Today, we’re announcing the expansion of the YouTube Shorts Fund to New Zealand! First announced by Robert Kyncl, YouTube’s Chief Business Officer in August, the US$100M fund will be distributed over 2021-2022. Each month, we’ll invite thousands of eligible creators to claim a payment from the Fund. This is the first step in our journey to build a monetisation model for Shorts on YouTube and any creator that meets our eligibility criteria can participate. We’re excited about what this means for creators in New Zealand. Not only does the Shorts Fund reward the next generation of mobile creators for their original contributions to Shorts, it also offers them a new way to earn money and build a business on YouTube.
YouTube has helped a growing community of Kiwi creators and artists to transform their creativity into viable businesses. Along with the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), which is our unique business model that shares the majority of revenue generated on the platform with creators, YouTube has continued investing in new monetisation options for creators beyond advertising, including Merchandise, Channel Memberships, Super Chats and Super Stickers. In Q2 2021, we paid more to YouTube creators and partners globally than in any quarter in our history.
What do Bryce Langston, Toby Hendy and Daneger and Stacey all have in common? They’re storytellers, directors, editors, marketers, and entrepreneurs — all in one. The range of talents and skills of creators is inspiring. To give creators the opportunities they need to find success, YouTube has evolved from being just a place where people upload and share videos. It’s now a destination where creators can find new audiences, connect with fans in different ways, and build growing businesses. Over 90% of watch time on content produced by New Zealand channels came from outside New Zealand in 2020, so our shared goal with creators is to help them build robust and diversified business models that work with both their unique content and community of fans.
Alongside the Shorts Fund, here are 9 ways in which creators can continue to earn more revenues from their content on YouTube and build robust businesses.
The YouTube Shorts Fund, a global NZ$140M fund distributed over 2021-2022, has expanded to New Zealand, with eligible creators who qualify receiving a notification from next week! Each month, we'll reach out to thousands of eligible creators to claim a payment from the Fund - creators can make anywhere from NZ$140 to $14,000 based on viewership and engagement on their Shorts. The Shorts Fund is the first step in our journey to build a monetisation model for Shorts on YouTube and is not limited to just creators in YPP — any creator that meets our eligibility criteria can participate. Check out all the details here.
Ads have been at the core of creators’ revenue streams, and continue to be the main way that creators can earn money on YouTube. Creators receive the majority of the revenue generated from ads on YouTube.
YouTube Premium is a paid subscription option which enables members to enjoy ad-free content, background playback, downloads, and premium access to the YouTube Music app. The majority of subscription revenue goes to YouTube partners.
Music fans can learn about upcoming concert listings and with a simple click, go directly to our ticketing partners’ sites to purchase tickets.
With channel memberships, creators can offer exclusive perks and content to viewers who join their channel as a monthly paying member at prices set by the creator.
Fans watching livestreams and Premieres can purchase a Super Chat: a highlighted message in the chat stream that stands out from the crowd to get even more of their favorite creator’s attention.
Now viewers can give thanks and appreciation on uploaded videos as well through Super Thanks. As an added bonus, fans will get a distinct, colorful comment to highlight the purchase, which creators can respond to.
Another way followers can show support during livestreams and Premieres is with Super Stickers, which allows fans to purchase a fun sticker that stands out.
The merch shelf allows channels to showcase their official branded merchandise right on their watch page on YouTube. Creators can choose from 30 different retailers globally.
Every new fan that subscribes to their favourite creators’ channels, every new member that joins, every like, comment received and every dollar earned goes into building the business ventures of tomorrow. At YouTube, the passion and ambition of our creators fuels us to continue innovating new ways to help them realise their goals and we are committed to introducing more revenue opportunities for our creators. As creators become the next generation of media companies, we’ll continue to deliver more ways to help them do just that.