YouTube just launched a Shorts bonus program. I got invited.
Here's how it actually works:
→ Post 12+ public Shorts a month
→ Hit that and you get a guaranteed base payment
→ Then a bonus on top based on your engaged Shorts views
The rundown:
• Invite only. No application. Check the email tied to your YouTube and your Studio inbox
• Accept in Studio by Nov 15 to start earning in November
• Quota resets every calendar month. Miss it, no payout that month
• Only organic views count. Promoted views don't
• You have to still be monetized at the end of the month
• Paid with your normal AdSense, around the 21st to 26th of the next month
What doesn't matter:
• Notify subscribers on or off. It just has to be public
• Nothing says you can't clip your own long-form, including YouTube's built-in "Edit into a Short"
What does:
• Your own content only. Normal YPP rules
• Don't spam near-identical clips. YouTube is cracking down on low-effort repetitive stuff. Not worth losing monetization over a bonus
12 Shorts a month is 3 a week. If you already make long-form, you're sitting on your quota.
Go check your email.
Oct 15, 2026 · 11:28 PM UTC
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This only works if you’re in the Partner Program.
Not there yet? I broke down exactly how to get in here:
youtube.com/watch?v=Daw4kgn9…
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