YouTube Changes Ad Revenue Standards for New Channels

For new YouTube channels seeking to profit off of the content they produce, it appears that 10,000 total views is now the number that must be reached in order to begin receiving ad revenue. The popular video site recently made several announcements about changes to its partner program in order to ensure the legitimacy of YouTube channels. New creators that reach this benchmark will then be subject to a review process for the YouTube Partner Program. If they pass this check, then YouTube will begin to implement ads into their videos, allowing them to earn revenue. Channels that were already earning revenue despite having less than 10,000 views before these changes were announced will not be affected.

Despite my typical reservations about how YouTube is operated and how it treats its content creators, I actually like these new changes, at least in theory. Having a simple, efficient check for new channels at an early benchmark is a smart idea, mostly in order to show that content creators are willing to play by the rules. Also, creators that are serious about making a living out of producing content on YouTube will need far more than 10,000 views to be financially successful, so the benchmark is low enough that it does not really hurt them very much. It will be interesting to see, however, if the review process is actually as effective and fair as it needs to be. If it is anything like YouTube's now infamous copyright claims process, then new content creators have a right to be concerned. Time will tell, and it will certainly be interesting to see how this procedure affects new content on YouTube.

Companies Pull Ads from YouTube amidst Controversy

Concerns have been growing recently over the presence of extremist content on YouTube, particularly videos supporting terrorist organizations like ISIS. Many businesses that pay for advertising on the platform are worried that their content will be placed alongside videos that are extremist in nature, thus reflecting poorly on their brands. The controversy has become so significant that many big companies such as AT&T and Verizon have elected to pull all ads from the platform until Google sufficiently address and correct the issue. Considering that these two companies spend billions of dollars on advertising platforms like YouTube, it is fairly apparent how much of a problem this is becoming for Google.

Google is clearly at fault here, and these companies have every right to be concerned about the protection of their brands. The standards that Google has set with regards to brand protection need to be raised. Giving advertisers more control, allowing them to choose content that they wish their ads to appear alongside would be a logical step in the right direction to alleviate the issue. Whatever action Google decides to take, it needs to do so quickly, in order to not just get back the companies that they have lost, but to prevent more from leaving due to this problem.