To monetize your YouTube channel, understanding the watch time requirements is essential. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of what you need to know:
4,000 Watch Hours in the Past 12 Months
The primary watch time requirement for monetization is achieving 4,000 valid public watch hours within the last 12 months. This ensures that your channel has a consistent level of engagement and viewership over a sustained period.
Public Watch Hours Only
Only watch time from public videos counts toward the 4,000-hour threshold. This excludes:
- Private Videos: Watch time from private videos is not included.
- Unlisted Videos: Similar to private videos, watch time from unlisted videos does not count.
- Deleted Videos: Any watch time from videos that you delete also does not contribute.
- Ad Views: Watch time from YouTube ads does not count towards the watch time requirement.
Live Streams
Watch time from live streams is included as long as the streams are public and remain on your channel after the live session ends. This can significantly contribute to your watch time if your live streams attract a large audience.
YouTube Shorts
For channels focusing on YouTube Shorts, different metrics apply. Shorts views do not count toward the 4,000 watch hours requirement. Instead, there are two main paths to monetization:
- 10 Million Shorts Views: Accumulate 10 million valid public Shorts views within the last 90 days.
- Alternative Watch Time: Combine the Shorts views with the traditional watch time requirement by having either the 4,000 valid public watch hours or 10 million valid public Shorts views.
Adherence to Policies
Your content must comply with all YouTube’s policies and guidelines, including:
- Community Guidelines
- Terms of Service
- Google AdSense Program Policies
Importance of Watch Time
Watch time is a critical factor not only for monetization but also for YouTube’s algorithm. Channels with higher watch time are more likely to be recommended and promoted by YouTube, thus increasing their visibility and potential to attract more subscribers.
Conclusion
Meeting YouTube’s watch time requirement of 4,000 hours within the last 12 months is a key milestone for monetizing your channel. For creators focusing on YouTube Shorts, accumulating 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days is an alternative path. Ensuring compliance with YouTube’s policies and guidelines is also essential. Understanding and focusing on these metrics will help you strategize your content creation effectively to achieve monetization.
For more personalized strategies and support in boosting your watch time and viewership, BestYouTubeViews.com offers tailored services to help you meet YouTube’s monetization criteria and maximize your channel’s potential.
