--- title: 'Bad News: Monetization for Small Channels Just Got Harder' source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=C5H97TIOrj0' video_id: 'C5H97TIOrj0' date: 2026-08-18 duration_sec: 650 channel: 'Arvind zone' --- # Bad News: Monetization for Small Channels Just Got Harder > Source: [Bad News: Monetization for Small Channels Just Got Harder](https://youtube.com/watch?v=C5H97TIOrj0) ## Summary The video explains YouTube's monetization policy, focusing on the hidden rules that determine which views and watch time actually count toward the Partner Program requirements. It highlights common pitfalls like private videos, ad campaigns, and non-engaging Shorts views that can prevent creators from reaching monetization. ### Key Points - **Example of View Discrepancy** [00:26] — A channel with 112,000 subscribers and 3.7 million total views only has 34,000 hours counted toward monetization, illustrating the discrepancy. - **Official Criteria Clarified** [03:18] — YouTube only counts 'valid public watch hours' in the last 12 months and 'valid public Shorts views' in the last 90 days. - **Engagement Threshold for Shorts** [05:51] — For Shorts, only views from the Shorts feed that are 'engaging' (at least 3 seconds of watch time) count. - **Private/Unlisted Videos Lose Views** [06:56] — Making a video private, unlisted, or deleting it removes its views from monetization count, even if republished later. - **Ad Campaign Views Excluded** [07:22] — Views from ad campaigns (e.g., Google AdWords) do not count toward monetization. - **Live Stream Watch Time Rules** [09:38] — Live streams that are not converted to VODs and are unlisted or deleted do not contribute watch time. ## Transcript 1000 subscribers on the channel and 10 million views on ss, then after that our channel will get monetized, then brother it is not that easy and yes, if you make long videos, then also brother it is not easy because in this video I will tell you some such policies of YouTube where what YouTube is doing, the criteria of all this monetization does not count at all [sound of clearing throat] like if you look at this channel as an example, right now there are about 112000 subscribers on their channel, which has also been added here, from here we section in YT Studio, this one has been added with 1190 subscribers. But friends, his channel is fine, his channel has a total of channel is fine, his channel has a total of around 3.7 million views overall. It has 3.7 million views. But when it comes to monetization, look here only 34,000 hours means only 34,000 views have been counted. His channel has received approximately 37 lakh views. Ok? But these views are not counting in monetization. Out of this, only 34,000 views are counting towards monetization. Look what is happening right now? For example, suppose this has been completed on your channel. There is no problem with this for the subscribers. Ok? Now channel has completed 10 million views in total. Ok? So brother, this has happened on your channel, but in the case of monetization, happened on your channel, but in the case of monetization, one million out of 10 million views will be considered for someone else. In monetization, there will be 10 million views on the channel, but when it comes to monetization, these views are not considered there. It does not count the views and this problem is happening with them and it can happen with you too because brother, at present YouTube has many rules and regulations and YouTube has clearly said that we will count only some watch time or only some views. If you want to monetize your channel and suppose your channel has 4000 hours of watch time, then brother, watch time will count. I will tell you later who will do what. And yes, it has also been told that the views that come on shorts, okay, if you are making shorts, the views that come on shorts, suppose your entire channel has got 10 million views, still we will not count all the views, there are some views which we will count, we will count views from only some sources, YouTube has told this clearly, so I will tell these things. Ok? Just look carefully. Otherwise, what will happen to you brother? You have got so many views or so much watch time on the channel. But when you want to monetize, you will Your option to watch the video. You will know what counts for views so you will create similar content. You will do the same kind of work. Ok? So let me tell you in detail. Now what is the first thing I do? Look here, I open Chrome. Okay, right? Look at this. Now here I will first YouTube help support here. Where YouTube has told what are the criteria eligibility criteria for YouTube monetization. Ok? This is a YouTube article. YouTube itself has said that we will not count the watch time of many views. It is written right here. For example, here they have mentioned that this is the criteria for YouTube Partner Program eligibility. Ok? You can see that your channel should have 1000 subscribers and 4000 hours of watch time. But look what is written below here. Ok? Look, it is written here Valid Public Watch Hours in the last 12 months. Ok? There is a secret hidden in this too. Ok? I will explain this to you in detail. This is one thing that should happen in the last 12 months. But apart from this, even if you do it in the last 12 months, there are still many rules and regulations on it. And look here it is mentioned that the shorts should have 10 million views. Valid Public Shorts Views Valid Public Shorts Views in the last 90 days. Meaning you should have 10 million views in 90 days. Ok? In 90 days. But even if you do it in 90 days, there is still some reason behind it. Only a few views will be counted. Which ones will be counted? Now see, I will show you in his article. Ok? Look here, it is written here how you can become eligible. Meaning, how can you be eligible? For example, suppose the first thing is to see 1000 subscribers with 4000 hours of watch time. If you make long videos then you have to get 1000 subscribers. Along with that, if you make long videos then what do you have to do on your channel ? 