Monetise your video on YouTube

The initiative will enable original content creators on YouTube in India to monetise the videos they upload on the site.

YouTube has launched its YouTube Partner Program in India, which had undergone a trial period in December, 2010. The programme will enable all original video content creators to become content partners with YouTube and monetise their work on YouTube through advertising. The programme is open to all Indian content creators who make original, high quality videos on a regular basis and use YouTube to distribute their content online.

Content creators will be able to apply online for the programme on www.youtube.com/creators/partner.html. The partner programme is an initiative by the site to share advertising revenue with its most popular video creators. Once a video creator has been accepted into the Partner Program, ads start appearing overlaid or next to their videos. YouTube then splits the revenue generated by those ads with the partner, with a majority of the share going to the partner.

David Macdonald, head, Asia-Pacific, YouTube Content Operations, says in an official communiqué, "YouTube has been a great platform for Indian content as one can see by the successes of the IPL and our Bollywood studio partners. We will now open up that platform to all media companies and original video content creators to help them monetise their content on YouTube."

He adds that there is a strong demand for Indian content on YouTube and this programme will help content creators make money out of it. Globally, this programme has a community of about 20,000 content creators. "With our online support tutorials, anyone with a creative idea can use YouTube to build local and global audiences and turn those views into a regular revenue stream."

As part of its pilot programme earlier in the year, YouTube has been working with select content creators including new media company Yoboho New Media (producers of Desimad) and Jay Hind TV, which produces several comedy shows. There are other examples where users such as independent artists, tech bloggers and housewives posting recipes and videos can make money out of the partner programme.

The programme was first launched in the US in 2008, and is currently operational in 22 countries worldwide. About 9 per cent of YouTube's views come from mobile phones. So, the company foresees this figure as a growing one with the partner programme.

Macdonald adds that the programme is expected to bring in more viewers to YouTube, to consume the high demand in India for Hindi movies, music and sports-related content.

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