YouTube Requirements Change Again!

Last year (Apr. 2017) YouTube "upped the ante" for those wanting to monetize their channels - the requirement changed from a "free-for-all" type approvals system to one that required publishers to have 10,000 lifetime views on the channel before ads would be shown in their videos.

That created a "hue and cry" for many new publishers trying to get approved, but in January 2018, YouTube upped the ante even further. The requirements now include having to have a minimum of 1,000 subscribers, and 4,000 watched hours within the last 12 month period, not just views, and not lifetime hours, but hours within the last 12 months.

Hundreds of thousands of views may not add up to the required watch hours, particularly if the views are a second or two long (or are bot views).

On January 16, 2018, we announced new eligibility requirements for the YouTube Partner Program. Once a channel reaches 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months and 1,000 subscribers it will be reviewed to join the program. 

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72851?hl=en

Adsense and the Ads.txt File

WOW ... just ... wow is all I can think of to say.  There is so much misinformation surrounding this that people need to learn to read the guidelines.

In the AdSense forum, lots of people appear to be posting stuff they know nothing about, or at least ... that provides only half or part of the information, and not all of it. And some information that's given is not going to be applicable to every publisher either. Each publisher needs to take the time to understand how or even if the ads.txt file is necessary for them (for some it will be, for others it won't be). You can't just read what someone else posted and assume it will work for your situation.

The Ads.txt file is NOT required by AdSense. If you don't use one, then your AdSense ads will still show just fine on your website or blog. Nothing further is required. Currently, those publishers using blogger have no way to place an ads.txt file on their root domain, because the root domain is blogger.com, and we have no access to place anything on that domain.  EDIT: Please see this updated information about Blogger's ads.txt file.

Fake News and Clickbait

Typically on Facebook there are many posts we see in our feeds that have titles I consider as "clickbait".  So what is clickbait anyway?

Clickbait is a title that's designed to get you to click through to a blog or website that's loaded with ads ... that's because the site owner gets paid for those ads.  Don't get me wrong, there isn't anything wrong with getting paid if you write or create interesting content, whether it's articles or videos, or even through mobile apps. Getting paid for what you create yourself isn't wrong. Getting paid for junk that has no value is not something that's very acceptable in the real world though. To get paid you work, whether that's online or in a factory or store.

But there can be something wrong in the way you get those visitors to your site. And using titles that are considered clickbait, is just wrong.  At least it is if you use Adsense.

But why?

How (NOT) to Get AdSense Ads to Show on Your Website or Blog

In recent months there have been quite a few people showing up in the help forum wondering why their AdSense ads show on their blog, but don't record earnings or statistics.

Initially, this was a little puzzling because if the ads show up, they usually work just fine. That's supposed to mean the site/blog is approved to show ads, but when reviewing the ad codes on these sites the problem becomes apparent, at least, it does to people who are used to reviewing sites and ad codes, but I suppose it is understandable that new publishers don't recognize why there is a problem.

Publishers have been listening to falsehoods (ie: or untruths), and watching videos with more false information.

Here's the deal publishers ... if you want to get the right information, you go to the right place. Not someone's blog, website, or channel but AdSense's own official sources. The Inside AdSense Blog, or AdSense's own official YouTube Channel, or even the AdSense Help Center. If none of those official sources confirm what you've seen/read/heard/watched, then don't do it. That's the simplest, most honest and realistic truth anyone can give you. The only source that's right, is AdSense.

Making Content: Words for AdSense

Language, Grammar & Spelling

This is one of the largest areas of non-compliance and rejected sites that we see in the forum (usually the rejections are for a site that "doesn't comply with AdSense policy or Webmaster Guidelines", or it says something like insufficient content; or little to no useful content).  I write about this all the time; constantly ... because it is important, and hopefully if I write about it enough, publishers will get it.

Some of these problems are the result of users who choose to write in English, but whose native language isn't English. The results can be ... everything from badly written to pure gibberish, and aren't suitable for AdSense.

Although I don't want to discourage new publishers from creating content, if you aren't able to write well in English, then don't write in English. AdSense supports many other languages, so if your native language is one that is supported (see: Languages AdSense Supports) then write in your own language. (Visitors who don't read your language can choose to translate it themselves if they need the content).

Even more unfortunate (but thankfully rarer) are the people who don't read (illiterate - which doesn't make them stupid or not intelligent. Surprisingly even today when so many resources are available, there are people who cannot read at all, or only a grade 1 or 2 level.)  Without a great deal of help from others, this type of individual wouldn't be able to even come close to a suitable blog (unless purchased, but then they wouldn't be able to update ... that's a whole other issue). Best option for them would be to create content for a YouTube channel (thankfully, AdSense has opportunities for almost everyone).