotations, you first need to enable external annotation links:
Navigate to your account Annotations tool.At the top of the menu you'll see a banner that says “Enable your account for external annotation links.” Click the Enable button on this banner.Accept the Terms & Conditions. Create a Merch annotation
Once you've enabled external annotations links, you can create links from your videos to approved external retail sites where you sell related merchandise.
By using this feature, you agree that you will only link to merchandise that you directly own/license. Violating any of the Terms & Conditions can result in the removal of this feature or your partnership status.
From your Video Manager, click the downwards arrow next to the "Edit" button of the video you want to change, then click Annotations.Click the Add annotation button to create a new annotation, or select an existing annotation.Check the 'Link' checkbox to add a retail url, then choose the Merch category in the drop-down menu.When you’ve placed an approved retailer link and have finished editing your annotation, select Save and/or Publish.
Please note that video playback stops when a user clicks an annotation in your video, which can impact your watch time metrics.
Approved retailers and example links
Merch Annotations can link to your storefront or an individual product. URLs entered into the annotations editor must be formatted correctly in order to link correctly.
YouTube Shows
A YouTube show is an episodic or consistently themed web series consisting of a cast along with one or various topics, styles, and/or storylines. A viewer can subscribe directly to a show as opposed to an entire channel.
All episodes in a show are created by a single partner, organized into seasons and delivered consistently. Episodes may be ad-supported, purchased by rental or not monetized at all.
Does my channel qualify for the Shows feature?
The Shows feature is in limited release to partners. For examples of current shows, please visit Youtube Show Examples
The YouTube Shows feature is only available to select YouTube partners. Partners who have been approved for this feature have presented us with examples of web series that
have thematic consistency,have a consistent cast, topic, style, and/or stroryline,
are episodic, and have the ability to be segmented into seasons.
Why can't I create a new show?
We are in the process of more deeply integrating the Shows feature with other parts of YouTube, such as channels and playlists. The new series playlist feature is a great way to organize your episodic content moving forward.
