YouTube tests Shorts bonus program to reward consistent creator uploads

YouTube has launched a trial for a new bonus program designed to reward creators who post short-form videos with consistency. Tubefilter reported that the platform announced the initiative in a video on the Creator Insider channel. The program delivers additional earnings to selected participants already enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program who upload short-form content at regular intervals. [1]

The test comes as YouTube prepares to increase the entry threshold for the YouTube Partner Program. Tubefilter reported that the company is simultaneously testing alternative earning methods for creators while planning higher entry requirements. YouTube Shorts functions as the short-form section of the online video platform. [1][2]

Current eligibility for creator monetization requires 1,000 subscribers and either 10 million valid public Shorts views within the last 90 days or 4,000 valid public watch hours on long-form videos within the last 365 days. Monetization options for the format expanded in 2023 when YouTube introduced revenue sharing from advertisements placed inside the Shorts feed. Daily uploads on the format exceeded 70 billion by early 2025. [4]

As FTMQ Creators reported earlier, YouTube recently updated its creator backend operations by rolling out a revised interface for creators on uploaded videos. The new interface changed the physical location of the dislike button for channel managers without removing the metric for general viewers. [5]