YouTube Makes Huge Changes to its Partner Program

YouTube has made some massive new changes to its YouTube Partner Program.

Yesterday, the video-sharing platform announced new requirements for creators that want to apply to its monetization program.

Now, YouTubers will need to amass 4,000 hours of watch time on their channel within the past 12 months and 1,000 subscribers, before they’re eligible to apply.

This is a huge increased in watch time compared to past requirements, where channels only needed 10,000 lifetime views before a creator was eligible to apply.

The new change is officially in effect. As of February 20, 2018 it will be enforced on all existing channels. This means smaller channels that are not meeting the new requirements will no longer be able to make money off their videos.

The new program requirements mark some of the biggest changes to YouTube’s advertising rules since the launch of the platform in 2005.

“We’ve arrived at these new thresholds after thorough analysis and conversations with creators like you,” YouTube said, in a blog post. “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 away from bad actors).”

YouTube claims the new changes have been put in place in order to tackle the problem spammers and impersonators, and to prevent inappropriate videos from becoming monetized.

But many creators have protested on Twitter, claiming smaller channels are going to take a massive hit.

Ok great @YouTube, you raised the bar for smaller creators. A perfectly resonable response considering most of the problems alienating advertisers have been caused by some of your largest channels. #YouTube #clueless

— David Collins (@mrdavidcollins) January 17, 2018

But these new monetization rules for YouTube will unmotivate a lot of channels just imagine getting a video with 500k views but don't get anything for it because you have to reach 1000 subs #Youtube #Youtuber #Youtubers

— Jay (@Jikizy) January 17, 2018

When YouTube makes it feel like all of the work you put into reaching 10k views to get monetization again was for nothing and changes the requirements on you for something that a bigger creator did. It genuinely feels like a slap in the face #YouTube

— Christina deH. (@ShrtrThnThEasel) January 17, 2018

There’s no way of calculating the exact time increase from past requirements to the new 4,000 hour rule, but some sources speculate that thirty seconds of watched video counted as one view.

You do the maths.

Regardless, YouTube has made it that much harder for the “little guy” to make a living off uploading videos. Aspiring YouTube stars are going to have to work harder than ever, if they want to someday join the YouTube Partner Program.

What are your thoughts on the recent changes to YouTube’s Partner Program? Let us know in the comments below…