- 2,641
- 25
- Subscriber Goal
- 250000
A lot of people take issue with YouTube requiring creators to garner 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours before they are able to monetize their videos. And I understand the basic argument; you put a lot of time and effort into your content and why should you be required to meet the seemingly momentous milestones before you are able to do so? But I'm here to tell you that these requirements are a good thing. They work in your favor, and I'll tell you why.
YouTube Is A Grind
You've heard it said many times. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Be prepared for the long-haul. However you decide to turn the phrase the fact of the matter that when you are just beginning you are adding drops of value into a sea of content. That isn't to say you are not providing value, but your work is at the mercy of a vast ocean of content complete with it's own ecosystem of squalls, tides, heavy waves and doldrums. And this is exactly why these requirements are so beneficial to you. Because if you take a step back from the shoreline you will see that everybody else is suffering from the same problems.
You Make More By Making Less Early
First and foremost it needs to be said that by disallowing monetization of creators before they meet the YPP Requirements YouTube is setting a fantastic precedent for advertisers. Because only seasoned creators with proven track records can even get an ad on their video the quality of the content that advertisers are putting their ads on increases, thereby increasing the value of putting ads on videos in general. Which means that when you are able to put ads on your videos they will be worth more. By looking at the amount of views it typically takes to reach 1k/4k on average you are missing out on about +/- $160, and while that may sound like a lot it should be considered an necessary investment in the potential YT provides. And if $160 over the course of several months or years is too much then you are definitely pursuing the wrong career. Which brings me to my next point...
It Decreases Your Competition
Nobody likes to mention this but it is a fact; +90% of creators quit the platform and the YPP requirements only increases the amount of creators who quit early on. The requirements often seem insurmountable, and many people decide far earlier that this just isn't for them. And that is a good thing. That means it takes them less videos to figure out that the YT grind isn't what they expected, which means fewer videos to compete with. Which is a win for anybody left standing. That having been said the decrease in what is statistically less talented content only increases the level of good-to-great content on the platform. So while there is less competition the competition will be more difficult. If you are going to pursue YT you need to be prepared to improve; doing so will be something you are required to do for the entirety of your tenure on platform. But again, as talent continues to grow then so do the ad rates.
Bury Your Head In The Sand
Many people turn to YouTube videos as a means of stepping away from their daily routines to find escape and solace in a few moments of somebody elses life. This leads to a general idea that making videos is fun and easy, that the life it provides is rich with exotic experiences and easy money and that this is possible simply by going viral. This is the life we present on camera, but it is not the life we lead. And so the best thing you can do; ignore the propaganda and the vanity metrics. ignore the slumps and the comparisons to the metrics of other channels. Focus solely on the content that you make and learn how to make it better. Enjoy what you do. If you can't enjoy it now you will most assuredly not enjoy it after you hit whatever vanity metric you seak and no lack of monetization requirements is going to change that.
YouTube Is A Grind
You've heard it said many times. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Be prepared for the long-haul. However you decide to turn the phrase the fact of the matter that when you are just beginning you are adding drops of value into a sea of content. That isn't to say you are not providing value, but your work is at the mercy of a vast ocean of content complete with it's own ecosystem of squalls, tides, heavy waves and doldrums. And this is exactly why these requirements are so beneficial to you. Because if you take a step back from the shoreline you will see that everybody else is suffering from the same problems.
You Make More By Making Less Early
First and foremost it needs to be said that by disallowing monetization of creators before they meet the YPP Requirements YouTube is setting a fantastic precedent for advertisers. Because only seasoned creators with proven track records can even get an ad on their video the quality of the content that advertisers are putting their ads on increases, thereby increasing the value of putting ads on videos in general. Which means that when you are able to put ads on your videos they will be worth more. By looking at the amount of views it typically takes to reach 1k/4k on average you are missing out on about +/- $160, and while that may sound like a lot it should be considered an necessary investment in the potential YT provides. And if $160 over the course of several months or years is too much then you are definitely pursuing the wrong career. Which brings me to my next point...
It Decreases Your Competition
Nobody likes to mention this but it is a fact; +90% of creators quit the platform and the YPP requirements only increases the amount of creators who quit early on. The requirements often seem insurmountable, and many people decide far earlier that this just isn't for them. And that is a good thing. That means it takes them less videos to figure out that the YT grind isn't what they expected, which means fewer videos to compete with. Which is a win for anybody left standing. That having been said the decrease in what is statistically less talented content only increases the level of good-to-great content on the platform. So while there is less competition the competition will be more difficult. If you are going to pursue YT you need to be prepared to improve; doing so will be something you are required to do for the entirety of your tenure on platform. But again, as talent continues to grow then so do the ad rates.
Bury Your Head In The Sand
Many people turn to YouTube videos as a means of stepping away from their daily routines to find escape and solace in a few moments of somebody elses life. This leads to a general idea that making videos is fun and easy, that the life it provides is rich with exotic experiences and easy money and that this is possible simply by going viral. This is the life we present on camera, but it is not the life we lead. And so the best thing you can do; ignore the propaganda and the vanity metrics. ignore the slumps and the comparisons to the metrics of other channels. Focus solely on the content that you make and learn how to make it better. Enjoy what you do. If you can't enjoy it now you will most assuredly not enjoy it after you hit whatever vanity metric you seak and no lack of monetization requirements is going to change that.
