As a regular viewer, you might want to know if a video is monetized to understand how the creator is profiting from their content.
Or perhaps you’re also a YouTuber, curious about your competitors’ monetization strategies to help you make decisions about your own content and monetization strategies.
Here we will guide you through the process of knowing whether a YouTube video is monetized or not.
How A Youtube Video Makes Money
YouTube creators have 3 primary ways to make money: through the YouTube Partner Program, brand sponsorships, and merchandise sales. Let’s delve into these methods and how you, as a viewer, can identify them.
YouTube Partner Program
The YouTube Partner Program is a system where creators can earn money from ads displayed on their videos. Once a YouTuber meets the program’s requirements and joins, ads can be displayed at the beginning, middle, or end of their videos.
These ads can take various forms, such as display ads, overlay ads, skippable and non-skippable video ads, and sponsored cards.
Brand Sponsorships
Brand sponsorships are another lucrative way for YouTubers to make money. In these arrangements, companies pay creators to promote their products or services in their videos.
You can often identify these sponsorships when the YouTuber mentions a product or service and encourages viewers to use a specific link or promo code.
Merchandise Sales
Merchandise sales are a direct way for YouTubers to profit from their own brand. Many creators sell merchandise like t-shirts, hats, or other branded items, often promoted in their videos or linked in the video description.
How To Tell If A Youtube Video Is Monetized
Now that we’ve covered the ways YouTubers make money, let’s see how you can tell if a YouTube video is monetized.
1. Directly See Ads In A Youtube Video
The most straightforward way to tell if a YouTube video is monetized is by watching for ads. If you see an ad before, during, or after the video, it’s a clear sign that the video is monetized.
However, not all videos with ads are monetized. Some ads are placed by YouTube on non-monetized channels due to their new monetization policies.
2. Search for “yt_ad” in A Youtube Video
Another method to check if a video is monetized involves a bit of detective work. You can inspect the video’s source code and search for “yt_ad”.
To do this, right-click on the video, select “Inspect” or “Inspect Element”, and use the search function (Ctrl+F or Command+F) to look for “yt_ad”. If you find it, the video is likely monetized.
3. Check the Entire Channel
Some videos in a channel may have ads, while some may not, it depends on the content creator’s preference or other conditions. So you cannot simply judge that the channel isn’t monetized by ads if a video doesn’t show ads.
In this case, you’d better check the channel’s source code to have an overlook. Go to the channel’s home page, right-click anywhere on the page, and select “View Source” or “Inspect Element”. Then, use the search function (Ctrl+F or Command+F) to look for the string “is_monetization_enabled”.
- If the value next to it is “true”, it means the channel is monetized. You can find:{“key”:”is_monetization_enabled”,”value”:”true”}
- If it is “false”, then it’s not monetized. You can find: {“key”:”is_monetization_enabled”,”value”:”false”}
You can see this video to have a better understanding:
4. Look for Brand Sponsorships and Merchandise
Lastly, keep an eye out for brand sponsorships and merchandise. If the YouTuber mentions a product or service and provides a specific link or promo code, it’s likely a brand sponsorship.
Similarly, if they promote or link to their own brand merchandise, they’re making money from those sales.
Conclusion
Understanding whether a YouTube video is monetized can provide valuable insights for viewers and fellow video creators alike.
By looking for ads, inspecting the video’s source code, checking the channel’s monetization status, and identifying brand sponsorships and merchandise, you can gain a clearer picture of how YouTubers profit from their content.
