With the increasing search for online money-making opportunities, content creators have looked towards YouTube for an additional revenue stream.

Making money from YouTube is no myth, as you will find out from this guide. What you need is an active YouTube channel and a guide to getting the channel approved for the YouTube Partner Program.

This YouTube monetization guide covers the following topics:

• Overview of the YouTube Partner Program

• YouTube Partner Program Requirements

• Meeting YPP Requirements

• Complying With YouTube's Policies and Guidelines

• YouTube Monetization Policies

• Set Up and Link Google AdSense Account

• Getting Approved for YPP

• Dealing With Rejection

• Conclusion

Overview of the YouTube Partner Program

The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) provides an avenue for video content creators to monetize their channels.

Participants of the YouTube Partner Program earn revenue by allowing advertisers to display relevant adverts on their videos.

To get approved on YPP, content creators have to meet up with YouTube's requirements.

This is a guide for new and existing content creators who want to monetize their YouTube channels.

YouTube Partner Program Requirements

The basic requirements for approval into the YouTube Partner Program include:

• A minimum of 1,000 subscribers on your YouTube channel

• Your videos must have generated at least 4,000 watch-time hours within the last 12 months (one year)

• You are in total compliance with the policies and guidelines of YouTube

• You have an existing Google AdSense account

To get started with monetizing your YouTube channel, every requirement has to be fully satisfied.

I've outlined a basic guide giving you six simple steps to follow to get you started with earning from your YouTube channel.

1. Meeting the YouTube Partner Program Requirements

The first is getting a minimum of 1,000 subscribers on your YouTube channel. There is no set timeline within which you are expected to have accumulated 1,000 subscribers. Once this requirement is met, you may proceed to the next on the list.

Having at least 4,000 hours of watch time refers to the accumulated time that viewers have spent watching videos in your channel.

Again, there is no specified time frame for this requirement to be met. Even if one video only gives you this much watch time, you have scaled this requirement.

Also, views on your live streams and uploaded videos do count for watch time. You have to note that deleting any videos also leads to the removal of watch time on those videos.

2. Complying With YouTube's Policies and Guidelines

YouTube has a set of policies and guidelines that every channel must meet before getting accepted into the YouTube Partner Program.

The complete details on these guidelines and policies are made available on YouTube's official website for your consideration.

YouTube goes extra miles to ensure that channels meet these policies and guidelines. This is necessary for maintaining the right balance between content creators, viewers, and advertisers.

You need to be familiar with every detail of the guidelines and ensure 100% compliance with the policies and guidelines.

If for any reason an already-approved channel flouts any of the guidelines, YouTube will impose penalties on that channel which may lead to the channel being removed from its partner program.

3. YouTube Monetization Policies

It is an open secret that YouTube strikes channels that use copyrighted materials without permission.

The whole concept of video sharing is for YouTubers to upload original video content. And if you plan to monetize your channel, this is one rule you must take to heart.

If you are found uploading other people’s videos without due permission, your YouTube channel will be demonetized from the program. This means that you’ll lose the right to earn revenue from that video, or even from your channel.

Some may refer to this as witch-hunting, but come to think of it this way – Imagine putting in so much time, effort, and money into creating a blockbuster video, only to find someone monetizing it on YouTube without notifying you!

If you must make money on the YouTube Partner Program, let it be with videos created by you. Or at least, add tangible value to someone else's video before uploading to your channel.

If you work with this policy in mind, then you are on safe ground with program.

4. Set Up and Link an Approved Google AdSense Account

YouTube expects users under its Partner Program to each have an active Google AdSense account. This is where your earnings from the program get paid into.

If you do not already have an AdSense account, now would be the best time. All you need is a Gmail account to sign up for the Google AdSense account.

You can also set up an AdSense account during the YouTube Partner Program registration process. Once the AdSense account is ready, you will be guided by YouTube on linking it to your channel.

One Google AdSense account could also be linked to multiple YouTube channels.

5. Getting Approved For the YouTube Partner Program

Having met all YPP requirements for approval and submitted an application for the partner program, the waiting begins.

There is no set time limit for the wait, as this could be from a few days to as long as 12 months. It could even be longer – not getting any official response from YouTube.

There isn't much that can be done to speed up this process. It appears that screening is done manually, and all channels have to be evaluated before they are allowed into the program.

6. Dealing with Rejection

Congratulations to those who have successfully scaled through the approval process!

What if your application for the Partner Program gets rejected by YouTube? It is comforting to know that the reasons for rejection will be communicated to you.

Rejection is most likely caused by your videos not meeting any of the YouTube’s guidelines or policies. Whatever the case may be, you have 30 days to reapply for YouTube Partner Program. I expect that by then you would have implemented due diligence.

Contact YouTube customer support if you need any assistance with reapplying for the YouTube Partner Program.

Conclusion

The YouTube Partner Program offers a great opportunity for video creators to share from advertising revenue with Google.

There are requirements that must be met before any channel is qualified for the program.

The basic requirements include a minimum of 1,000 channel subscribers, total watch time of 4,000 hours, compliance with YouTube's policies and guidelines, and a linked Google AdSense account.

Once these requirements are met, the application for the program becomes a seamless process. With this guide, you can apply today and start earning revenue from your YouTube channel.