Navigating YouTube's Partner Program: Avoiding Rejection
Written on
Understanding YouTube's Partner Program
The allure of earning money on YouTube is enticing, especially with advice from creators like Burk, who advocates for faceless channels as a simpler way to monetize content. However, there are significant risks involved that potential creators need to be aware of.
In my own experience, I have tried launching several YouTube channels, focusing on various themes such as:
- Humorous animal videos
- Health and wellness content
- Music compilations
Among these, it was my animal compilation channel that I sought to monetize through the YouTube Partner Program. One of the videos unexpectedly went viral, leading to a surge in views that enabled the channel to meet the application threshold, despite my lack of uploads for nearly a year.
To my surprise, I discovered that the Partner Program has strict rules against compilations. Even though I utilized only Creative Commons footage, it still violated their guidelines. YouTube favors original content or videos that enhance the source material.
Here’s a look at my channel's most popular video:
Exploring Health and Nutrition
Health and nutrition have always piqued my interest, prompting me to create videos on these subjects. While it was engaging, it required significant effort in terms of research and scripting. Unfortunately, this effort didn't yield a worthwhile return on investment.
Although I garnered enough subscribers to qualify for the Partner Program, the viewing hours fell short. I won't disclose the channel link since I used my own voice, and I prefer to keep my identity private on Medium.
Creating Music Videos
Making music videos was a lot of fun and relatively easy, given the abundance of royalty-free music available. YouTube even provides a library of tunes that can be freely used. There are also numerous other sources where one can find free music, including Creative Commons licensed tracks uploaded by artists.
Finding visual content is equally straightforward. For instance, platforms like Pexels.com offer a variety of royalty-free videos, including beautiful scenes of nature. Combining serene visuals with soothing music results in captivating videos that viewers appreciate.
Unfortunately, my music channel still lacks the necessary subscribers and viewing hours to meet the Partner Program criteria. If I intend to develop it further, it will require considerable effort.
Here’s a music video I enjoyed creating, featuring stunning beach and mountain scenery paired with relaxing chillout music:
Another video showcases upbeat electronic music with a vibrant city vibe:
For those seeking an atmospheric experience, here's a journey through space, culminating in a flight over clouds:
The Future of My YouTube Journey
At this point, I find myself uncertain about my future on YouTube. While I appreciate the clarity regarding my animal channel, I can now redirect my focus elsewhere.
As for my music videos, they might eventually qualify for the Partner Program, but I worry about whether they would adhere to the content rules, given that they rely heavily on pre-existing materials.
Maintaining my health channel continuously presents a challenge. Although I have a keen interest in health topics, I’m not inclined to produce content on them all the time.
Nevertheless, I remain open to exploring new opportunities. After all, possibilities are endless.
Key Insights on YouTube Monetization
While reviewing my earnings over the past few months, I noticed a common thread among my highest-earning articles...