YouTube is raising the bar for new creators seeking access to advertising and Premium revenue sharing, prompting affiliate marketing experts and creator communities to look beyond platform advertising for income.
From 1 February 2027, new creators applying to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) will need 8,000 qualified public watch hours in the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. The current requirements are 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views over the same periods.
The 1,000-subscriber requirement remains unchanged. Existing YPP creators will not be affected by the new entry thresholds.
For smaller creators still building an audience, the higher requirements could extend the period before they can access YouTube’s core advertising revenue. That could make affiliate marketing, sponsorships and brand partnerships more important during the early stages of a channel.
Renz Gonzales, VP of Growth & Partnerships at RollerAds, said affiliate income was already a core revenue source for new creators.
“Affiliate income was already the real revenue for new creators, not the backup plan,” Gonzales told AGS News. “Doubling the bar just makes that true for longer. It forces creators to get commercially literate in year one: pitch, negotiate, track conversions.”
MK Bertulfo, founder of Philippine-based community group Filipina Homebased Moms (FHMoms), said the changes could make creators more deliberate about how they generate income. “I think these changes will push smaller creators like us to be more intentional about monetisation,” Bertulfo told AGS News.
For creators who rely on a specific community, Bertulfo said the changes reinforce the need to avoid dependence on a single platform. “For mom creators especially, it’s a reminder that we shouldn’t depend on one platform or one income stream,” she said.
Her comments reflect a wider shift in creator marketing, where audience reach and monetisation can be separated across different platforms. A creator may use one service to attract viewers while using affiliate links, sponsorships or another platform to convert that audience into revenue.
YouTube’s changes could encourage some creators to put more effort into TikTok and other short-form platforms, particularly since newer accounts can gain exposure more quickly there.
Gonzales, however, said creators should not assume that earlier access to monetisation means higher earnings. “Some will move, but the premise deserves a check. TikTok lets you qualify earlier; it does not pay better,” he said.
Instead, he expects creators to adopt a multi-platform approach based on the role each channel plays in the customer journey. “The smarter play is portfolio thinking: build where discovery is cheapest, monetise where intent is highest,” Gonzales said.
That could mean using short-form platforms to build reach while retaining YouTube as a longer-term audience asset.
“Expect creators to treat short-form as the acquisition channel and YouTube as the asset,” Gonzales said. “Platform loyalty is a luxury nobody can afford right now.”
The higher YPP threshold could also create opportunities for brands and operators to work directly with smaller creators through sponsorships and affiliate partnerships. Gonzales described the opportunity as “genuinely good news for brands,” but said many companies lack the systems needed to manage campaigns involving large numbers of smaller creators.
“The catch is most brands are not set up for it,” he said. “Working with fifty small creators takes infrastructure: tracking, compliance, creative support.”
As more creators look beyond YouTube advertising, brands could find a larger pool of potential partners. Smaller creators may also offer more targeted communities than large influencers, particularly in specialist markets and interest groups.
But managing dozens of creators can create its own operational costs. Brands need systems for tracking conversions, ensuring compliance, supporting creative production and measuring campaign performance.
“Build that now or keep overpaying for the same handful of big names,” Gonzales said.
YouTube said the higher YPP thresholds will apply only to new creators seeking advertising and Premium revenue sharing. Existing YPP creators will not be affected by the change. The platform is also keeping the eligibility requirements for Fan Funding and Shopping products unchanged.
For Shorts, however, YouTube is introducing a separate threshold. From 1 February 2027, creators will need 10 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days to receive ads and subscription revenue sharing from Shorts.
Channels below the threshold can remain in YPP and continue earning from long-form content. Shorts revenue sharing will resume when a channel again crosses the 10 million-view threshold.
YouTube also said it will introduce new incentives for creators below the threshold, including bonuses for YouTube Shopping, incentives for brand deals and earnings boosts linked to starting and growing trends.
The company is also expanding Premium Lite to all countries where YouTube Premium is available. YouTube said 60 per cent of net Premium Lite subscription revenue will be allocated to a creator pool, compared with 30 per cent for Premium, with creators receiving a share based on watch time and views.
YouTube said it expects to pay creators more in 2027 than in 2026 and described the changes as an investment in active creators and new business models.
For smaller creators, the changes could nevertheless mean a longer wait before YouTube advertising becomes a meaningful source of income.
“Affiliate income was already the real revenue for new creators, not the backup plan,” Gonzales advised. “Doubling the bar just makes that true for longer.”
Bertulfo similarly sees diversification as a way for smaller creators to maintain income while they build towards platform-based monetisation. “Affiliate marketing, brand partnerships, and diversifying across platforms can help us earn even before qualifying for YouTube ad revenue,” she said.
These are the conversations shaping affiliate and performance marketing and where Affiliate Grand Slam (AGS) Rome comes in. Get your ticket today and learn more at the newly launched AGS, bringing 250+ exhibitors and 50+ expert speakers to Rome, 02–05 November 2026.
