Companies and individuals the world over are making money by uploading videos to Youtube. For some, their very livelihood depends on it. But, there is fear in the back of every Youtuber’s mind that they’ll wake up one day to find they’ve been demonetized. So, what is Youtube demonetization?
Demonetization is when your videos, or channel as a whole, get flagged by Youtube for breaking their guidelines in some way. Whilst this can happen through reporting, this is most commonly done via an automatic process. This process runs using Youtube’s infamous algorithm. If the algorithm flags your video or channel for demonetization, you can no longer earn revenue directly from Youtube for that content. If your entire channel is flagged, this can also turn off your membership and SuperChat features. However, during this time, advertisements will still be shown on your content. The only difference is you’ll no longer be getting a cut of the revenue those ads generate. This is a lose-lose proposition. You aren’t earning revenue but your viewers are still watching ads. Perhaps even under the impression that doing so helps to support your channel.
The demonetization rules are really just Google's policies. These are publically viewable and content creators should read them. To give yourself the best chance at avoiding demonetization, here is a list of good practices to follow:
If you’ve been unlucky enough to run afoul of Youtube’s bot, don’t fret – all is not lost. You can submit a request for the specific content to undergo review by a human being. However, this process can take a while. Potentially weeks to months, depending on where you happen to fall in the queue. It also depends on how busy the bot has been lately. Majority of cases where the demonetization was a mistake of the algorithm, users can reapply for monetization. Or, it may even be directly reinstated in some instances. Whilst it can be frustrating and scary to lose revenue, please keep in mind the analysts assigned to review your case don’t necessarily know why the algorithm decided to take action in the first place. They are there to help you the best they can.
If all else fails, or you’re just looking to diversify your revenue streams, you can also look beyond Youtube for monetizing your content. This can mean using other platforms, such as Daily Motion, Vimeo, or Floatplane. Or, work with a content monetization platform like Vlogbox.
Whether you’re lucky or unlucky with the algorithm, there’s no need to live in fear of demonetization. You now have the knowledge you need to go forth and conquer.
