YouTube Monetization

When you watch a YouTube video, how many advertisements can you count? Does it feel like you watch more ads than the actual duration of your video? In recent years, this seems to be true for most YouTube watchers. This is why a significant portion of viewers on the platform have resorted to using ad blocking software in order to block ads entirely to get straight to their videos with no interruptions. 

The issue with this is that it deprives creators of the pay they'd earn from the advertisements specifically put in their videos for people to watch. But believe me, I get it. I hate ads when I just want to watch my videos and constantly get advertisement after advertisement, especially when they're unskippable. But, the money does go to the creators who spent time recording and editing their videos for their viewers. For a lot of people these days, YouTube is their only livelihood and the only means they earn to support themselves. Sometimes that 30-second ad is what puts food on the table for them. 

There is also a serious problem with monetization on YouTube. There are strict guidelines creators are required to follow in order for their content to be deemed monetized and earn pay from that video. Some of these guidelines include no adult content or language, violence, hateful or derogatory content, drug or tobacco use, at least 10 minutes of content and more. One might think it'd be pretty easy to avoid things like this and most videos will be monetized. However, take gaming channels for example. Some video games have adult content within them that players record but lose out on money because it didn't fit in the guidelines that YouTube provides. That's just one example of how easily content can be disregarded and money can be taken away from creators.

On the other hand, there are creators on YouTube who will produce the bare minimum to meet the monetization requirements. This way they'll get easy money without putting a whole lot of effort into it, which creates a different kind of problem, one that is hard to discover. 

In essence, YouTube's ad culture continues to evolve, with the platform balancing the needs of advertisers, creators, and viewers. While advertising provides a revenue stream for creators and keeps the platform free for users, it also introduces challenges related to viewer experience and ethical considerations.