If you’re a video producer trying to monetize your YouTube channel, you probably already know that in order to do that, you need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time over 12 months.
How Do I Get 4000 Hours on YouTube?
According to YouTube, if you want to be eligible to apply for the Partner Program (YPP), you must meet the following requirements:
- YPP is available in your country.
- Over the past 12 months, you’ve had more than 4,000 hours of watch time.
- You have more than 1,000 subscribers.
- Your content matches the policies of YouTube Partner Program.
- You have linked to an approved AdSense account.
This part will focus on the second requirement: you have more than 4,000 hours of watch time in the last 12 months.
Now you might think that 12 months is a calendar year, but YouTube doesn’t measure watch time by the calendar year. Instead, YouTube measures your channel’s watch time over the past 365 days. In short, you need 4,000 hours of watch time in the last 12 months, until today.
For example, let’s say today is May 27, 2020. YouTube will track watch time all the way back to May 28, 2019. The next day (May 28, 2020), YouTube will track back to May 29, 2019, and so on.
That’s why your total watch time can fluctuate up and down as you try to reach 4,000 hours. When the 12-month threshold is reached, the sharp peak in watch time will be eliminated, as will the sharp decline, so it is wise to keep a close eye on this metric.
If you ask “how do I get 4000 hours on YouTube”, here are some tips for you:
- Break it down into 20,000 minutes per month.
- Admit it takes a long time to grow on YouTube.
- Use a tool to see how you’re doing.
- Find your niche and be yourself.
- Chase trending ideas and have a plan.
- Post content every week.
What Happens When I Hit 4000 Hours of Watch Time?
Here’s some good news: you don’t have to wait 12 months to reach the YouTube monetization threshold.
If you get 4,000 hours of YouTube watch time in three months and you have 1,000 subscribers, you’re already eligible to apply for the YPP. But before you can really start monetizing your content, you still need to apply and get approved firstly.
Once your application is approved, you may feel stressful to keeping those watchtime hours up. Don’t panic. As long as you know you’re still active, YouTube won’t kick you out if you dip below 4,000 hours. You just need to keep working hard and posting content. You’ll be fine.
Bottom Line
As a video creator, you want to monetize your YouTube channel. This article has shown you some requirements you need to meet to apply for the Partner Program (YPP). Meanwhile, it also offers you some tips for “how do I get 4000 hours on YouTube”. Hope this article can help you.