Just like in most industries, competition is fierce in the realm of social media.

Ever since TikTok started gaining massive traction, the other large platforms decided to play a game of “who can copy TikTok better.” Instagram launched Reels, YouTube launched Shorts, and Snapchat released Spotlight.

But financially speaking, there is a clear winner.

Before we get started, there is one thing I need to know…

I’m trying to see how much of our audience has posted on YouTube Shorts so I can judge if I should create more YouTube monetization content for the Expand Creators Community, your response means a lot!

More Than Just Money 💰

Not only does YT Shorts pay creators more than any other short-form video platform, it also allows you to build a highly sustainable long-form audience on YouTube, which is arguably the most valuable form of attention in the creator economy.

In my opinion, using YT Shorts to funnel viewers to your long format YouTube videos is much more valuable than just trying to push for YT Shorts monetization.

This also means you could land brand deals for both YT Shorts and long form YouTube videos.

Another benefit of shorts is that you can cross post content from other platforms.

Pro tip: Use a video downloader that removes the TikTok watermark from your video before you repost it to other platforms.

How Much Does YouTube Shorts Pay Creators? 🤔

The numbers that I’m going to mention were pulled from this article:

In Summary: YouTube pays around $0.05 per 1,000 views, so if your video gets one million views, you’ll make around $50 (could be less depending on some factors).

It’s important to note that if you use copyrighted music in your video, the amount earned gets cut in half.

You should also be aware that to be eligible for Shorts monetization you’ll need to have at least 1,000 subscribers and have raked in at least 10,000,000 views in the last 90 days.

I know these sound like big numbers, but just remember the main goal is to get people to subscribe to your YouTube channel, long-form content is where the money is at, and YT Shorts are how you can build up that YouTube audience quickly.

Here is a YouTube Shorts earnings calculator you should try out to see how much you could potentially make:

Calculator Link

Key Takeaways 📝

Out of all the short form content platforms, YouTube Shorts reigns king, not just because of it’s direct monetization, but more so because of its ability to grow your long-form YouTube audience which can open a whole new world of possibilities.

Start posting on YT Shorts!

Best of luck,

-Noah