Do YouTube Shorts Count As Watch Hours?

For those who want to earn a living out of YouTube, 3.000 hours of watch time is a crucial milestone.

Why?

It is the first of many steps to being eligible for the YouTube Partner Program and allows you to monetize your YouTube channel. Well, 3.000 hours of views is a huge amount, and naturally, content creators look for the shortest path.

One of the hottest content types that generate a significant amount of watch time is YouTube shorts, hence, content creators wonder if do YouTube shorts count as watch hours.

Let’s find the answer and figure out whether other video types are counted as watch hours or not.

Do YouTube Shorts Count as Watch Hours? Sadly, No

So, let’s give the short answer to the question ‘’Do YouTube shorts count towards watch time?’’. Sadly no, YouTube shorts, despite being one of the hottest content formats within the YouTube platform, are not considered watch time for the YouTube Partner Program requirement.

Therefore, there is no such thing as ‘’YouTube shorts watch time count for monetization’’.

It is not certain why YouTube shorts’ watch hours do not count, or whether YouTube authorities will consider adding YouTube shorts watch time count for monetization policies.

Other Contents That Are Not Considered as Watch Time for YouTube Monetization

In the last section, it is covered the answer to the question ‘’Do YouTube shorts count as watch time?’’.  However, some other content types and formats do not count as watch time when it comes to YouTube Partner Program obligation.

If you are determined to make your YouTube channel your income source, you need to understand which type of content is eligible for the YouTube Partner Program, and then plan your content accordingly. Here are the 4 other types of content that YouTube isn’t counted for hitting 3.000 hours of watch time.

1. Private or Unlisted Videos

Before 2019, the platform counted private and unlisted videos towards YouTube Partner Program watch time. After 2019, YouTube decided to only publicly published videos accumulate towards YouTube Partner Program watch time.

What does this mean to content creators?

When you upload your content, you need to make sure that the video is publicly shared. Otherwise, your plans to monetize your content on YouTube will fall short.

2. Deleted Content

Clearing your channel could be inevitable for re-branding, or you just want to start creating content for another topic. You may store some of your highly watched videos because YouTube erases the total watch hours once you delete a video.

For example, you have 3.000 watch hours, and you just delete a video that has 100 watch hours. If you delete the video, you will have a total of 2.900 watch hours.

So, if you are planning for a re-branding or channel cleaning, make sure to store your most watched videos, or be aware of the situation.

3. YouTube Ads

It would be nice if YouTube ads count for YouTube Partner Program is it not? Ads the whole point is generating views for your content; therefore, generating a huge amount of watch hours. Nonetheless, YouTube ads unfortunately aren’t counted for the YouTube Partner Program.

It is of course very understandable, counting for ads could mean that every YouTube channel owner who can pay for the right number of ads can just literally ‘’buy’’ their YouTube Partner Program membership.

4. Live Streams

Live streams are another content format that could increase and boost a YouTube channel’s watch hours. If your content can make people watch until the end, live streams could generate incredible amounts of watch hours.

Hence, according to YouTube policies, live streams that aren’t converted to public video content will not convert into YouTube Partner Program watch hours.

So, as content creators, you make sure after ending the live stream, make sure the stream is publicly shared, not archived privately or unlisted.

Tips for Getting 3,000 Hours of YouTube Watch Time

Reaching 3.000 watch hours is a huge achievement for sure. Whether or not you aim for the YouTube Partner Program membership for the monetization process or not, it is a significant amount. To achieve it, here are some tips for achieving your goal;

• Select and specialize your niche topic
• Make sure to do your research for the niche you selected, and check what your competitors are doing
• Be relentlessly consistent in posting your content, create a content calendar, and follow it

Maybe the answer to the question ‘’Does YouTube shorts count as watch hours?’’ is a no, but still, you can focus on what counts, and then start counting.

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