4000 hours of watch time which should be valid and 10 million views if you make shorts. Now see, there is a matter between both of them. What is? Just look carefully. Now let me tell you in a little more detail. This is known from outside, isn't it? But look at it in more detail. Now see, these are the reasons why it does not count. It has been clearly stated here. Look at this, watch hours gain means this is the watch time and this is the shorts views, which ones will not be counted. Then I will tell you how, which watch time will not be counted. Now as you see here it says valid public shorts views. Meaning, which ones are valid public shorts views and which ones will not count. Like, first of all, he has told here that the valid and engaging views that will be counted from Shorts, you can see publicly that appear in the Shorts Fit. The first thing he has told is that the engaging views will be like, look what is happening on YouTube right now, if you see brother, what it means is that if someone is scrolling the video in Shorts Fit, I am showing the screen recording, if someone is scrolling the video, then even if he is scrolling, he is scrolling, still a view is being counted on it even if he is scrolling, he keeps on scrolling. Meaning it is scrolling in just 21 seconds. Still it is getting one view count. But YouTube says the video must be engaging. Only then will they count the views. Those views will be counted on your channel. Whether 500 or 1000 come, whatever comes will be counted. But brother, whatever is engaged among them will be counted in monetization. Now which one gets engaged? The video which gets at least 3 seconds of retention. For example, suppose the total number of views is 100. Ok ? So 100 views will be visible on your channel. Ok? You will get 100 views. But brother, if you assume that out of these only 300 people have engaged. This means that if only 300 people have watched it for more than 3 seconds, then these views will be counted in your watch time. All the views will be there on the channel but when it comes to watch time, only those views will be counted which will be engaging. So the first thing is that your engaging views are going to be counted here. Now after that let me tell you one more thing. That should be public short views. And the most important thing is that those views should come from your short feed. It will count only if it comes from short feed. But now let's talk about friends, see what some people do. Suppose you uploaded a video and now the video got a suppose your video gets 20 million views or 5 million views or a lot of views. So what did you do? If some obscene video has been uploaded then you will think that let us make this video private. If you make your shots' video private, then brother, its watch time, oh sorry, not watch time, all its views will be lost. At that time it will not be counted in monetization. Even if you publish it again later, it will still not be counted. All of that will be finished. And this will be your case with unlisted. Even if you unlist, all your views will be lost. Whatever the view count was, these things are it. And if you delete it then brother, ? This too will end. [nasal sound] And there's one more thing I mentioned here. If you got your views through ad campaigns. what do some people do? Get it promoted through Google Adwords or run ads somewhere. seen short video ads running at many places. Ok? So in that way, even if you get 10 million views through an ad, those views will still not be counted. In monetization. Views will come your way. Views will be visible on the channel. There will be views on the channel also. But brother, those views will not count towards monetization. These are the things and at present this is the most prevalent thing. Look, this is the biggest problem. Look at this biggest problem. Look at this image post appearing in the short feed. What is you post something in the community, right? You post something like photos etc. Ok? You also post photos etc. , you post anything, brother, what is that ? This also goes viral in a way. And it also has a views count. If you go and check in your real time, you will see the views of this post in real time. But friends, what is happening? YouTube has clearly stated that we will not count the views of the post. In simple language, we will only count the video which is engaging and the views which come through short feed. So see, if you go to the channel and check your views, their views are also counted there. together. This one will show you all the private ones, unlisted ones combined. But all this does not count in monetization. Only this one of yours will count in monetization. Whatever comes from the short feed and whatever engaging views there are and whatever public short views there are, only that will be counted. That's why the views of the entire channel will not be added. You can understand these things. Now friends, this same thing is there in your long video also. Look here, he has also told me. No matter how much watch time your video gets, the Once the video is made private, that watch time will be lost. Even if it is unlisted, it will still end. If you delete it then it will definitely end because the video will be gone. And if you are promoting through ad campaigns, And if you are promoting through ad campaigns, that watch time will not be added to the monetization. Ok? Now after that, if the watch time you have got from shorts, for example, suppose you are making more long videos and any shorts among them gets played and you get a lot of watch time on it, then that watch time will also not be added. Only views of shorts are added. Ok? Now after that watch live streaming that yaar unlisted deleted and not converted to v od video want demand. I mean, look if you do live streams etc. Ok? You do a live stream and when the live stream ends, you unlist or delete your live stream. Ok? Or if you do not convert it into ViewD then the watch time you have got will not be counted. So these are the things. This is how it counts. watch time, a lot of views, but all this has happened from some source. If private, what will happen ? Your monetization will not be counted in the section. And this problem which I have shown you is exactly the same. Okay, right? Same to same problem has happened with this guy. There is a lot of watch time on his channel. There But what has happened to some videos? Has been unlisted. Some videos have been made private. In this way, some of the views have come through the post. That's why it is no majra in the subscribers. For example, it has 1190 subscribers. But all this will count. Whatever is valid will be counted. Ok? So this was something. I hope you have understood. because here you keep getting to see videos related to YouTube.