The big news over night was that Google announced changes to the eligibility requirements to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Previously, the requirement was 10,000 lifetime views. Google said now the new requirement is 4,000 hours of watch-time within the past 12 months and 1,000 subscribers.
So I rushed to make sure I was able to keep the $229 I made in the past 12 months within this program and checked my watch time minutes in the past 12 months and I saw I had 277,000 watch minutes in the past 12 months.
So I am safe. Google's YouTube Community Manager, Marissa, 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.
Forum discussion at YouTube Help.
