Guide

YouTube Shorts Monetization: Complete Guide to Making Money in 2026

Learn exactly how to monetize YouTube Shorts. Requirements, RPM rates, strategies, and how to maximize earnings with faceless content.

Keyvello TeamJanuary 5, 202615 min read

YouTube Shorts Monetization Explained

YouTube Shorts now offers direct monetization through the YouTube Partner Program. Here's everything you need to know.

Monetization Requirements

To monetize YouTube Shorts, you need:

1.1,000 subscribers

2.10 million Shorts views in 90 days OR **4,000 watch hours on long-form content**

3.Follow YouTube's monetization policies

4.Live in an eligible country

How Much Do Shorts Pay?

YouTube Shorts RPM (Revenue Per Mille) varies widely:

Content Type	Typical RPM
General Entertainment	$0.03 - $0.05
Finance/Business	$0.05 - $0.10
Tech Reviews	$0.04 - $0.08
Educational	$0.03 - $0.06
Gaming	$0.02 - $0.04

Example calculation:

•1 million Shorts views

•RPM: $0.04

•Earnings: $40

Maximizing Shorts Revenue

Strategy 1: Volume

Post 3-5 Shorts per day. With AI tools like Keyvello, you can create multiple videos quickly.

Strategy 2: Niche Selection

High CPM niches for Shorts:

•Personal finance

•Business/entrepreneurship

•Technology

•Health/wellness

•Education

Strategy 3: Funnel to Long-Form

Use Shorts to drive viewers to monetized long-form content where RPMs are 10-20x higher.

Strategy 4: Affiliate Marketing

Include affiliate links in your channel description and community posts.

Strategy 5: Multiple Channels

Run several niche channels to diversify income. Faceless channels make this scalable.

Real Earnings Examples

Channel	Monthly Views	Monthly Earnings
Horror Stories	50M	$2,000-$3,000
Motivation	30M	$1,200-$1,800
Facts/Trivia	20M	$800-$1,200
Gaming Clips	100M	$2,500-$4,000

Timeline to Monetization

With consistent posting:

•Month 1: Build content library (90+ Shorts)

•Month 2-3: Reach 1,000 subscribers

•Month 3-4: Hit 10M views requirement

•Month 4-5: Get approved, start earning

Tools for Scaling

Tool	Purpose
Keyvello	AI video generation
VidIQ	SEO optimization
Hootsuite	Scheduling
Canva	Custom thumbnails

Common Mistakes

1.Inconsistent posting - Algorithm rewards daily content

2.Poor hooks - First second must grab attention

3.Wrong niche - Choose monetizable topics

4.Ignoring analytics - Double down on what works

5.Giving up too early - Growth compounds over time

Conclusion

YouTube Shorts monetization is accessible for faceless creators. With AI video tools like Keyvello, you can create the volume needed to hit 10M views and start earning.

Create Monetizable Shorts with Keyvello →

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