• by Colin Kirkland , November 7, 2024

In an effort to help Shorts creators partner with brands, YouTube is launching a new process that will invite Shorts creators to send advertisers requests for potential partnerships, ultimately allowing creators to make the first move.

Prior to the update, YouTube creators who featured brands in their content were able to receive individual video linking requests from advertisers through emails on the YouTube app, as well as through YouTube Studio notifications, which they could accept or decline. Now, however, the company says it is allowing creators to reach out first.

“We're launching the ability for creators in YPP [YouTube Partner Program] with more than 4,000 subscribers to send video linking requests for Shorts to advertisers via YouTube Studio,” a company spokesperson said in a recent video.

In general, the update aims to give creators more agency over their brand connections. Instead of waiting for a brand to pay them to post brand-related content, they can approach advertisers with brand-related content they have already published, asking them whether they are interested in using it for future YouTube promotions.

To help raise awareness among brands, the company says it will also recommend creator-initiated tagged content to brands.

“If they choose to run ads, these creator-initiated links will act in the same way as advertiser-initiated links, which confirm rights between brands and creators, and give advertisers the ability to view organic video performance in Google Ads,” the spokesperson said.

However, the update is designed to help creators establish brand partnerships for future monetization opportunities; at first, the creator doesn't receive a cut of the ads using their content.

In March -- one year after YouTube launched Shorts -- the company said that over 80% of creators who joined YPP were earning through other YPP monetization features on the app, including longform advertising, fan funding, YouTube Premium, BrandConnect, Shopping and more.