New View Counting Methodology

Beginning March 31, YouTube has announced a significant change in the way views for Shorts, its short-form video platform, will be counted. The new policy allows views to be counted instantly when a user plays a short video, regardless of the duration they watch it.

Comparison to Social Media Platforms

This updated method mirrors the view counting approaches used by other popular platforms, including Instagram and TikTok, which also count views even if the video is played for only a brief moment.

Creator Feedback Influences Changes

YouTube’s decision to implement this change is largely in response to feedback from content creators. Many creators have expressed a need for improved metrics that reflect viewer engagement with their Shorts. YouTube stated, “We hope that a deeper understanding of this short performance will help you inform your content strategy.”

Engaged Views and Revenue Considerations

Alongside the new view count policy, YouTube will track a new metric called “Engaged Views,” which assesses deeper viewer engagement and is linked to monetization opportunities within the YouTube Partner Program. This change is expected to be beneficial for both creators and YouTube, as higher engagement could lead to increased revenue for creators.

Financial Insights for Creators

Since the introduction of YouTube Shorts in 2021, over 25% of creators in the YouTube Partner Program have found avenues for monetization. According to data from the Social Media Toolkit site Buffer, earnings for Shorts can range from $0.03 to $0.07 per 1,000 views, equating to approximately $30 to $70 for one million views.

For instance, Erika Kullberg, a lawyer and personal finance expert with more than 21 million followers across various platforms, reported her experience with revenue disparities. Her Shorts accumulated millions of views but generated significantly less revenue than her traditional YouTube videos, illustrating the ongoing challenge of monetization in short-form content.

Summary of YouTube’s Current Impact

YouTube Shorts currently garners an average of 70 billion views per day, establishing itself as a significant player in the market for short-form video content. Creators like Kullberg, who have successfully monetized their channels, continue to advocate for improvements in revenue distribution models to ensure fair compensation for all types of content.