YouTube's Monetization Requirements Are Changing And I Hate How It's Impacting My Mindset...

Back in March, I finally started my YouTube channel after talking myself out of it and putting it off for a long time. It's still an itsy-bitsy corner of the internet, and I still have plenty of things to figure out when it comes to my videos, but I'm having fun, and that's all that matters to me right now.

That doesn't mean I don't think about things like monetization. It's not a goal I'm actively chasing per se. If anything, I see it more as a potential supplemental income covering incidentals like upgrading my filming setup or replacing my eyeliner (because I don't feel like myself without it) rather than a full-time income I'd be putting towards essentials like rent.

But even though I told myself I would not fixate on analytics, I still peek at them daily and I still have that beat of excitement when I see them play a game that my coworkers call "Number-Go-Up."

I've also followed a few creators who are more in on the ins and outs of YouTube ever since I was doing an excessive amount of research before getting my own channel up and running.

This past Monday, a post from Aprilynne Alter caught my attention.

I'm including a screenshot of the infographic here. To sum it up, YouTube's monetization requirements are changing.

Additionally, here's the link to her post if you'd like to read it in its entirety, as well as a link to YouTube's blog post announcing the change.

The current requirements for applying for the YouTube Partner Program are 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 qualified watch hours in the past year or 10 million Shorts views over the past 90 days.

Starting February 1, 2027, the threshold is 8,000 qualified watch hours in the past year or 20 million Shorts views in the past 90 days.

"Fan-funded" things like channel memberships will remain at the benchmark of having 500 subscribers, three video uploads in the past 90 days, and either 3,000 watch hours in the past year or 3 million Shorts views in the past 90 days.

Creators who are already part of YPP by February 1, 2027 will not be affected by these changes. But for those of us who are nowhere near meeting that criteria, it came as a disheartening surprise.

A couple of disclaimers before I continue rambling:

I will be the first person to admit that I am probably the last person you should be going to YouTube for advice, or really anything to do with content creation, especially where monetization of that content is concerned. I'm fumbling my way through this.

Second, this post (and companion video on my channel if I can make it work with my hectic schedule this week) is not meant to have me be the guest of honor at a pity party.

My opinions are based on what I know in this current moment. I might be wrong. Take this all with a grain of salt and kindly correct me in the comments if necessary.

I want to start my rambling with the comment I left on the above post from Aprilynne Alter, since it covers basically everything I want to touch on here.

I appreciate you filling us in. 💜 I saw this yesterday but wanted to wait until I had a chance to sit with my feelings before responding.

My channel is super new and itsy-bitsy and admittedly pretty niche so, in a way, I don't feel like the change has impacted me too too much. I'm nowhere near the threshold for monetizing my channel (and for what it's worth, it's not something I'm actively chasing, per se. I wouldn't say no to monetization if the opportunity arose, of course, but it's mostly a hobby right now amid crazy hours at my day job and my chronic illness, etc.). I think I'd be more torn up about it if I'd just crossed 2K watch hours; being at the halfway point only to hear the goalpost was being moved would probably come as a bigger blow to me in that scenario than it is for current-me, who's viewing my channel more as a potential supplemental income going towards incidentals rather than essentials.

That said, I still felt that heart-sinking twinge when I saw the post. I want it to feel empowering, like a new challenge I and other creators would be excited to take on. That feeling of "ohh THAT'S how you wanna play, huh?" when you're playing Mario Kart and everybody decides to hurl their banana peels at you specifically just because, instead of the dejection others have expressed in the comments. But, yeah, it's disheartening for those who have been putting in a consistent effort.

We still have time to get to 4K before February (growth challenge name incoming maybe?? 👀), and like you've mentioned, there's more than one way to monetize your content outside of YPP if that's your ambition.

I'll be keeping an eye out for updates and more information on these changes. Thanks again!

Like I've mentioned, I'm not actively chasing monetizing my channel in any substantial capacity. I want to keep it as much of a for-fun sidequest as I can, and I don't see it becoming a full-time thing for me, just as I don't see writing being a full-time thing.

I do think I'd be more devastated about these changes if I were closer to that 4,000-hour line; for the sake of transparency, I'm currently at 88 hours and 51 subscribers after roughly five months of posting weekly, and nowhere near the current requirements. If I'd just crossed the 2K mark and knew I was halfway there, only for the goalpost to be moved, I would be absolutely crushed.

I'm fully aware that my monetization goals are different than many creators', and for those who do want to be full-time creators on the platform and have been working toward the current metrics, it sucks to hear.

I'm not totally blasé about this, though. In fact, this announcement from YouTube actually forced me to have a bit of a reckoning: turns out, I do want to monetize my channel.

Monetizing my YouTube channel was something I saw as nice to have if it came to be, and something that would probably take a couple of years to achieve. I was totally fine with that.

With the updated requirements, there's a deadline being imposed. If you're not already in the YPP by February 1st, no matter how close you were to the current metrics on January 31st, it'll become a lot harder to get in. Essentially, it feels like it's now or never.

As many have pointed out, there's still time. And of course, many creators are expressing their concerns over the changes and sharing their best tips for growing your audience and reaching 4k watch hours before February. It's still totally doable, in theory.

But right now, it doesn't feel that way.

Between my day job (that's currently in extended hours for the summer as I'm writing this), my chronic illness, and other factors, I'm currently not in a spot where I can film, edit, and post multiple videos every week, even though so many creators will tell you that's what you've got to do to grow on the platform. It's not about how much I or another creator might want it, it's about what's realistic.

Because the last thing I want to do is burn myself out trying to get my channel monetized.

In a way, I kind of hate that I'm even looking at it from this lens. What's started as and up until now has been intended to be for-fun thing is pivoting into a territory I've wanted to steer clear of. It's becoming about locking in now so it's not harder later on.

Over the past week, I've been making plans for both this blog and my channel. With summer hours winding down at work, I'll be able to get back into a more structured routine with my writing. I actually spent a little bit of today tweaking a few blog posts that'll be going up in September.

I still want my channel to be a for-fun thing. I don't want to make monetization my priority, because it's never been that for me.

I hate that I can't shake this feeling. That now that I've finally gotten past my own self-consciousness and started putting my introverted self out there, the goalposts are being pushed back.

I'd be interested in seeing where others stand with these changes to YPP, especially creators who have gotten a foot in the door and feel like it's been slammed in their face. Share your thoughts in the comments if you're so inclined.