A year into flipping the switch on revenue sharing for YouTube Shorts, we're seeing a noticeable uptick in creators cashing in. Now, more than a quarter of those in YouTube’s Partner Program are making bank with Shorts. To put that in perspective, with over 3 million creators in the ad sharing mix, we're talking about a solid 750,000 creators diving into the Shorts pool.

While YouTube's been a bit tight-lipped on the exact figures going to Shorts creators, it's clear the platform's not holding back overall, shelling out $70 billion to creators over the past three years, primarily favoring longform content.

What really sets YouTube Shorts apart, though, is its seamless integration into the larger YouTube universe. This isn't just a scroll-and-go like TikTok; viewers can easily jump from a Short to a creator’s full-length content or hit that subscribe button, opening up even more revenue streams for creators.

On the financial front, YouTube sticks to a 55-45 revenue split from ads on Shorts, favoring the platform a bit more than its longform content, mainly due to those pesky music licensing fees. And it doesn't look like that's changing anytime soon.

But let's talk growth – Shorts are on the rise, with uploads surging 50% year over year and the platform now boasting over 70 billion daily views from more than 2 billion creators monthly. Since its 2020 debut, Shorts has woven itself more tightly into YouTube’s fabric.

And it's not just about Shorts revenue. A whopping 80% of creators who snagged a spot in YouTube’s Partner Program thanks to their Shorts hustle are also raking it in from other YouTube channels, like longform videos and fan donations. This not only spells out success for YouTube but also hints at the broader potential for creators to diversify their income streams.

Despite TikTok’s massive pull, YouTube’s foray into monetizing Shorts is enticing more creators to give it a whirl, including big names already famous for their longform videos. This strategy seems to be working, broadening the horizon for creators to earn, even if Shorts alone might not yet be the golden ticket.

With more accessible monetization criteria than TikTok, YouTube offers a wider berth for creators to earn some cash. However, it's clear that for many, Shorts is more of a strategy to draw followers to their main channels, given the challenges some face in making Shorts their primary revenue source.