YouTube has updated its eligibility requirements, allowing channels with 500 subscribers to start earning money, a significant reduction from the previous threshold of 1000 subscribers. This change aims to support smaller creators and give them a better chance to succeed on the platform. Along with the subscriber count, the watch hour criteria has been lowered from 4000 hours to 3000 hours. For channels focused on creating shorts, the eligibility view count has also been decreased to 3 million from the previous 10 million, opening up opportunities for smaller content creators to monetize their work.
These changes will initially roll out in the United States, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, and South Korea before expanding to other regions. Although the eligibility criteria have been adjusted, the method of earning through ad revenue remains the same, requiring creators to reach a broad audience to generate income.
Similar to YouTube, other platforms like TikTok have also introduced incentives for content creators, such as the paywalled Series feature, which is now accessible to creators with over 10,000 followers, with additional requirements allowing access for those with 1,000 followers. The Series feature enables creators to offer premium content behind a paywall, providing an additional revenue stream.
