To monetize your YouTube channel, you can apply to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) through YouTube Studio. The YPP provides creators with access to YouTube resources, monetization features, and Creator Support teams, allowing revenue sharing from ads on their content. To apply for the YPP, consider these stages: Stage 1. Meeting Eligibility Requirements Adhere to YouTube's Policies: Ensure your content follows YouTube's monetization policies and community guidelines. YouTube continuously checks channels in the YPP to ensure ongoing compliance with these guidelines. Geographical Availability: Verify that the YouTube Partner Program is available in your country or region. Community Guidelines Strikes: Make sure that your channel has no active Community Guidelines strikes. Two-Step Verification: Enable two-step verification for your Google Account to enhance security. Advanced Features: Ensure you have access to advanced features on YouTube. AdSense Account: Link an active AdSense for YouTube account to your channel, or be prepared to set one up in YouTube Studio. Only create a new AdSense for YouTube account in YouTube Studio. Subscribers and Watch Hours/Shorts Views: To be eligible for YPP, your channel needs to have 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months, or 1,000 subscribers with 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days. Valid Watch Hours: These are watch hours gained from long-form videos you’ve set to public. Watch hours from private, unlisted, or deleted videos, YouTube Shorts, and livestreams that are unlisted, deleted, or not converted to VOD do not count. Valid Shorts Views: These are views of Shorts that you’ve set to public that appear in the Shorts Feed. Stage 2. Application Submission Navigate to the Earn Section: Open the YouTube Studio app, and tap "Earn" from the bottom menu. Start the Application: Select "Apply Now" to begin the application process. Review and Accept Terms: Click "Start" to review and accept the base terms. If you're under 18, get a parent or legal guardian to go through the application with you. Set Up AdSense: Click "Start" to set up an AdSense for YouTube account, or link an existing active one. Awaiting Review: Once these steps are complete, the "Get Reviewed" step will show "In Progress," indicating that YouTube has received your application. Stage 3: Review Process and Monetization Channel Review: YouTube will review your channel to ensure it meets all policies and guidelines. This review is conducted by automated systems and human reviewers. YouTube will check the most viewed videos, biggest proportion of watch time, and video metadata. Review Timeframe: YouTube typically takes about one month to review your application. However, delays can occur due to high application volumes, system issues, or resource limitations. Monetization: If your application is approved, open your YouTube Studio, select "Enable Monetization," and follow the instructions. You can then choose how you want to monetize your content. Reapplication: If your application is rejected, you can appeal the decision within 21 days, or re-apply after a 30-day period if you continue uploading original content. If this isn't your first rejection, you can try again after 90 days.
The above information is incorrect, and I saw no "Earn" button in the bottom menu. Here is the link I had to use to find out what's the real deal... https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCWzDqa1nF1f3h4arGsdylfg/monetization I don't need 1000 subscribers! I only need 500, so I already qualify on that front seeing as how I currently have 963. Moreover, I've easily uploaded three videos in the last 90 days. Consequently, the only requirement I have left to meet is 3,000 public watch hours in the last year. But there, I'm not even close. So, this is the area where I will now need to focus.