With 400 hours of content posted every minute on YouTube, the platform is arousing the envy of advertisers.
In a press release, the firm announces the release of monetized ads for all eligible videos, but will not compensate all creators.
Only those who join the YouTube Partner Program will be able to receive approximately 50% of the ad revenue.
To enter, the first level requires having a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and more than 4,000 hours of viewing during the last twelve months.
Below these levels, YouTube will pocket all of the income.
Read also: Children are particularly exposed to ads on YouTube
However, exceptions remain on channels that would not be suitable for advertisers, such as videos linked to politics, religion or those of NGOs.
For the moment, this measure is only effective in the United States and should develop in the rest of the world during 2021. But some people are already reacting to this announcement by sharing their disappointment on social networks: “
I don't even know what say, I'm so unconvinced and disappointed that YouTube is abusing its position in this way.
»Affirms on Twitter the young actress and YouTuber Dael Kingsmill
"
New audiences
" and "
additional income
" for YouTube
YouTube defends itself by specifying that these new advertising formats will be "
very little intrusive
" for people who watch the videos.
Several issues are highlighted by the American firm: “
For advertisers, there is the possibility of new audiences for content that is popular with users.
YouTube does this for creators too, some will find that they have content eligible for advertising and therefore, that they may start to be interested in the YouTube partner program.
In addition, overhead costs are very high on a platform like ours and this also helps generate additional income.
However, there is "
no change for members of the YouTube partner program, they can decide to disable monetization (and thus ads) on certain videos on their channel,
" adds the platform.
A measure too much for small designers
On the side of small creators, this announcement was not necessarily necessary.
Rémi, from the Tarveil - Viking Moderne chain, explains: “
Let's say that I can understand the measure in the sense that any service requires compensation.
We have the possibility of uploading videos very easily, in return we get advertising ... But I don't think this was necessary, I doubt that YouTube has any money problem.
"His channel has 692 subscribers but he does not intend to join the YouTube partner program soon:"
Support is good, but maybe some don't want to be.
"
Users looking for alternatives
For other users, the question of an alternative platform is starting to arise, such as videographer Emmanuel Pampuri, with more than 12,000 subscribers on his channel.
But for small creators, it is difficult to move away from the American juggernaut, as Rémi attests: “
For video, unfortunately, we are a bit of a slave to YouTube, that's where the world is, so it's where we need to be.
As long as there is no platform that can really compete with YouTube, then I will stay on this platform.
"