Ever wondered how to make monetize YouTube channel? The journey to successful YouTube monetization starts with understanding one thing: it’s less about luck and more about strategy. If you're a creator asking, "how to monetize YouTube" or specifically "how to monetize videos on YouTube," the answer lies squarely in the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). This isn't just about turning on ads; it’s about building a community and engaging with the audience itself with quality content.
Let's break down the real steps, the essential rules how to monetize YouTube channel, and how to genuinely accelerate growth, even with outside support from promotional services like Trendly.
The Core of Earning: What is the YouTube Partner Program?
The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is the official framework that allows creators to earn revenue directly from their channel. It’s essentially a contract with YouTube that unlocks all the ways you can make money on the platform. Once you’re in, you gain access to multiple powerful revenue streams:
Ad Revenue: Sharing the money from the ads that play on your long-form videos and even in the Shorts Feed. This is what most people think of when they talk about how to monetize YouTube channel.
Fan Funding Features: This includes memberships, where fans pay a monthly fee for perks; Super Chat and Super Stickers during live streams; and Super Thanks on regular videos, allowing viewers to tip you.
YouTube Premium Revenue: You get a cut of the subscription fee when a Premium user watches your content without ads.
YouTube Shopping: The ability to promote and sell your own official merchandise directly beneath your videos.
Monetize YouTube Channel: The Requirements
Before you can hit that "Apply Now" button, you have to prove you're a committed, responsible creator. This is why YouTube sets clear YouTube monetization requirements. Think of them as proof that you can consistently deliver engaging content and follow the rules.
The Full YPP Threshold (Unlocking Ad Revenue)
To get access to all the earning features, including ad revenue sharing, you need to meet all the following requirements:
1.You must have 1,000 subscribers.
2.You need to accumulate either 4,000 valid public watch hours on your long-form videos in the last 12 months, OR 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.
3.You must have no active Community Guidelines strikes on your channel.
4.You must live in a country where the YPP is available.
5.You need to have 2-Step Verification turned on for your Google Account.
6.You must have a linked and active AdSense for YouTube account, as this is the system Google uses to pay you.
The Expanded YPP Threshold (Early Access to Fan Funding)
YouTube also offers an earlier entry point for fan funding features. You can apply if you meet these lower criteria, which can help you start generating a small income while working toward the main goals:
1.You must have 500 subscribers.
2.You must have uploaded at least 3 valid public videos in the last 90 days.
3.You need to accumulate either 3,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months, OR 3 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Navigating the How-To: How to Monetize YouTube Videos
Once you've crushed the YouTube monetization requirements, the actual application is straightforward, but the review process is rigorous.
1.Head to YouTube Studio: Find the "Earn" section in the left-hand menu.
2.Apply and Accept Terms: Click "Apply Now" and review the Base Terms for the YPP.
3.Link AdSense: You will be prompted to link your channel to a new or existing AdSense account. If you don't have one, this is the time to create it.
4.The Human Review: After accepting the terms, your channel enters the review queue. Real people, along with automated systems, will check your entire channel—focusing on your most-viewed videos, newest videos, and video metadata (titles, thumbnails, descriptions)—to ensure it follows all YouTube guidelines monetization. This process can take up to a month.
5.Turn On Earning Features: Once approved, go back to the "Earn" section to activate the different modules you qualify for, such as Watch Page Ads or Memberships. You then select which of your videos you want to have ads on.
Creator Responsibility: YouTube Guidelines Monetization and Policy
Authenticity and compliance are the keys to long-term success. Violating YouTube guidelines monetization can lead to demonetization, or worse, channel termination, regardless of your subscriber count. Your content must adhere to several core policies:
Originality and Reusability: Your content should be yours. If you use third-party content (like music or clips), you must have permission or make significant, creative changes to make it your own (Fair Use).
Community Guidelines: Absolutely no harmful, violent, explicit, or hateful content.
Advertiser-Friendly Guidelines: Your content should be suitable for a general audience. Topics that are overly shocking, feature inappropriate language early on, or promote dangerous acts may still be allowed on YouTube but can be flagged as not eligible for ad revenue (yellow icon).
Creator Integrity: Don't engage in deceptive practices. This means not artificially inflating your views, subscribers, or watch time.
The Growth Strategy: Accelerating Watch Hours with Trendly
The hardest part for any new creator is getting those thousands of views that turn into the required 4,000 watch hours. You can make great content, but if no one sees it, you can’t get monetized. This is where strategic, genuine promotion comes into play.
A service like Trendly can connect you to the necessary initial awareness and traffic to put your channel on the map. Here’s why this matters:
Driving Initial Watch Hours: Trendly can promote your videos to a wider, relevant audience outside of your current reach. This influx of targeted viewers directly boosts your total watch hours and helps you cross the required threshold much faster than relying solely on the fickle algorithm.
Feeding the Algorithm: When a service successfully drives a large amount of real traffic to your channel, it tells the YouTube algorithm that your content is valuable and worth watching. This positive signal encourages the algorithm to start recommending your videos organically, creating a powerful feedback loop of views and growth.
Legitimate Growth: Look for promotion methods that drive real, quality viewers, not bots. Genuine promotion is about getting the right eyes on your work, which translates into authentic engagement, real subscribers, and ultimately, approved YouTube monetization.
By combining authentic, rule-abiding content with a smart strategy to drive awareness—like using a trusted promotion service to get that initial traction—you can significantly accelerate your journey into the YouTube Partner Program.
Don't wait for success to find you; build the systems to make success inevitable. Are you ready to take the next step and start creating your first strategically promoted video?
