As YouTube attempts to prioritize
originality and
episodic content across its short-form video feed, the Google-owned
company has begun testing a new monthly bonus program for select creators based on Shorts uploads and performance.
The three-month program is currently “invite-only,” and creators will
be notified by YouTube if they are eligible to participate.
“Once you've confirmed your participation in a bonus, you can start earning monthly for the bonus duration,”
YouTube’s announcement explains. “You will only need to opt in once for a given bonus opportunity.”
Based on a
screenshot shared by an app researcher on X, participating creators must publish at least 16 Shorts per month, with the opportunity to earn between $300 and $2,000 per month.
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“To
receive the bonus payout you'll need to continue to be monetizing at the end of that same month,” the company's announcement reads.
The program is taking place across specific markets,
including the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Brazil, Japan and South Korea.
The bonus program comes as YouTube is trying to incentivize more original content across its most popular content format, helping
newer creators break through and monetize regularly.
Earlier this month, the company updated its Shorts algorithm to reduce the reach of content re-uploaded from other creators without adding
anything new of their own.
In September, YouTube also introduced a new tool designed to promote more creator-made episodic content across Shorts, allowing creators to structure
their short-form videos into seasons and episodes across web, mobile, and TV.